Dawlish Warren: September 2011

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The Spoonbill was in front of the hide briefly, having flown over from Exmouth. Counts from the estuary included 302 Canada Geese, 270+ Redshank, 171 Curlew, 154 Great Black-backed Gull, 72 Dunlin, 63 Brent Geese, 63 Ringed Plover, 38 Knot, 19 Sandwich Tern, 10 Sanderling and five Bar-tailed Godwit. Elsewhere 30 Linnet, the first two Lesser Redpoll of the autumn and a Grey Wagtail flew over with two Siskin and a Goldcrest in Greenland Lake and an Arctic Skua offshore.

An immature Spoonbill was in front of the hide with a single Avocet. A Jack Snipe was reported from the Dune Pond, a very early bird.

A Nuthatch in the Turkey Oak copse was the highlight, migrants included a dozen Chiffchaff, seven Wheatear, the first Goldcrest of the autumn and overhead a light passage of Skylark, Meadow Pipit, House Martin, two Grey and a Yellow Wagtail and two Siskin. In the estuary counts included 367 Wigeon, 200+ Redshank, 148+ Teal, 110+ Ringed Plover, 12 Black-tailed Godwit, 10 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, two adult Mediterranean Gull, two Curlew Sandpiper, a Grey Plover and the Slavonian Grebe.

A juvenile Sabine's Gull was close in offshore, no doubt one of the Exmouth birds. Wader counts included four Curlew Sandpiper, a Golden Plover, 18 Sanderling, 10 Black-tailed Godwit, five Turnstone and a Knot. Other records included four Dark-bellied Brent Geese an two Wheatear.

Three juvenile Sabine's Gull were offshore, mostly close off Exmouth Beach, but they did come closer to the Warren at times and two of them even flew into the estuary. Counts from a low high tide included 80+ Sandwich and five Common Tern, 64 Ringed Plover, 61 Dunlin, 24 Dark and eight Pale-bellied Brent Geese and an adult Mediterranean Gull.

The two juvenile Sabine's Gull remained on Exmouth Beach and could be seen offshore from the Dune Ridge, also offshore two Red-throated Diver, 40+ Common Scoter, 30 Sandwich Tern, 11 Eider and a Balearic Shearwater through. Over high tide the Bight held four Curlew Sandpiper and a Little Stint with 238 Great Black-backed Gull, eight Pale-bellied Brent, 56 Dunlin, 50 Knot, 44 Ringed Plover and 40+ Sanderling. Also in the estuary a presumed Mediterranean x Common Gull hybrid, 350+ Canada Geese, 190 Wigeon, 127 Redshank, 27 Bar-tailed Godwit and the Slavonian Grebe. Elsewhere two Grey and five Yellow Wagtail were overhead with five Wheatear by the hide.

No news was received, but two juvenile Sabine's Gull on Exmouth Beach would no doubt have been visible from the Warren, the Grey Phalarope would have been more of a challenge though!

A Grasshopper Warbler on Warren Point was the pick of the migrants, also present six Blackcap, two Whitethroat and a Wheatear with 300 Meadow Pipit and three Grey Wagtail overhead. In the estuary there were three Curlew Sandpiper and a Little Stint with 145 Dunlin, 40 Sanderling, the Slavonian Grebe, 310 Wigeon, 70 Teal and six Dark-bellied Brent Goose. Offshore there were 45 Common Scoter and an Arctic Skua.

At least 20 Balearic Shearwater remain offshore with five Arctic Skua, 60 Sandwich and a Common Tern. Wader counts included 1600 Oystercatcher, 270 Curlew,146 Dunlin, 118 Ringed Plover, 90 Redshank, 65 Sanderling, 20 Knot, two Curlew Sandpiper and a Little Stint with the Slavonian Grebe, 260 Wigeon, 75 Teal and the first Dark-bellied Brent Goose of the autumn also in the estuary. Elsewhere a Hobby and 20 Sand Martin flew over, two Wheatear, two Whitethroat and a Jay on site.

A single Balearic Shearwater was offshore this evening with three Black Tern and three Arctic Skua.

Large numbers of Balearic Shearwater remain offshore with c200 feeding off Orcombe, also present at least eight Arctic and a Pomarine Skua. Several hundred Curlew, Dunlin and Ringed Plover were present on site this evening with at least three Whimbrel and a Curlew Sandpiper but were constantly disturbed by walkers and anglers on another unwardened high tide.

Another record count of Balearic Shearwater with a minimum of 229 recorded passing south before 10am, with birds returning north and lingering making any further accurate counts impossible. Also offshore a

Sooty Shearwater, a juvenile Long-tailed Skua, 23 Arctic Skua, a first winter Little Gull, 532 Kittiwake, 154+ Gannet, 156 Sandwich, 126 Common, 18 Arctic and two Little Tern. Elsewhere three Curlew Sandpiper over high tide.

