Sunday 20th September

A juvenile Pectoral Sandpiper, with a flock of 33 Knot, on the dropping tide was the highlight. Always distant it sat tight when the Knot flew off, before flying high east then returning and dropping on the mudflats. Here it was soon lost as the tide dropped in its chosen channel. The 15th site record, but only the second since September 2015. 

Also in the estuary 260 Redshank, 71 Ringed Plover, 54 Teal, 26 Sanderling, 23 Greenshank, 16 Sandwich and three Common Tern, 11 Bar and two Black-tailed Godwit, eight Dunlin, a Kingfisher and a Wigeon. Offsite an Osprey flew across the estuary 500m N of Bull Hill.

Elsewhere single Wheatear and Willow Warbler were the pick of the migrants. 

Kestrel - Martin Overy

Year List addition:
172. Pectoral Sandpiper

Other Wildlife: A strong movement of Clouded Yellow was notable early afternoon at least with over 60 heading west in a couple of hours, with them smaller numbers of Red Admiral and Small White.

Saturday 19th September

Migrants included the first Firecrest of the autumn in brambles around Skipper Meadow, with at least 14 Chiffchaff, seven Blackcap, two Goldcrest and a Wheatear on site. Offshore at least 50 Balearic Shearwater early morning.

Skylark - Jim Summers

Estuary counts from the neap high tide included 259 Curlew, 258 Redshank, 106 Ringed Plover, 102 Dunlin, 78 Teal, 34 Knot, 22 Greenshank, eight Mediterranean Gull, eight Sanderling, seven Bar and two Black-tailed Godwit, three Sandwich Tern and a Whimbrel. 

Other Wildlife: Also around the Skipper Meadow a totally unexpected record of an albino Bank Vole feeding on blackberries on top of a bramble hedge.

Bank Vole - Alan Keatley

A Southern Hawker was on the outer edge of Dead Dolphin Wood, with a couple of Common Darter. The first Ivy Bee were on its foodplant in Skipper Meadow, no doubt the first of many in the coming weeks.

Southern Hawker - Alan Keatley

A few Clouded Yellow, Small White, Common Blue were on the wing with a single Red Admiral, Small Copper and Speckled Wood. Of the few hoverflies on the wing, a Grey-spotted Sedgesitter Platycheirus albimanus.

Grey-spotted Sedgesitter Platycheirus albimanus - Alan Keatley

Friday 18th September

Estuary counts on the dropping tide saw 138 Dunlin, 102 Ringed Plover, 34 Shelduck, 28 Knot, 12 Greenshank, 12 Sanderling, nine Bar and a Black-tailed Godwit, eight Sandwich Tern, with 30 Common Tern on Bull Hill early morning, seven Teal, two Whimbrel and a Kingfisher. 

Elsewhere eight Chiffchaff, four Blackcap and two Goldcrest were in the bushes, two Wheatear were around The Bight and 15 Common Scoter were offshore.

Other Wildlife: Six Grey Seal were on Bull Hill late evening, a record count. 

Thursday 17th September

Apart from the lack of terns it was largely 'as you were' in the estuary over high tide, although the presence of an immature male Peregrine, as well as the recent Sparrowhawk and a Kestrel, meant the flocks were too mobile and dispersed to record accurate numbers. An Osprey upriver did not venture onto site to add to the commotion.

The Little Ringed Plover was still present with counts of 51 Shelduck, 37 Mute and the Black Swan, 19 Greenshank, 15 Sanderling, two Kingfisher, two Wigeon and single Black-tailed Godwit and Whimbrel.

 Elsewhere the Red-legged Partridge and a Yellow Wagtail were on the Golf Course.

Wednesday 16th September

Records from the estuary largely reveal a pause in migration with the exception of two small flocks of 13 Black-tailed Godwit arriving and a noticeable drop in tern numbers with just 13 Sandwich and two Common Tern over high tide. 

