Dawlish Warren: January 2011 Bird Sightings

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The two Black Redstart were both still present on the Wryneck Plain along with a couple of Redwing but no other news was received.

The Surf and Velvet Scoter were still offshore with a Black-necked and at least five Slavonian Grebe, 22 Eider, nine Red-throated Diver, seven of which flew south and a Great Northern Diver. Also offshore a redhead Goosander flew south, five Pintail heading north and the Long-tailed Duck, which had been seen earlier in the estuary along with two Slavonian Grebe and four Goldeneye. Counts over high tide included 160 Knot, 85 Teal, including a leucistic male, 62 Shelduck, 60 Wigeon, 23 Sanderling, five Lapwing and a Whimbrel. Elsewhere both Black Redstart were around the Wryneck Plain, the Buzzard was seen on a kill (probably Moorhen), four Redwing were on site and over 80 mixed Linnet and Greenfinch roosted on the Back Path.

The Surf and Velvet Scoter remain offshore, showing well at times, the Surf sent some of the day in with 29 Eider, but both birds are usually loners. Also off the seawall an immature drake Scaup, four Slavonian Grebe. Elsewhere a Short-eared Owl was reported, both Black Redstart were still present and a Treecreeper, the Brambling and 12+ Siskin were on site.

The Red-necked Grebe was off the seawall with two Slavonian Grebe and a Red-throated Diver, also offshore the Surf and Velvet Scoter with 27 Eider and 20 Common Scoter. Elsewhere the male Black Redstart was still present, 13 Siskin were in the Entrance bushes and a drake Shoveler was on the Main Pond.

The Surf and Velvet Scoter were offshore with 17 Eider and a Slavonian Grebe.

No change at sea with the Red-necked Grebe still present along with the Surf and Velvet Scoter. Counts from the estuary included 201 Brent Geese, 34 Black-tailed Godwit, 18 Lapwing and single Greenshank, Whimbrel and Jack Snipe. Elsewhere both Black Redstart were still present, a Mistle Thrush was reported, c40 Siskin were in the Entrance Bushes and the Brambling remains in Dead Dolphin Wood.

A Red-necked Grebe was offshore with a Black-necked and two Slavonian Grebe, the Surf and Velvet Scoter, 15 Eider, six Red-throated Diver, 400+ auk sp and 200+ Gannet. Elsewhere both Black Redstart were still present around the corral, five Scaup, the Long-tailed Duck, the resident Slavonian Grebe, c200 Brent Geese and three Goldeneye were in the estuary, a Shoveler was on the Main Pond and today's meal of choice for Carrion Crow was a Dunlin.

The Surf and Velvet Scoter remain offshore along with 12 Common Scoter, five Eider and two Red-throated Diver. Elsewhere both Black Redstart were still ranging between the Visitor Centre and Greenland Lake, the Long-tailed Duck, Black-necked and resident Slavonian Grebe were in the estuary, 16 Lapwing, a Greenshank and the Whimbrel were in the Saltmarsh, a Dartford Warbler was along the Dune Ridge and the Brambling was in Dead Dolphin Wood.

The female Surf Scoter remains distantly offshore along with a Velvet Scoter, 14 Red-throated Diver, 12 Eider and four Slavonian Grebe. Elsewhere both Black Redstart were still ranging between the Visitor Centre and Greenland Lake, 130 Brent Geese were in the estuary with the resident Slavonian Grebe, two Goldeneye and a Greenshank, two Gadwall were on the Main Pond and at least three Redwing, two Siskin and a Green Woodpecker were in the Entrance Bushes.

The Surf and a Velvet Scoter were offshore along with five Eider, three Slavonian Grebe. Elsewhere the first Avocet of the year was quickly dispatched by a Carrion Crow on Finger Point, the male and female Black Redstart were around the Visitor Centre with a single Brambling reported.

