Dawlish Warren: Latest Bird Sightings

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An adult Mediterranean Gull was on the beach along with 50 Common Tern, six Sanderling, four Ringed Plover, two Dunlin and a Turnstone over the evening tide. Elsewhere a Pomarine Skua was offshore with four other more distant skua sp, 36 Whimbrel and seven Bar-tailed Godwit were in the estuary along with the Slavonian Grebe and two juvenile Razorbill.

Waders included 408 Curlew, 105 Redshank, 46 Ringed Plover, 21 Whimbrel, six Dunlin and three Turnstone with two adult Mediterranean Gull and the Slavonian Grebe also in the estuary. Elsewhere an Arctic Skua was offshore, two Redstart and five Willow Warbler were by the Main Pond and the first Grey Wagtail of the autumn flew over.

Waders included 36 Ringed Plover and 26 Dunlin, with an adult Yellow-legged Gull, 200+ Sandwich and eight Common Tern also in the estuary. Elsewhere two Pomarine Skua were offshore and 90+ Swift were overhead early morning.

A surprise early autumn fall this morning saw a Grasshopper Warbler and a Redstart in the Entrance Bushes with two more Redstart by the Main Pond, also 12+ Willow Warbler, seven Blackcap, seven Whitethroat and six Reed Warbler. Waders included c470 Curlew, 60 Sanderling, 20+ Whimbrel, 25+ Dunlin, 12 Ringed Plover and two Knot and a Common Sandpiper with 240+ Sandwich and 16+ Common Tern, four Mediterranean Gull (2 ss & 2 ad) and the Slavonian Grebe also in the estuary. Elsewhere there were at least two first winter Yellow-legged Gull, a Hobby flew over and 40 Common Scoter were offshore.

Waders included 46 Dunlin, 23 Sanderling and 16 Ringed Plover with 12 Mediterranean Gull (juv, fs, 4 ss & 6 ad) and the Slavonian Grebe also in the estuary. Great Black-backed Gull are slowly starting to build in number with three recent ringing recoveries: Yellow 0.TT8 which was rung as a chick on Lihou Island, Guernsey in June 2011; Yellow 0.LL7 which was rung as a 2nd calendar year male at Chouet Landfill, Guernsey in May 2011 and was still present on Guernsey until 23 June 2012 before being seen on site today; and Green K63 was rung in July 2011 on Chausey's Island, Granville, Normandy, France.

Wader passage picked up with three adult Curlew Sandpiper and a juvenile Little Ringed Plover amongst 57 Dunlin, 38 Sanderling, 10 Ringed Plover and a Greenshank. Elsewhere two skua sp were offshore, 540+ Black-headed and 12 Mediterranean Gull (2 juv, fs, 4 ss, 5 ad), 13 Common Tern were in the estuary and a Willow Warbler was by the Main Pond.

At least three Pomarine Skua were distantly offshore in the evening with 180+ Sandwich and a Common Tern and several male Razorbill and young. Elsewhere a second summer Mediterranean Gull was in the estuary with 88 Redshank, six Ringed Plover, four Bar-tailed Godwit and two Dunlin.

At least two Pomarine Skua were again offshore in the evening but were very distant. Elsewhere a second summer Mediterranean Gull was in the Bight with 54+ Whimbrel, 35 Dunlin and a Knot, whilst the Slavonian Grebe and 14 Shelduck were in the estuary and two migrant Willow Warbler were around the Main Pond.

At least seven Pomarine and two Arctic Skua were again offshore in the evening with c200 Sandwich, 14+ Common and two Roseate Tern around the site. Counts from the estuary included at least six Mediterranean Gull, c540 Curlew, 90 Redshank, c40 Sanderling, 38+ Whimbrel, 29 Dunlin, 12 Ringed Plover, a Greenshank and a Knot. Other records included the Slavonian Grebe and a Coal Tit which flew along the Dune Ridge.

A juvenile Little Ringed Plover was briefly in the Bight early morning with 14+ Whimbrel, 14 Dunlin, three Sanderling, three Turnstone and a Grey Plover. Also in the estuary the Slavonian Grebe, a Roseate Tern, eight Mediterranean Gull (3ad, 2ss, fs & 2 juv) and a Bar-headed Goose with two Stock Dove and Wheatear on the shoreline. The evening tide saw a Black Tern briefly offshore with a first summer Roseate and 31+ Common Tern, 190 Common Scoter and at least eight Pomarine Skua. Wader counts included c80 Redshank, 41 Sanderling, 12 Ringed Plover and a Greenshank.

