Dawlish Warren: February 2009

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The Surf Scoter remains offshore with 80+ Common Scoter, c50 Great-crested Grebe, 11 Red-throated Diver and three Slavonian Grebe. A fourth Slavonian Grebe was in the estuary with 32 Black-tailed Godwit, 35 Teal, four Little Egret, four Lapwing, three Lesser Black-backed Gull and single Goldeneye, Little Grebe and Greenshank. Despite the southerlies few migrants were recorded, four Stonechat were probably all residents, a single Meadow Pipit in off the sea and three Rook passed overhead, but Common Gull numbers had increased to at least 140. Elsewhere the male Shoveler, three Teal and two Little Grebe were on the Main Pond and 20 Siskin were in the Entrance Bushes.

The Surf Scoter remains off the seawall with 20 Common Scoter, a Red-throated Diver and a Slavonian Grebe. A Great-crested Grebe count revealed 84 birds offshore, although most were south off Langstone Rock, outside of the recording area. A flock of 32 Siskin were feeding in Alders near the First Pond.

The Surf Scoter remains offshore with eight Great-crested and two Slavonian Grebe. Three Lapwing and a Greenshank were in the estuary.

The Surf Scoter remains offshore with 25 Great-crested Grebe and five Red-throated Diver. The drake Shoveler continues its sojourn on the Main Pond and two Water Rail were by the First Pond, also there two Siskin feeding in the alders.

The female Surf Scoter was off the seawall, also there a Black-necked Grebe and an adult Mediterranean Gull.

The Black Brant again visited the recording area midmorning, being seen distantly on Bull Hill before relocating to Starcross. Also in the estuary 269 Curlew, 35 Common Gull, 34 Teal, 31 Sanderling, 22 Ringed Plover, 21 Black-tailed Godwit, 11 Wigeon, five Snipe, two Goldeneye and single Slavonian Grebe, Jack Snipe, Whimbrel and Greenshank. A single Black-necked Grebe remained offshore with the female Surf Scoter, 50+ Common Scoter, 12 Red-throated Diver and two Slavonian Grebe. Elsewhere the first two Grey Wagtail of the year flew over along with a single Reed Bunting and a Collared Dove, a drake Shoveler was on the Main Pond, with a Chiffchaff also there, 14 Canada Goose were paired up on site, a Peregrine was present and a Kestrel was hunting over the Car Park at dusk.

The highlight was a displaying pair of summer plumaged Black-necked Grebe off the seawall, the first reserve record since December 2006. Also offshore the female Surf Scoter, a drake Tufted Duck, the first of the year, 70+ Common Scoter, 52+ Great-crested Grebe, 50+ Razorbill, six Red-throated Diver, a Slavonian Grebe and a drake Goldeneye. The Slavonian Grebe, two Goldeneye and 35 Red-breasted Merganser were in the estuary with an immature Pale-bellied Brent Goose, 76 Redshank and 21 Black-tailed Godwit. Elsewhere two Siskin were in the Entrance Bushes, two Water Rail were on the Main Pond and overhead there were four Buzzard and two Rook.

The female Surf Scoter remains off the seawall with 80 Common Scoter, 19 Red-throated Diver, two Shoveler and 12 Great-crested Grebe in the flat calm conditions. Another 43 Great-crested Grebe and 50+ Razorbill were south of Langstone Rock. Elsewhere a Green Woodpecker was around the Entrance Bushes and single Little Grebe and Grey Heron were on the Main Pond.

The female Surf Scoter, 16 Common Scoter and a Slavonian Grebe were off the seawall. Elsewhere the Whimbrel, four Black-tailed Godwit and a Greenshank were in the estuary, both Green and Great-spotted Woodpecker were around the Entrance Bushes and a Little Grebe was on the Main Pond.

The female Surf Scoter remains off the seawall, with 15 Common Scoter, four Red-throated Diver and four Slavonian Grebe. Elsewhere a Whimbrel was in front of the hide with 35 Ringed Plover, 25 Wigeon, 11 Teal and three Goldeneye. Counts of c200 Black-headed and 20+ Common Gull suggested continued northward movement.

The female Surf Scoter remains off the seawall, with a single Slavonian Grebe and seven displaying Great-crested Grebe. In the estuary 17 Red-breasted Merganser and a pair of Goldeneye were also responding to the spring like weather. Also in the estuary, 11 Turnstone and a Greenshank.

Great-crested Grebe 17/02/09 © Simon Thurgood Goldeneye 17/02/09 © Simon Thurgood

The Surf Scoter remains off the seawall, with at least five Red-throated Diver, five Common Scoter on the sea and small parties of Black-headed Gull continuing to come in off and head upriver. Elsewhere the Buzzard was by the First Pond, it's 11th day on site, a new record, although it is only the second bird to linger!

