Dawlish Warren: Latest Bird Sightings

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An Osprey was fishing over Warren Point before heading up the estuary mid evening, also in the estuary the Slavonian Grebe, 291 Curlew, 10 Redshank, three Ringed Plover, a Grey Plover and a Whimbrel. Elsewhere a Roseate Tern was offshore with an Arctic Skua, five Mediterranean Gull, 83 Sandwich and four Common Tern.

The estuary held 58 Sandwich and five Common Tern, 214 Curlew, 36 Black-headed and 27 Great Black-backed Gull, 24 Cormorant and 24 Shelduck with three Ringed Plover, two Dunlin and a Grey Plover in the Bight. Elsewhere a pale phase Arctic Skua was offshore with 25 Common Scoter.

A drake Tufted Duck offshore with 34 Common Scoter was unexpected, also two Great-crested Grebe, a Guillemot and a Buzzard in off. The estuary held 29 Sandwich and 11 Common Tern, 209 Curlew, 25 Black-headed Gull, 10 Mute Swan, five Redshank, three Little Egret and three Grey Heron, elsewhere 122 Starling were feeding in Greenland Lake and two juvenile Little Grebe remain on the Main Pond.

The highlight was a Green Sandpiper south over the Main Pond, the first of the year and a sure sign of autumn. Other returning waders included nine Redshank and a Greenshank with the summer plumaged Slavonian Grebe also in the estuary.

A single Little Tern was offshore with 24+ Sandwich Tern, a pale phase Arctic Skua, 77 Common Scoter and 76+ Shag. Wader counts included with 181 Curlew, 10 Dunlin, five Bar-tailed Godwit, four Redshank, six Ringed Plover, two Sanderling and a Whimbrel. Elsewhere the first juvenile Reed Warbler of the year was at the Main Pond and overnight the hide was vandalised, fortunately the fire did very little damage but the mural was badly defaced.

Wader counts included single Sanderling and Dunlin in the Bight, with 173 Curlew and two Redshank in the Railway saltmarsh. Offshore there were five Mediterranean Gull (ad, ss & 3 fs), 25+ Sandwich Tern, 18 Common Scoter and two distant skua sp probably Arctic. Elsewhere the first juvenile Black-headed Gull was in the estuary witrh other juveniles on site including Magpie, Swallow and Goldfinch.

Offshore there were 36 Gannet, 20+ Common Scoter, 23 Sandwich and nine Common Tern. Elsewhere an increase in Shelduck numbers was evident with 31 on Finger Point, also in the estuary 119 Curlew, 24 Canada and a Bar-headed Goose, 23 Cormorant and a Whimbrel.

The summer plumaged Slavonian Grebe was again in the estuary, presumably remaining unseen upriver for the last month or so, also in the estuary 165 Oystercatcher, 145 Curlew, 15 Dunlin, a Ringed Plover and a Sanderling. Elsewhere c45 Common Scoter, 30+ Kittiwake, 10+ Sandwich and four Common Tern were offshore and 70+ Carrion Crow were on the Golf course.

Wader counts over high tide included 135 Curlew, three Sanderling, two Dunlin and a Whimbrel whilst offshore there were 143 Shag, 38 Common Scoter, an adult summer Mediterranean Gull, 10 Sandwich and two Common Tern.

A fully spooned pale phase Pomarine Skua was offshore early evening with an adult summer Mediterranean Gull, 18 Sandwich and a Common Tern. Elsewhere 132 Curlew, three Whimbrel and a Sanderling were present over the high tide, with a fledged Little Grebe at the Main Pond and a flock of 60+ Starling, mostly juveniles in the Buffer Zone.

No news was received but for news of a first for Britain turn to the wildlife sightings pages.

A dark phase Arctic Skua was off the seawall late afternoon with eight Common Scoter and five Sandwich Tern.

Seawatching early morning produced a Pomarine Skua south along with 70+ Manx Shearwater, 23 Fulmar and a Storm Petrel with 50+ Sandwich, 11 Common and a Roseate Tern present all morning. Elsewhere 57 Curlew, three Bar-tailed Godwit, two Sanderling and a Dunlin were present over high tide.

