Dawlish Warren: March 2011

Report sightings

A Greenshank was in Shutterton Creek with a Great Skua, 20 Sandwich Tern, 15 Eider and a Red-throated Diver offshore.

The female Surf Scoter was reported again off the seawall with a Great Skua, a Great Northern Diver, two Sandwich Tern and six Eider. Elsewhere wader numbers have dropped to 15 Ringed and 11 Grey Plover, a Whimbrel, a Greenshank and a Dunlin, whilst migrants included two Wheatear and a Redwing.

Migrants included a Willow Warbler on Warren Point, three Swallow, two Wheatear, a Sand Martin and a Redwing. Elsewhere two Velvet Scoter and 35 Eider were offshore.

A male Redstart around Greenland Lake was the pick of the migrants being the earliest ever site record, other new arrivals included the first Willow Warbler of the year, at least 10 Chiffchaff and three Wheatear. Offshore the first Balearic Shearwater of the year was a surprise in the calm conditions, also present 29+ Sandwich Tern, a large increase, the Red-necked Grebe, 15+ Eider, five Razorbill, two Red-throated Diver and four Tufted Duck, which flew south.

The highlight was a near summer plumaged Black Guillemot briefly off the seawall early morning, only the ninth site record, but possibly a returning bird, also offshore 20+ Eider and Great-crested Grebe, five Sandwich Tern and a Red-throated Diver. Elsewhere seven Chiffchaff were on site, two Wheatear were along the seawall and counts from the estuary included 79 Brent Geese, 47 Dunlin, 28 Grey Plover, 12 Turnstone and five Knot.

The first migrant Whimbrel of the year flew in off, pausing briefly in the Bight before continuing north, other migrants were limited to a few Meadow Pipit, two Wheatear, a Sandwich Tern and a single Swallow. Elsewhere 26 Eider, 22 Great-crested Grebe and a Red-throated Diver were offshore and in the estuary counts included 66 Brent Geese, 29 Grey Plover, nine Teal, three Dunlin and a Greenshank.

A Black Redstart remains by the Visitor Centre but no other news was received.

The two Black Redstart were still in with four Chiffchaff and a Wheatear on site. Elsewhere 34 Eider were offshore along with 15 Kittiwake and five Great-crested Grebe and the Bight held 144 Curlew, 120 Knot, 50 Dunlin and 47 Brent Geese.

A Red Kite was reported heading north over the the Railway station at 9.45am with it or another heading low south over the Golf Course from the Exmouth direction at 10am. Other news included four Gadwall on the sea with 20+ Red-breasted Merganser, the Red-necked and 22 Great-crested Grebe.

A pair of Mandarin, the fourth site record, on the Main Pond until flushed mid morning were an unexpected highlight, other wildfowl moving included Brent Geese with several parties heading east during the morning. Elsewhere a male Dartford Warbler was on Warren Point with five Stonechat and five Chiffchaff on site and a Water Rail at the Main Pond. Offshore the Red-necked Grebe was again present with 28+ Great-crested and seven Slavonian Grebe, the Surf Scoter was reported with 25+ Eider, three Velvet Scoter and a Sandwich Tern also present.

Vis mig early morning was again mostly limited to one species but today it was Starling with 1217 through to the NE before 8am, other migrants overhead included just four Meadow Pipit, three Rook and two alba Wagtail. Grounded migrants were similarly limited with four Stonechat, two Chiffchaff and a single Wheatear on site along with the two regular Black Redstart. The female Surf Scoter remains offshore with one Velvet Scoter, six Eider, three Red-throated Diver, 24+ Great-crested and three Slavonian Grebe. Elsewhere counts from the estuary included 191 Curlew, 112 Brent Geese, 98 Knot, c60 Dunlin, 52 Bar-tailed Godwit, 27 Grey Plover, 11 Turnstone, the wintering Whimbrel and a Sandwich Tern.

In flat calm conditions the Red-necked Grebe was off the seawall with at least 21 Great-crested and seven Slavonian Grebe, 65+ Red-breasted Merganser, 11+ Eider, 10 Teal which flew in off, four Sandwich Tern, two Velvet Scoter and a group of four Wigeon and two drake Shoveler. Elsewhere the two Black Redstart were still present by the visitor centre.

There was still some overhead movement with 300+ Starling, 230+ Chaffinch and several Siskin all heading east along the spit early morning. Offshore the Surf Scoter, at least five Eider, 13 Great-crested and three and Slavonian Grebe were still present. Elsewhere a Short-eared Owl was on Warren Point, 100+ Knot and a Peregrine were at Langstone Rock, 54 Brent Geese were in the estuary and a male and female Black Redstart were by the Visitor centre with a new male along the seawall.