Counts over high tide included 2150 Dunlin, 1266 Oystercatcher, 377 Curlew, 321 Bar-tailed Godwit, 201 Knot, 186 Grey Plover, 145 Brent Geese, 101 Redshank, 67 Teal, 57 Shelduck and 11 Wigeon. Also present the Long-tailed Duck with 55 Red-breasted Merganser, a Greenshank, five Snipe and the first Jack Snipe of the year. Elsewhere two Black Redstart were around the Visitor Centre, eight Eider were offshore, six Redwing, five Siskin and two Lesser Redpoll were in the Entrance Bushes and a Mistle Thrush was along the Dune Ridge.

The adult female Surf and a Velvet Scoter were offshore. In the estuary a Long-tailed Duck and a Slavonian Grebe.

The adult female Surf and a Velvet Scoter were offshore with 13+ Eider. Also reported, presumably in the estuary, a Long-tailed Duck and a Slavonian Grebe.

The Surf and two Velvet Scoter were offshore with 27+ Eider with 21 Red-throated and three Great Northern Diver south and two Gadwall north. Elsewhere a Brambling was with Goldfinch in Greenland Lake, the male Black Redstart was again near the Visitor Centre and two Jay were on site.

Seawatching was similar to yesterday with 2022 auk sp south along with a redhead Goosander, a Great Skua, 255 Kittiwake, 164 Gannet, 11 Fulmar, 28 Red-throated and two Black-throated Diver. Also offshore the Surf and now two Velvet Scoter. The flock of seven Scaup were in the estuary during the morning with two Slavonian and a Black-necked Grebe, at least three Goldeneye and an adult Mediterranean Gull. The monthly WeBS count include 1830 Oystercatcher, c1500 Dunlin, 301 Brent Geese, 156 Knot, 135 Bar-tailed Godwit, 130 Grey Plover, 94 Redshank, 67 Shelduck, 43 Ringed Plover, 24 Wigeon, 17 Lapwing, 11 Snipe and a Golden Plover. Elsewhere the first three Lesser Redpoll of the year were in Dead Dolphin Wood and five Redwing were on site.

Seawatching early morning produced 1650 auk sp south in two hours, at least 252 were Guillemot - a new site record, also passing 190 Kittiwake, 135 Gannet and four Fulmar. The Surf and Velvet Scoter remain offshore along with five Eider and three Red-throated Diver. In the estuary a flock of 17 Golden Plover were the first of the year, seven Scaup, adult Mediterranean Gull, two Slavonian and a Black-necked Grebe were in Shutterton Creek and other counts included 60+ Shelduck, 35 Ringed Plover and 10 Sanderling.

The Surf and Velvet Scoter were still offshore along with two Slavonian Grebe, also reported the first Black-throated Diver of the year and a Great Northern Diver. Elsewhere four Pale-bellied Brent were in the estuary.

A Brambling was in Dead Dolphin Wood, a rare January record for site, but no other news was reported.

Seawatching during the morning saw record numbers of auks heading south with 2053 recorded before 11.30am, 1600 of which passed in the first hour of light, of those close enough at least 30% were Guillemot. Also passing the first January record of Sooty Shearwater (south at 8.45, eventually passing Berry Head at 11.25), a Great Skua, 28 Red-throated and a Great Northern Diver, three Slavonian Grebe, c60 Kittiwake, c40 Gannet, six Fulmar, five Shelduck and four Brent Geese. Elsewhere six Scaup (one drake) and four Pale-bellied Brent were in Shutterton Creek and the Surf Scoter and at least eight Eider were still offshore.

Good numbers of Red-throated Diver were still passing offshore with 44 south before 10am, later on another 10 flew south with at least 22 on the sea - possibly involving some duplication, also offshore a Red-necked Grebe before heading south, the first Great Northern Diver of the year south, two Slavonian Grebe, the Surf and Velvet Scoter and 23 Eider. Elsewhere a Dartford Warbler was by the Main Pond, 235 Knot, 212 Bar-tailed Godwit, four Pale-bellied Brent and the Whimbrel were in the estuary, 25+ Siskin and a Great-spotted Woodpecker were in the Entrance Bushes, the pair of Gadwall and two drake Shoveler were on the Main Pond and a Collared Dove was in Greenland Lake.

