Friday 26th April

Spring wader passage continues with varying numbers and species moving through on a daily basis, today's counts included 76 Whimbrel, 40 Ringed Plover, 36 Dunlin, 24 Bar-tailed Godwit, nine Sanderling and seven Common Sandpiper.

Whimbrel - Alan Keatley

Sandwich Tern are also varying in numbers daily at the moment, at least 62 were in the Recording Area with another 28 and two Common Tern further up the estuary. Also present 10 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, five Eider and a Red-breasted Merganser.

Elsewhere a summer plumaged Great Northern Diver and a raft of 27 Common Scoter were offshore, with single Wheatear and Willow Warbler on site and House Martin overhead.

Other Wildlife: Spring appears to be on hold for flying insects with activity restricted to sheltered spots. On nettles were the spring sawflies - Aglaostigma fulvipes, Aglaostigma aucupariae and the Common Nettle Bug Liocoris tripustulatus.

Aglaostigma aucupariae - Alan Keatley

Liocoris tripustulatus - Alan Keatley

Thursday 25th April

The first Yellow Wagtail of the year passed overhead along with a couple of Rook, whilst grounded migrants included two Common Sandpiper, a new Reed Warbler and singles of Wheatear and Willow Warbler.

Year list addition:

143. Yellow Wagtail

Wednesday 24th April

A reeling Grasshopper Warbler in the Entrance Bushes early morning was the highlight along with 15 Whimbrel and a female Wheatear in Greenland Lake, at least eight Cirl Bunting on site and three Sand Martin overhead. 

One or 8 Cirl Buntings on site so far @WarrenBirding pic.twitter.com/Bjq1fdZYqO

— James Marshall (@JamesMa34702179) April 24, 2024

Tuesday 23rd April

Migrant warblers were in full voice with two Reed and a Willow Warbler at the Main Pond, with five Whitethroat and several Blackcap and Chiffchaff spread throughout the reserve. Also at the Main Pond a posse of thirteen young Mallard ducklings staying close to mum as she was hassled by a couple of males. A typically silent male Bullfinch was deep in the Entrance Bushes. 

Mallard - Alan Keatley

Bullfinch - Dean Hall

Many of the waders from the last couple of days have moved on but a dozen Whimbrel were passing through and a mixed flock of 29 Ringed Plover, 11 Dunlin and a Sanderling were in The Bight. Other records from the estuary included 18 Dark and seven Pale-bellied Brent Goose, eight Sandwich Tern and a lone Eider.

Other Wildlife: Despite the seemingly ideal conditions no butterflies were recorded today, a Xylota segnis sheltering in the bushes, was one of just one of a few hoverflies as well. 

Xylota segnis - Alan Keatley

Species that were on the wing included a few Green Longhorn Adela reaumurella moths and a queen Median Wasp Dolichovespula media.

Median Wasp - Alan Keatley

Green Longhorn - Alan Keatley

Monday 22nd April

Waders continue to move through with maximum counts across the two high tides including 64 Dunlin, 56 Bar-tailed Godwit, 55 Ringed Plover, 36 Whimbrel, 10 Knot, seven Sanderling, two Redshank and a Greenshank. Also in the estuary 24 Sandwich Tern, 13 Dark and the family of seven Pale-bellied Brent Geese, seven Eider, two Red-breasted Merganser and a 2cy Mediterranean Gull.

Elsewhere a summer plumaged Great Northern Diver was offshore with three Reed Warbler and a Wheatear on site. 

Sunday 21st April

The first Lesser Whitethroat of the year, a vocal ♂ ranging along Back Path, was aside from five Wheatear, the only obvious grounded migrant. It was a bit busier overhead with three Red Kite the highlight, along with 18 Swallow, 15 Goldfinch, seven Rook, six House and three Sand Martin and two Grey Heron.

Whitethroat - Dave Jewell

Offsite a further three Red Kite drifted N along Cofton Ridge, with nine Swift.

Counts from the estuary included 44 Whimbrel, 44 Dunlin, 36 Ringed and a Grey Plover, 33 Bar-tailed Godwit, 21 Pale and 14 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, eight Knot, seven Sanderling, the seven Eider, four Teal, two Redshank, a Greenshank and a ♂ Red-breasted Merganser.

Elsewhere 19 Sandwich Tern and a Red-throated Diver were offshore, with two Red-throated Diver heading high S out of estuary. 