Offshore there were continuing record numbers of Balearic Shearwater with a minimum of 220 recorded during the morning, including a single flock of 58 on the sea, but with birds passing all day. Also offshore an adult Sabine's Gull early morning, the first Grey Phalarope of the year in the evening, three Sooty Shearwater, a site record 11 Pomarine Skua, 40+ Arctic and seven Great Skua, a second summer Little Gull, 120+ Kittiwake, 12 Eider, a Red-throated Diver, 70+ Common, 20+ Arctic and four Little Tern. Elsewhere the seven Pale-bellied Brent Geese were in the estuary with 90 Teal, 57 Wigeon, 55 Mute Swan, the Slavonian Grebe, 10 Curlew Sandpiper, two first winter Yellow-legged and three Mediterranean Gull.

The juvenile Buff-breasted Sandpiper remained on site all day, either in the Bight or on the 7th fairway, with high tide counts of 600+ Dunlin, 316 Ringed Plover and 11 Curlew Sandpiper. Also in the estuary Pale-bellied Brent Geese, 4 ads with 3 juvs, and the Slavonian Grebe. On a sour note, disturbance of these nationally important flocks remains a serious issue, dog walkers and fishermen were all along the beach and even in the Bight. Offshore there were record numbers of the critically endangered Balearic Shearwater with 100+ estimated, the constantly moving feeding flocks being impossible to count accurately. Also present at least one Sooty Shearwater, 28+ Arctic, seven Great and two Pomarine Skua, 70+ Common, 10+ Arctic, two Little and a Black Tern.

A juvenile Buff-breasted Sandpiper was found in the Bight mid morning and remained there all day, the eighth site record and the first since this date in 2007. Also on site five Curlew Sandpiper, five Arctic Skua and at last two Arctic Tern.

Offshore in the evening there were still six Balearic and a Manx Shearwater, with 100+ Kittiwake, six Arctic and two Pomarine Skua, at least one Arctic Tern and a Peregrine which attempted to take several 'commic' Tern. Elsewhere 110 Wigeon were in the estuary with the Slavonian Grebe and two adult Mediterranean Gull.

Seawatching between 7.00-11.00am produced 39 Balearic and Manx Shearwater, 27 Arctic Skua, single Great and Pomarine Skua, 227 Kittiwake, 150+ Gannet, 11 Fulmar, five Common Tern and a Storm Petrel. On a low incoming tide there were 270 Dunlin, 240 Ringed Plover, 176 Great Black-backed Gull, 30 Sanderling, four Curlew Sandpiper and a Little Stint.

Seawatching was the order of the day with plenty of birds passing south but also lingering offshore making counts difficult, totals between 10am and mid afternoon included 700 Manx, 49 Balearic and a Sooty Shearwater, 49 Arctic and five Pomarine Skua, and at least five Arctic Tern. Late evening there were still 100+ Manx and 10+ Balearic Shearwater lingering offshore with at least two Arctic Skua. Elsewhere six Curlew Sandpiper were present and 12 Eider were off Langstone Rock.

An increase in grounded migrants included 30+ Wheatear, three Sedge Warbler (Main Pond, Greenland Lake & Warren Point), a Reed and a Garden Warbler. At least 32 Curlew Sandpiper were present with 80 Sanderling and a Little Stint.

Offshore eight Arctic and three Great Skua flew south, mostly early morning along with 80+ Manx Shearwater and an immature Yellow-legged Gull, from midday a Sooty and 21 Balearic Shearwater also flew south. Wader counts included 300+ Dunlin, 210+ Ringed Plover, 145+ Redshank, 50 Sanderling, 18 Knot, seven Turnstone, seven Curlew Sandpiper and two Little Stint, with 30+ Common and a Little Tern, 17 Wigeon and an adult Mediterranean Gull also in the estuary. Elsewhere a Whinchat and two Wheatear were on Warren Point and a Grey Wagtail flew over.

The beach held 380 Dunlin, 310 Ringed Plover, 234 Great Black-backed Gull, 19 Knot, four Curlew Sandpiper, a Little Stint and a Common Sandpiper. Elsewhere a Wryneck was reported on Warren Point, presumably a second individual, an Osprey was overhead and five Yellow Wagtail flew through.

A Wryneck was the highlight, found in the unexpected location of the car park, frequenting the scrub in the drainage ditches. Elsewhere a Balearic Shearwater was offshore with at least one Arctic and a Great Skua. Two Curlew Sandpiper and two Little Stint were on the beach with 270 Ringed Plover, 269 Great Black-backed Gull, 211 Dunlin, 96 Sanderling, 52 Knot, five Grey Plover and a Snipe although disturbance was still an issue. Elsewhere 215 Redshank were in the Railway Saltmarsh with a Shoveler and seven Teal in the estuary with a Hobby. two Yellow and two Grey Wagtail overhead.