Other counts included 315 Redshank, 306 Dunlin, 169 Ringed Plover, 33 Knot, 30 Shelduck, 17 Greenshank, 16 Wigeon, 12 Sanderling, 11 Teal, five Mediterranean Gull and single Kingfisher, Little Ringed Plover and Whimbrel.

Little Ringed Plover - Lee Collins

Elsewhere 30 House Martin, 12 Meadow Pipit, two Grey and a Yellow Wagtail were overhead with three Wheatear and two Willow Warbler also on site. 

Rock Pipit - Lee Collins

Sparrowhawk - Kevin Rylands

Other Wildlife: With most Ivy not yet in flower, a couple of Ivy Bee Colletes hederae were nectaring on Water Mint. On the Michaelmas Daisy were a few hoverflies including Plain-faced Dronefly Eristalis arbustorum, Tiger Hoverfly Helophilus pendulus and Common Globetail Sphaerophoria scripta. 

Tiger Hoverfly Helophilus pendulus - Alan Keatley

Also on the wing few fold-wing cranefly Ptychoptera contaminata with the mirid bugs Black-kneed Capsid Blepharidopterus angulatus in vegetation and a Lygus maritimus nymph on the Dune Ridge. 

Ptychoptera contaminata - Alan Keatley

Lygus maritimus nymph - Alan Keatley

Black-kneed Capsid Blepharidopterus angulatus - Alan Keatley

Tuesday 15th September

The first Wryneck of the year was a welcome early morning surprise in the Buffer Zone, unfortunately it soon moved on or hid successfully in the surrounding scrub. It was not a herald of any migrant arrival with just two Willow Warbler and a Wheatear on site, an exception being 200 Linnet, a notable increase. Overhead 80 Swallow, 70 House Martin, two Rook and a few Meadow Pipit. 

Also overhead, another brief staying highlight, a flock of nine Glossy Ibis which flew in and over the dunes, presumably landing or circling the estuary, before heading east over Exmouth a few minutes later. They arrived on the Otter Estuary 15 minutes later. 

Waders in the estuary included 304 Dunlin, 165 Ringed Plover, 32 Knot, 17 Greenshank, three Bar and a Black-tailed Godwit, two Whimbrel and the Little Ringed Plover. Also present 55 Sandwich, two Common and single Arctic and Little Tern, three Mediterranean Gull, a Kingfisher and an Osprey which circled Shutterton Creek and flew S mid morning. 

Year List additions:
171. Glossy Ibis
170. Wryneck

Ringing News: With an additional two new birds today, an incredible total of 101 different ringed Sandwich Tern have now been recorded at the Warren this autumn. 

Other Wildlife: Despite the breezy conditions, the sunshine saw increased numbers of Common Darter and Migrant Hawker on the wing. Still numerous, Rush Veneer were frequently disturbed along the paths along with a couple of Vestal. In what is probably the best ever year for Clouded Yellow, at least 15 again today, some moving through west along the Dune Ridge or over the estuary. 

Rush Veneer - Alan Keatley

Vestal - Kevin Rylands

Common Darter - Alan Keatley

Two new species for the Recording Area were also found, both common and widespread, the rove beetle Megalinus glabratus, found under a log on Warren Point and Fleabane Aphid Ovatus inulae found under Common Fleabane leaves.

Megalinus glabratus - Alan Keatley

Blackening Waxcap - Kevin Rylands

Monday 14th September

There was no sign of the Lesser Yellowlegs today, all three records therefore having been one tide birds. 

The Little Ringed Plover was still present in the estuary along with 280 Redshank, 110 Sandwich and 12 Common Tern, 80 Ringed Plover, 30 Knot, 12 Greenshank, eight Bar and two Black-tailed Godwit, five Mediterranean Gull, four Sanderling, two Whimbrel, a Kingfisher and, offsite near Lympstone, an Osprey

Elsewhere migrants were limited to two Wheatear, a Willow Warbler and a Goldcrest.