The Surf Scoter was offshore with five Eider, 17 Great-crested, three Slavonian and a Red-necked Grebe. Elsewhere 32 Knot and 12 Sanderling were in the Bight, c15 Teal were in Shutterton Creek, six Redwing and two Chiffchaff were on site with single Swallow, Wheatear and Stonechat.

Passage overhead lasted until 10.15, when the cloud cover cleared but was restricted to Chaffinch, with over 1450 NE, a spring record also overhead 194 Starling. On a low tide counts from the Bight included 350 Oystercatcher, 27 Dunlin, 16 Sanderling and 11 Ringed Plover with 85 Brent Geese and 12 Teal in Shutterton Creek. Elsewhere the Red-necked and two Slavonian Grebe were offshore with five Redwing, two Black Redstart and two Stonechat were onsite.

A Woodlark overhead mid morning was the highlight, also moving to the NE 390 Chaffinch, 14 Jackdaw, two Rock Pipit and two Siskin with three Shelduck, two Buzzard and a Grey Heron also on the move. Offshore a Red-necked Grebe was from the seawall with 18 Great-crested and four Slavonian Grebe, two Red-throated and a Great Northern Diver, five Eider, the female Surf and two Velvet Scoter. Elsewhere the first Coot of the year was on the Main Pond, a littoralis Rock Pipit was on Warren Point, a Black Redstart was on the Wryneck Plain and 695 Oystercatcher, 40 Dunlin and a Sandwich Tern were in the estuary

The female Surf Scoter was offshore, occasionally alongside two Velvet Scoter, also offshore 50+ Common Scoter, eight Eider, three Slavonian Grebe and a Red-throated Diver. Two Sandwich Tern were in the estuary were other counts included 230 Dunlin, 80+ Brent Geese, 72 Grey Plover, 18 Sanderling, 15 Turnstone and 12 Ringed Plover. Elsewhere the first two Chiffchaff of the year were singing in Dead Dolphin Wood, two Black Redstart and a Wheatear were around the Wryneck Plain, four Redwing and a Stonechat were on site, nine Siskin flew over and a Kestrel flew in off.

The Surf Scoter remains distantly offshore with at least one Velvet Scoter, also offshore 60+ Common Scoter, five Eider and three Slavonian Grebe. Elsewhere two Black Redstart, a Wheatear and a Stonechat were in Greenland Lake, a Short-eared Owl was on Warren Point, a Snipe was on the Main Pond and a Wigeon was in the estuary.

The arrival of spring continues apace despite the weather, the first two Sandwich Tern of the year were offshore and the first Swallow was also seen, the earliest since 1997. Elsewhere the Surf Scoter was still offshore, and a Wheatear and a Black Redstart were around the Wryneck Plain.

The first Wheatear of the year arrived with four on Wryneck Plain, also there two female type Black Redstart, other migrants included four Meadow Pipit in off the sea, two Redwing and two Coal Tit, possibly continental race. The Surf, a Velvet and five Common Scoter were offshore with three Slavonian Grebe, two Red-throated Diver and an Eider. Elsewhere a pair of Grey Wagtail around the Main Pond.

The highlight was the first Merlin of the year, a female/imm around the Bight at high tide, also flushing the waders, a Buzzard high overhead. Counts included 1270 Dunlin, 186 Brent Geese, 105 Grey Plover, 102 Bar-tailed Godwit, 89 Knot, 40 Redshank and 17 Turnstone. Elsewhere the Surf Scoter, four Gadwall, two Eider, a Slavonian Grebe and a Red-throated Diver were offshore, the Long-tailed Duck and a Kingfisher was in the estuary, two Short-eared Owl were on Warren Point and five Redwing were briefly around the Entrance Bushes.

The female Surf Scoter remains offshore with 12+ Great-crested and four Slavonian Grebe, two Eider and a Red-throated Diver. Counts from the estuary included 310 Brent Geese, 291 Curlew, 153 Knot, 120 Bar-tailed Godwit, 59 Grey Plover and 11 Teal. Elsewhere the male Black Redstart was still present and a Snipe was in Greenland Lake.

The female Surf Scoter remains offshore with the immature male Long-tailed Duck in the estuary near the Wreck. Also reported in the estuary a female Scaup, a Slavonian Grebe and a Pale-bellied Brent Goose.

The female Surf Scoter remains offshore with 11 Common Scoter, four Eider, a Black-necked and two Slavonian Grebe.

The female Surf Scoter remains offshore with one Black-necked Grebe. In the estuary the Slavonian Grebe and Long-tailed Duck were still present and a Black Redstart was also still onsite.