The highlight was the reserve's second record of Black Brant, the individual that has been on the Exe since late January finally appeared in Shutterton Creek late morning, before flying off north towards Starcross. Also in the estuary 230+ Grey Plover, 186 Knot, including the Norwegian ringed bired, a sinensis Cormorant on Bull Hill, two Greenshank, single Goldeneye and Slavonian Grebe and two Jack Snipe and a Spotted Redshank were reported. The Surf Scoter remains off the seawall, with 40+ Razorbill, 39+ Great-crested Grebe, 22 Red-throated Diver, 13 Common Scoter and a Slavonian Grebe. Movement included a group of 13 Lapwing in off mid morning and at least 40 Black-headed Gull passing offshore. Elsewhere a Reed Bunting by the Dune Pond was only the second record of the year, four Rook flew east and Meadow Pipit were more obvious than of late.

The Surf Scoter is still off the seawall, with 52+ Great-crested Grebe and at least 31 Red-throated Diver, also offshore 70+ Wigeon and a drake Shoveler flew in from the south, 20 Razorbill, six Common Scoter and three Slavonian Grebe. Elsewhere the Buzzard is still on site, 11 Wigeon, two Goldeneye and the Slavonian Grebe were in the estuary and a Green Woodpecker was by the Visitor centre.

The Surf Scoter, 21 Red-throated Diver,16 Great-crested and two Slavonian Grebe were offshore. The Whimbrel was still in the estuary along with single Goldeneye and Greenshank. Counts from the estuary included 2000 Dunlin, 1385 Oystercatcher, 185 Grey Plover, 141 Knot, 140 Brent Geese, 88 Curlew, 60 Redshank, 52 Shelduck, 40 Ringed Plover, 37 Bar-tailed Godwit, 20 Red-breasted Merganser, 21 Teal, 17 Sanderling, 12 Snipe and two Wigeon. The Cirl Bunting was singing along the Wryneck Path.

The Surf Scoter is still off the seawall, also off there 20+ Common Scoter and four Red-throated Diver, a Black-throated Diver was also reported. A Great Northern Diver was off the beach, but there was no sign of any grebes off the Point, with military training disturbing anything at the mouth of the estuary. Elsewhere a Cirl Bunting and three Snipe were in Greenland Lake, the Buzzard is still on site, the Slavonian Grebe and two Lapwing were in the estuary, a Kestrel was on Langstone Rock and three male Stonechat were on Warren Point, more early spring migrants.

The Surf Scoter was still of the seawall, also offshore two Velvet and a Common Scoter, nine Red-throated and two Great Northern Diver and two Slavonian Grebe. Elsewhere two Goldeneye were in the estuary and a flock of 40+ Linnet were on Warren Point, an increase on recent days.

The Slavonian Grebe remains in the estuary with three others offshore. Elsewhere the Buzzard is still on the reserve and a pair of Stonechat remain in Greenland Lake. Three Scaup were also reported.

Good numbers of birds were again feeding offshore during the morning at least with 760 auks, mostly Razorbill, 65 Great-crested Grebe, 40+ Kittiwake, 20+ Common Scoter, 12 Red-throated Diver and three Slavonian Grebe. Also offshore the Surf Scoter and three Velvet Scoter. Elsewhere the Slavonian Grebe was in the estuary with single drake Goldeneye and a Greenshank, the Buzzard and Sparrowhawk were still on site, a Raven flew over, single Snipe were on the Main Pond and Warren Point and a migrant 'beeping' Chiffchaff was on the Dune Ridge.

The female Surf and immature Velvet Scoter were still off the seawall with a Great Northern Diver, also offshore three Slavonian Grebe, 500+ auk sp feeding with a melee of gulls, 15 Kittiwake, 41 Common Scoter, mostly heading east, and at least 52 Red-throated Diver, with 36 flying east in fifteen minutes after 11am. In the estuary the Spoonbill was on the Railway embankment late morning, with 200+ Brent Geese in the Bight and four Snipe in the Saltmarsh. Elsewhere the first Fieldfare of the year flew over, two Redwing and a Buzzard were in Dead Dolphin Wood, at least 30 Blackbird, eight Song Thrush, a Kestrel, a Sparrowhawk and a Chiffchaff were on site and a male Cirl Bunting was in the Buffer Zone mid morning.

A (the?) Spoonbill was seen from the Visitor Centre in flight over the Main Pond early evening, also a Buzzard remained around the reserve all day, a unusual record. elsewhere the three scoter; Surf, Velvet and Common remain off the sea wall, the Slavonian Grebe, a Goldeneye and 20+ Red-breasted Merganser were by the wreck and thee Lapwing were in Shutterton Creek.

Three Mediterranean Gull were reported, and just south of the recording area at least two Little Gull were off Dawlish.

Three scoter, the female Surf , immature male Velvet and an immature Common remain offshore, with seawatching producing 24 Red-throated Diver, an adult Little Gull and five Common Scoter. Elsewhere a Dartford Warbler was again in the Buffer Zone and 900+ Herring Gull, two Goldeneye and an adult Mediterranean Gull were in the estuary.