Wheatear - Dean Hall

Willow Warbler  - Dean Hall

Sunday 13th September

The highlight of another busy day came at last light when the Warren's third Lesser Yellowlegs dropped in to briefly join a group of 15 Greenshank in The Bight, before they flew off towards Finger Point. The first since 9th September 2013, with the first record on 23rd May 2003.  

Other waders in the estuary included 280 Redshank, 220 Dunlin, 110 Ringed Plover, 25 Knot, 15 Greenshank, nine Bar and three Black-tailed Godwit, six Sanderling, three Whimbrel and a juvenile Little Ringed Plover. 

Also in the estuary 165 Sandwich, 26 Common, a Black and a Little Tern, 35 Mute and the Black Swan, five Mediterranean and a 1CY Yellow-legged Gull, four Wigeon and a Kingfisher. 

Elsewhere the first Water Rail of the autumn, two Wheatear and a Yellow Wagtail were on the Golf Course, single Goldcrest and Willow Warbler were in the bushes and five Meadow Pipit and two Grey Wagtail. 

Year List addition:
169. Lesser Yellowlegs

Other Wildlife: Clouded Yellow remains the most numerous butterfly with seven in Greenland Lake and similar numbers heading SW, along with a few Red Admiral and a Painted Lady. 

Clouded Yellow - James Marshall

Saturday 12th September

Another varied day in the estuary with two Cattle Egret SW mid morning, an adult Osprey, 51 Wigeon, the first significant flock of autumn, and a 1CY Caspian Gull on Finger Point mid evening.

Caspian Gull - Lee Collins

Counts from the estuary included 303 Redshank, 240 Dunlin, 148 Curlew, 139 Sandwich, seven Common and a Little Tern, 82 Ringed Plover, 24 Knot, 16 Greenshank, nine Bar and two Black-tailed Godwit, six Mediterranean Gull, three Whimbrel and a Kingfisher. 

Knot - Lee Collins

Some variety in the bushes as well with an increase in migrants including the first Goldcrest of autumn, 16 Chiffchaff, seven Blackcap and single Garden, Sedge and Willow Warbler. with 55 Swallow, 30 House and a Sand Martin overhead.

Elsewhere four Wheatear, a Coal Tit and a mobile Grey Wagtail on site, a Kingfisher at the Main Pond and 18 Shag on the Langstone Rock breakwater at high tide.

Ringing News: A metal ringed Sandwich Tern that has been present a couple of days was ringed as in nestling at Terschelling in the Netherlands on 31st May 1996, just over 30 years ago. The is one of the oldest Sandwich Tern ever recorded, it was previously seen here in July 2020 and July/August 2021.

Other Wildlife: Fewer flying insects, although at least six Clouded Yellow and a Wall Brown were on the wing along with a Vestal and continuing high numbers of Rush Veneer. Of a more terrestrial nature, the ground beetle Calathus fuscipes, a clover root weevil Sitona hispidulus and the rove beetle Tasgius atra. 

Calathus fuscipes - Alan Keatley

Sitona hispidulus - Alan Keately

More noticeable three Grey Seal on Bull Hill and a Grey Squirrel behind the Crocus Compound.

Friday 11th September

A good range of scarcities included the first Short-eared Owl of the year, an early arrival, over the Main Pond, later roosting in the saltmarsh. Other migrants on site included six Wheatear and a Yellow Wagtail.

Wheatear - Lee Collins

A good variety in the estuary included a Spoonbill on Finger Point early morning before being flushed by an Osprey, with two Curlew Sandpiper and a Little Ringed Plover in The Bight. None of these were present on the evening tide although seven Ruff were in Shutterton Creek. 

Counts across both tides included 320 Dunlin, 310 Redshank, 105 Sandwich, 30 Common and two Little Tern, 23 Greenshank, 15 Knot, nine Bar-tailed Godwit, eight Mediterranean Gull, eight Teal, five Grey Plover, three Whimbrel, a Kingfisher and a Spotted Redshank.

Year List addition:
168. Short-eared Owl