Dawlish Warren: February 2013

A drake Gadwall was on the Main Pond with a Raven overhead the only other news reported.

Three Gadwall and a Shoveler were on the Main Pond with three Red-throated Diver and a Great-crested Grebe offshore. Counts from the estuary included 735 Oystercatcher, 550 Dunlin, 181 Curlew,151 Bar-tailed Godwit, 80 Grey Plover, 55+ Knot and 41 Redshank.

Counts from the estuary included 800+ Dunlin, 201 Curlew, 161 Brent Geese, 86 Grey Plover, 70 Knot, 41 Teal, 19 Shelduck, 15 Wigeon and the Slavonian Grebe. Elsewhere two Slavonian Grebe were offshore and three Gadwall and a Grey Wagtail were on the Main Pond.

Records from the estuary included 153 Curlew, 90 Bar-tailed and two Black-tailed Godwit, 40 Knot, 31 Redshank, 22 Shelduck, 18 Teal, four Wigeon and the Slavonian Grebe. Elsewhere a Short-eared Owl was reported, three Gadwall on the Main Pond and half a dozen Water Rail are still around the wetter areas.

Records from the hide included 250 Brent Geese, 29 Bar-tailed and three Black-tailed Godwit, 20+ Teal, 17 Shelduck, 17 Wigeon, a Slavonian Grebe and a Greenshank. Elsewhere a pair of Shoveler were on the Main Pond, a Green Woodpecker showed well near the Visitor Centre whilst offshore there were just a single Red-throated Diver and five Great-crested Grebe.

A single Red-throated Diver flew south offshore with just six Great-crested and two Slavonian Grebe on the sea. The resident Slavonian Grebe was in the estuary with 212 Bar-tailed Godwit, 200 Brent Geese, 50+ Common and a Mediterranean Gull, 35 Teal, 26 Wigeon, 21 Shelduck, four Black-tailed Godwit, a Lapwing and an Avocet with a Whimbrel reported. Elsewhere a female Shoveler was on the main Pond and a Sparrowhawk was around the feeders.

The Slavonian Grebe was in the estuary with 300+ Brent Geese, 22 Turnstone, two Peregrine and an Avocet.

Counts from the estuary on a dropping tide included 800 Oystercatcher, 200+ Dunlin, 50+ Curlew, 21 Teal, 17 Shelduck and seven Black-tailed Godwit.

Four Tufted Duck (mmff) were off Warren Point with a single Red-throated Diver also offshore. Elsewhere the Slavonian Grebe was in the estuary with 663 Oystercatcher and 195 Brent Geese.

Counts from the estuary included 204 Grey Plover, 77 Knot, 37 Shelduck, 23 Bar-tailed Godwit, 11 Ringed Plover and 11 Lesser Black-backed Gull, the latter welcome spring migrants.

Counts from the estuary included 231 Grey Plover, 168 Brent Geese, 111 Curlew, 94 Knot, 84 Redshank, 63 Teal, 46 Snipe, 20 Bar-tailed Godwit, 19 Sanderling, 12 Ringed Plover, eight Goldeneye and the Slavonian Grebe. Offshore a Little Gull flew east with a Slavonian Grebe and a Red-throated Diver on the sea.

A single Red-throated Diver and a Slavonian Grebe were offshore with two drake Shoveler on the Main Pond and a Kingfisher by the First Pond.

A single Red-throated Diver and 20 Great-crested Grebe were offshore with the Water Pipit again on the 7th fairway and 320 Brent Geese, 158 Grey Plover and the Slavonian Grebe in the estuary.

Off the seawall there were two Slavonian Grebe and a single Red-throated Diver. Elsewhere a Water Pipit was on the 7th fairway, with 220 Grey Plover, 155 Brent Geese, 56 Knot, 33 Shelduck and the Slavonian Grebe in the estuary.

Four Red-throated Diver were offshore with 34 Great-crested and a Slavonian Grebe. A Red-necked Grebe was also reported. Elsewhere at least one Water Pipit was on the Golf Course and the Slavonian Grebe was in the estuary.

Seawatching after the rain produced eight Red-throated Diver south with four more on the sea with six Common Scoter. Elsewhere the Slavonian Grebe was in the estuary with two Mediterranean Gull (ad & sw) whilst on the Golf course there were two Water Pipit and a White Wagtail with 13 Pied Wagtail and 10+ Rock Pipit.

Two Slavonian and 44 Great-crested Grebe were offshore with a Great Northern and seven Red-throated Diver and four Common Scoter. Elsewhere nine Goldeneye were in the estuary, at least three Redwing were on site, a Grey Wagtail was at the seawall and the almost hand tame Knot is still feeding in puddles near the Visitor Centre.

No news was received but late news included four Gadwall on the Main Pond, with single Avocet, Greenshank and Slavonian Grebe in the estuary.

The Slavonian Grebe was in the estuary with 12 Lapwing, two Goldeneye and the second winter Mediterranean Gull. Details have already come back for a Russian metal ringed Brent Goose recorded at the weekend. A male it was ringed as an adult on 30/07/2008 on Middle Beacon Island, Taymyr, Krasnoyarsk some 4679km away and this is the first sighting since ringing.

The Black-throated Diver was offshore again with a single Red-throated Diver and four Common Scoter. Elsewhere 11 Goldeneye, a second winter Mediterranean Gull, an Avocet and a Greenshank were off Cockwood.

The Slavonian Grebe was in the estuary with 125 Redshank and 95 Teal. Elsewhere a Red-throated Diver 27 Great-crested Grebe and seven Razorbill were offshore.

The Slavonian Grebe was in the estuary with 373 Brent Geese and 18 Turnstone. Elsewhere 21 Great-crested Grebe were offshore with three Little Grebe and two Coot on the Main Pond.

Offshore the Black-throated Diver was very distant off the seawall with at least 18 Red-throated Diver, 35+ Great-crested Grebe and 15 Common Scoter, the first double figure count this year. Elsewhere the Slavonian Grebe, five Goldeneye, a female Pintail, a Greenshank and an Avocet.

Offshore a Black-throated Diver was off the seawall with at least eight Red-throated Diver, 30 Great-crested and a Slavonian Grebe. The resident Slavonian Grebe was in the estuary with 12 Goldeneye, a female Shoveler, 120 Redshank and a good count of 64 Snipe, flushed from the Saltmarsh by a Peregrine. Elsewhere the first Grey Wagtail of the year was around the Main Pond were a second Coot has also arrived.

Counts from the estuary included 387 Brent Geese, 203 Grey Plover, 105 Knot, 94 Curlew, 54 Bar-tailed Godwit, 48 Shelduck, c30 Wigeon, two Pintail and a Shoveler. Elsewhere two Water Pipit were near the hide and offshore there were 59 Great-crested Grebe, eight Red-throated and a Great Northern Diver.