Seawatching early morning produced 68 Red-throated Diver south before 10am with at least another five during the day a new site record, also passing a Manx Shearwater, only the second January record, a Great Skua, 150+ auks and the first Fulmar of the year. On the sea the Surf and Velvet Scoter remain along with 27 Eider and six Slavonian Grebe. In the estuary there were 79 Red-breasted Merganser, 10 Sanderling, nine Goldeneye, the Slavonian Grebe and four Pale-bellied Brent Geese. Elsewhere the male Black Redstart was in Greenland Lake, three Rook and a Raven were overhead, 25+ Siskin and two Redwing were in the Entrance Bushes, the pair of Gadwall were on the Main Pond and a Stock Dove was, unusually, on Warren Point.

Counts from the estuary included 75 Shelduck, 65 Red-breasted Merganser, 20 Teal, 18 Sanderling, nine Black-tailed Godwit, two Little Grebe, a Greenshank, a Goldeneye, the Slavonian Grebe and a Red-breasted Goose with two Brent Geese. Elsewhere the Surf and Velvet Scoter were offshore with c40 Great-crested and two Slavonian Grebe and 30 Eider, a Pale-bellied Brent was on the Golf Course, a Kestrel was in the Buffer Zone and two Siskin and two Redwing were in the Entrance Bushes.

Late news includes the following counts over high tide; 1949 Dunlin, 282 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 215 Bar-tailed Godwit, 197 Grey Plover, 179 Knot, 151 Wigeon, 52 Shelduck, 52 Red-breasted Merganser, 11 Turnstone, 10 Ringed Plover, four Pale-bellied Brent, three Sanderling, a Goldeneye and the Whimbrel. Elsewhere 28 Eider, nine Red-throated Diver and a Slavonian Grebe were offshore and the pair of Gadwall were on the Main Pond.

The Surf and Velvet Scoter were again distantly off the seawall with at least 17 Eider. Elsewhere a Kingfisher was on the Wreck, with two Slavonian and three Little Grebe, three Goldeneye and two Greenshank were in the estuary.

The Surf and Velvet Scoter remain off the seawall but distant, also offshore 40+ Red-throated Diver, 29 Eider, c30 Great-crested, two Slavonian and a Black-necked Grebe. A female Long-tailed Duck was seen flying out of the estuary late on with Red-breasted Merganser, presumably to roost on the sea, other reports from the estuary included 290 Wigeon and 82 Shelduck with four Pale-bellied Brent, three Goldeneye, the Slavonian Grebe, an adult Mediterranean Gull, a Greenshank and a Whimbrel. Elsewhere a Woodcock was watched heading into the Saltmarsh at dusk, the male Black Redstart was around the Visitor Centre and the pair of Gadwall remain on the Main Pond.

Counts from offshore included 29 Eider and 26 Red-throated Diver. Elsewhere the pair of Gadwall and two drake Shoveler remain on the Main Pond, four Pale-bellied Brent, three Goldeneye and a Greenshank were in the estuary, a Jay was in Dead Dolphin Wood, 30 Siskin and a Buzzard were in the Entrance Bushes.

The Surf and Velvet Scoter remain offshore and a Black Redstart was by the Visitor centre but no other news was received. Late news included a Short-eared Owl on Warren Point and a Green Woodpecker near the Visitor Centre.

No complete list was received for today. Offshore the Surf Scoter remains into her fifth calendar year, along with the recent Great Skua, 30 Eider, four Slavonian Grebe, four Red-throated Diver and a Velvet Scoter. Also offshore two drake Pochard, a pair of Tufted Duck and two drake Pintail. Elsewhere two Black Redstart were around the Visitor Centre, a Woodcock was in the Entrance Bushes, a pair of Gadwall and two drake Shoveler were on the Main Pond, three Greenshank and the Slavonian Grebe were in the estuary.