The only news was from offshore with a Little Tern in with 50+ Sandwich Tern, which in turn attracted a dark phase Arctic Skua. Also present nine Manx Shearwater, nine Great-crested Grebe and eight Common Scoter with a summer plumaged Great Northern Diver that flew along the beach before gaining height over Exmouth and seeming to head inland.

A Hobby that flew through near the Main Pond was the highlight, with a Cuckoo and 11 Rook also on site. Elsewhere an Arctic Skua was offshore with 82 Curlew, 99 Sandwich and 16 Common Tern in the estuary all high counts for the time of year and further indication of a poor breeding season.

A dark phase Arctic Skua was lingering offshore along with 27+ Sandwich and seven Common Tern whilst a summer plumaged Great Northern Diver flew south. Also on site the first fledged Song Thrush, a Willow Warbler was a new migrant whilst counts of eight Great-crested Grebe and 41 Curlew were perhaps indicators of poor breeding seasons elsewhere.

The majority of interest remained offshore with 30+ Storm Petrel, all today heading east, single Arctic and Roseate Tern, an Arctic Skua and 25 Common Scoter. Wader numbers over high tide included 22 Sanderling, 13 Dunlin, four Ringed Plover and two Whimbrel. A reportedly grey looking female Yellow Wagtail on the shore of the Bight was perhaps the highlight but unfortunately didn't remain long enough for detailed scrutiny.

The first Little Stint of the year was on the beach with 47 Sanderling, 11 Dunlin, six Ringed Plover and three Turnstone over high tide whilst offshore the remnants of Tuesday's storm continue to filter back west with at least 162 (and an estimated 261) Storm Petrel, three fully spooned Pomarine and an Arctic Skua, 52+ Manx Shearwater, three Great Northern Diver and a Little Tern.

A look offshore late evening showed a minimum of 12 Storm Petrel with at least half a dozen lingering off the seawall. The only other news was of the first fledged House Sparrow and Pied Wagtail of the year.

A brief seawatch between 8.00 - 9.30am saw one Pomarine Skua, a summer plumaged Great Northern Diver, 128+ Manx Shearwater, c40 Kittiwake, eight Fulmar and seven Common Scoter all heading south. Offshore late afternoon there were two Roseate, at least six Arctic and a Black Tern, also three Storm Petrel, three Arctic and a Great Skua.

Offshore two Roseate Tern were present during the morning with 16 Common Tern, a probable Pomarine Skua and a Great Northern Diver. Wader counts over the morning tide included 29 Sanderling and 19 Dunlin with just 17 Sanderling and two Ringed Plover in the evening.

The increasingly wet and windy weather produced an influx of terns offshore with 63+ Common and at least three Arctic Tern, also offshore at least two Arctic Skua, two Great Northern Diver, 33 Manx Shearwater, 100+ Kittiwake and a first summer Mediterranean Gull. Elsewhere waders included 29 Sanderling, 26 Dunlin (including the mystery subspecies) and five Ringed Plover with the first fledged Blackcap in Dead Dolphin Wood.

The Glossy Ibis from Exminster made another flying visit to the Warren, heading southeast out to sea mid morning, the third site record. Also in the estuary 54 Sanderling, c30 Dunlin, 16 Ringed Plover and four Whimbrel. Elsewhere two Cuckoo were still on site, two Jackdaw, a Collared Dove and a Yellow Wagtail flew over, and 120+ Kittiwake, a first summer Mediterranean Gull, 14 Sandwich and two Common Tern were offshore.

Waders over high tide included 42 Sanderling, 30 Dunlin, four Ringed Plover and a Turnstone. Elsewhere three Manx Shearwater, a first summer Mediterranean Gull, four Sandwich and two Common Tern were offshore, a migrant Reed Warbler was singing from the car park and a flock of 35 Canada Geese flew in from the south, pausing in the Bight briefly before heading east around Orcombe Pt. Many were in wing moult, so presumably on the way to a moulting area.

There was no sign of the Pectoral Sandpiper but at least 60 Sanderling were present, including another Ghanaian ringed bird.

An unexpected highlight was the site's first spring (or should that be summer?) record of Pectoral Sandpiper in the Bight on the evening tide. This is presumably the bird first seen at Exminster Marshes on Tuesday. With the sandpiper were 36 Ringed Plover, 30 Dunlin (including an interesting oversized first summer bird), seven Sanderling and three Whimbrel. Elsewhere two Cuckoo remain on site.

June 2012