Year List addition:

142. Lesser Whitethroat

Other Wildlife: A fourth Green-winged Orchid was found in flower, a plant that last flowered in 2020. The Early-purple Orchid continues to unfurl.

Early-purple Orchid - Kevin Rylands

Saturday 20th April

An adult Spoonbill was on Bull Hill early morning before flying up estuary on the dropping tide, with other arrivals in the estuary including 94 Dunlin, 69 Ringed Plover, 32 Whimbrel, 23+ Bar-tailed Godwit, 23 Black-headed and 14 Common Gull, 17 Sanderling and a Moorhen circling The Bight!

17 Sanderling on the beach at Dawlish Warren, they are always a joy to watch. We also saw our first Common Whitethroat for the year too.@DevonBirds @WarrenBirding pic.twitter.com/mmIYwWGaz3

— Rob Murphy (@rob_murphy66) April 20, 2024

Also in the estuary 23 Sandwich Tern, 15 Pale and 11 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, seven Eider, five Redshank and four Grey Plover. Offsite 60+ Pale-bellied were flushed off Cockle Sands joining other flocks further north. 

The first Reed Warbler of the year was at the Main Pond with other migrants including four Wheatear, three Whitethroat and two Willow Warbler with three Rook, two Siskin, a Jackdaw and a Sand Martin overhead.

Wheatear - Dave Jewell

An hour 15 min seawatch early morning saw 42 Gannet head SW with four Fulmar, four Red-throated and four Great Northern Diver.

Year list addition:

141. Reed Warbler

Other Wildlife: The first Green-veined White of the year was on the wing with at least three Orange-tip and two Peacock. A third Green-winged Orchid is now in flower, again one seen last year.

A new one for the list, Andrena barbilabris, Sandpit Mining Bee, along the sandy paths around #DawlishWarren Never easy to photograph bees when you have a birding lens on. @Buzz_dont_tweet @solitarybeesUK pic.twitter.com/QUiRVWdRVK

— Steph Murphy (@StephMurphy66) April 20, 2024

Friday 19th May

The first notable wader movement of spring with 54 Ringed Plover, 50 Whimbrel and 47 Dunlin, the latter all in summer plumage, in The Bight. Also in the estuary, 12 Dark and nine Pale-bellied Brent Geese, eight Sanderling, four Eider (two ♀ and two imm ♂) on Pole Sands and singles of Bar-tailed Godwit, Common Sandpiper and a Redshank.

Other migrants included at least nine Wheatear, two new Whitethroat, a Willow Warbler and overhead, two Meadow Pipit and two Rook. The pair of Tufted Duck remain on the Main Pond.

Wheatear - Alan Keatley

Tufted Duck - Alan Keatley

Elsewhere four Great Northern Diver, three Great Crested Grebe and 17 Sandwich Tern foraged offshore, with totals SW from an hour seawatch early morning including c50 Gannet, 16 Common Scoter, 12 Kittiwake, two Fulmar and two Red-throated Diver.

Other Wildlife: Four Orange-tip and a Speckled Wood were on the wing along with several species of hoverfly including Platycheirus scutatus and Gossamer Hoverfly Baccha elongata both new for the year.

Gossamer Hoverfly - Alan Keatley

Orange-tip - Alan Keatley

Great Green Bush-cricket nymph - Alan Keatley

Thursday 18th April

With the notable exception of a pair of Tufted Duck on the Main Pond, the site was virtually clear of migrants, with the two Whitethroat still holding territory and four Swallow around the Main Pond also likely to be local birds. Elsewhere 12 Sandwich Tern moved between the estuary and offshore.

Other Wildlife: The clear sunny weather that limited migrant arrivals was however good for insects, and for drying out the site. The first Small Copper of the year was one of four butterfly species on the wing, also at least eight Orange-tip, three Peacock and a Comma. The long awaited first Dark-edged Beefly of the year also made an appearance and a Water Vole was at the Main Pond.

Small Copper - Alan Keatley

Dark-edged Beefly - Alan Keatley

Tiger Hoverfly Helophilus pendulus - Kevin Rylands

Green-winged Orchid - Kevin Rylands

Wednesday 17th April

An early morning visit saw a summer plumaged Great Northern Diver and two Sandwich Tern offshore, single Siskin and Swallow overhead and two Whitethroat, 10 Chiffchaff and five Blackcap on site.