Roseate & Sandwich Tern 21/07/12 © Lee Collins Redshank 21/07/12 © Dave Jewell

A Common Sandpiper was on the sea wall off Cockwood but no other news was received.

The Slavonian Grebe remains off Cockwood with five Whimbrel and a second summer Mediterranean Gull also in the estuary and a migrant Wheatear in front of the hide.

Three Mediterranean Gull (2 ad & fs) were on the Railway Saltmarsh with 48 Redshank, six Bar-tailed Godwit and five Whimbrel. Also in the estuary 24 Sanderling, six Dunlin, four Turnstone and the Slavonian Grebe. Elsewhere 40+ Common Scoter and an Arctic Skua were offshore and a Swift was overhead, however just off site 400+ were feeding above Eastdon for a second evening.

Two Roseate Tern were in the estuary with 21 Common and c150 Sandwich Tern, 90+ Black-headed and an adult Mediterranean Gull, 456 Curlew, 41 Redshank, 20 Sanderling, 13 Dunlin, four Bar-tailed Godwit, three Whimbrel, two Turnstone and the Slavonian Grebe. Elsewhere 333 Shag, 40+ Common Scoter and two Arctic Skua were offshore and a Willow Warbler was a migrant.

A Roseate Tern was offshore with 155+ Sandwich and 31+ Common Tern around the site. In the estuary there were 10 Bar-tailed Godwit, eight Ringed Plover, four Whimbrel, three Common Sandpiper, two Dunlin and the Slavonian Grebe.

The first juvenile Yellow-legged Gull of the year was in the Bight with the Slavonian Grebe, c375 Curlew, c140 Sandwich and 25 Common Tern, 22 Dunlin, a Sanderling and a Whimbrel also in the estuary.

The Slavonian Grebe was in the estuary with 30+ Sandwich and seven Common Tern, 23 Mute Swan and 19 Redshank.

The first juvenile Sandwich Tern of the year was in the estuary with 37 adults, some still displaying and courtship feeding. Elsewhere another 15 Sandwich Tern were offshore with 40+ Common Scoter and three Manx Shearwater.

Counts from the estuary included 110 Black-headed and an adult Mediterranean Gull, 25 Sandwich and four Common Tern, with 330 Curlew, 276 Oystercatcher, 18 Redshank, 14 Dunlin, five Whimbrel, five Bar-tailed Godwit and three Common Sandpiper with the Slavonian Grebe still present. Elsewhere 76 Common Scoter were offshore and the first Sand Martin of the autumn flew through.

Once the rain stopped there was a steady southerly passage of Manx Shearwater, also offshore four Arctic and two Great Skua, 100+ Common Scoter, 30+ Sandwich, at least eight Common, three Roseate and an Arctic Tern. Wader counts included c250 Curlew, 17 Redshank, seven Bar-tailed Godwit, seven Dunlin, two summer plumaged Knot, two Ringed and a Grey Plover, also in the estuary two Great-crested and the Slavonian Grebe. Elsewhere 16 Lesser Black-backed Gull were on the flooded Golf Course along with 11 Rook, four Whimbrel and four Black-tailed Godwit. Three of the Lesser Black-backed gulls were colour ringed, two adults were rung this year on the Channel Islands on Guernsey and Sark. The third was rung as a chick on Burhou, Alderney on 10 July 2010,with the only other sightings coming from Valdoviño, A Coruña, the very NW corner of Spain in December 2011. Thanks to Paul Veron of Guernsey Gulls for the very prompt information.

Offshore there were 75+ Common Scoter, 40+ Manx Shearwater, 30 Sandwich and eight Common Tern. Waders included 265 Curlew, seven Dunlin, two Whimbrel and single Bar-tailed Godwit, Knot and Grey Plover.

A Balearic Shearwater headed west mid evening along with 30+ Manx Shearwater, also offshore two Pomarine and two Arctic Skua chasing Kittiwake. Elsewhere nine Ringed Plover, seven Dunlin and a Grey Plover were in the Bight with 165 Curlew, 41 Sandwich Tern, three Whimbrel and three Mediterranean Gull (two adults and the first juvenile) in the estuary.

The Slavonian Grebe was still in the estuary with a single Common Sandpiper.

July 2012