Wednesday 27 March 2024

Wednesday 27th March

An unexpected highlight was a probable Semipalmated Sandpiper briefly on the dropping tide late morning before flying up the estuary with five Dunlin. There was no sign on the evening tide. Although palmations (and feet) were not visible the bird was either a Semipalmated or Western Sandpiper, the short bill suggesting the former.  The third record for the Warren, and although unseasonal the 2009 presumed Western Sandpiper arrived on 8th April. 

Grey Plovers, Dunlin & probable Semipalmated Sandpiper - Lee Collins

Also in the estuary 54 Turnstone, 52 Dark and seven Pale-bellied Brent Geese, 47 Curlew, 34 Redshank, 13 Teal, 12 Grey and a Ringed Plover, nine Eider, including a new 2cy male, eight Red-breasted Merganser, seven Greenshank, five Sandwich Tern, two Bar-tailed Godwit and a Knot.

Elsewhere an hour seawatch saw 67 Kittiwake, 57 Gannet, eight Common Scoter, two Red-throated Diver and a 3cy Mediterranean Gull flew SW, a Great Northern Diver was off Warren Point and two Wheatear were in the Bight.

Tuesday 26 March 2024

Tuesday 26th March

The first Willow Warbler of the year was singing briefly by the Tractor Compound before quickly moving on. The half dozen Chiffchaff and a Blackcap on the other hand were more concerned in establishing territories. 

Wintering waders are continuing to drop in number, with 60 Curlew, 36 Turnstone, five Sanderling and three Ringed Plover noted. Also in the estuary 31 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, the nine Eider and a Sandwich Tern. A flock on Pale-bellied Brent Geese were on a offshore sand bank, with single Red-throated and Great Northern Diver on the sea. 

Year list addition:

121. Willow Warbler

Other Wildlife: The sunshine brought out a Common Lizard and a few Speckled Wood and Peacock butterflies, with Common Carder Bee, Yellow-legged and Small Sallow Mining Bee also on the wing. 

Common Carder Bee - Alan Keatley

New for the year were the ground beetle Harpalus affinis (missing a wing case) and the spear-winged fly Lonchoptera bifurcata were around the edge of The Bight.

Harpalus affinis - Alan Keatley

Lonchoptera bifurcata - Alan Keatley

Monday 25 March 2024

Monday 25th March

An immature Black-throated Diver was the highlight of a two hour 30 min seawatch this morning, the first confirmed record since oct 2018. It flew in from the east before landing close in off seawall, lingering for 10-15 minutes before it took off continuing SW, accompanying one of the morning's 23 Red-throated Diver.

Also heading SW, 468 Kittiwake, 378 Gannet, 48 auk sp, 34 Guillemot, 21 Razorbill, the first 12 Manx Shearwater of the year, 10 Common Scoter, eight Fulmar and four Sandwich Tern with two Great Northern Diver on the sea. 

Counts from the morning high tide included 106 Oystercatcher, 56 Dark and seven Pale-bellied Brent Geese, 34 Redshank, 26 Curlew, 13 Knot, eight Eider, seven Teal, six Ringed and five Grey Plover, three Bar-tailed Godwit, a pair of Red-breasted Merganser, two Greenshank and a Dunlin.

Elsewhere the Water Pipit was in the saltmarsh, a summer plumaged Scandinavian Rock Pipit was in The Bight and five  Chiffchaff and a Goldcrest were in the blown out bushes. 

Year list additions

119. Black-throated Diver
120. Manx Shearwater

Sunday 24 March 2024

Sunday 24th March

Counts from the estuary included 291 Oystercatcher, 139 Curlew, 76 Dark and seven Pale-bellied Brent Geese, 47 Turnstone, 41 Bar-tailed Godwit, 33 Redshank, 16 Teal, 13 Grey and four Ringed Plover, 13 Knot, eight Eider, seven Greenshank, six Sanderling, four Red-breasted Merganser and two Dunlin.

Elsewhere nine Great Crested Grebe, eight Sandwich Tern, three Red-throated and two Great Northern Diver were offshore, two Sand Martin and two Meadow Pipit were overhead, a Water Pipit was in the saltmarsh, with nine Chiffchaff and a Wheatear on site.

Other Wildlife: Three Peacock and a Speckled Wood were on the wing. 

Saturday 23 March 2024

Saturday 23rd March

Some light overhead N-NE passage this morning with 27 Black-headed, 10 Common and a Lesser Black-backed Gull, 21 Woodpigeon, a flock of 20 Sand Martin, 12 Rook, 10 Carrion Crow, five Chaffinch, three Meadow Pipit and single Pied Wagtail and Jackdaw. Also moving four immature Mute Swan flew SW down coast.

Counts from the estuary included 94 Curlew, 79 Dark and six Pale-bellied Brent Geese, 55 Redshank, 46 Turnstone, 27 Bar-tailed Godwit, 25 Oystercatcher, 12 Teal, 11 Knot, eight Eider, five Sanderling, five Grey Plover, five Greenshank, four Red-breasted Merganser and just three Dunlin.

Elsewhere eight Sandwich Tern, seven Great Crested Grebe, two Great Northern and a Red-throated Diver were offshore, a Cetti's Warbler was in brambles beside the Back Path at end of Dead Dolphin Wood, presumably the same elusive bird last recorded on 1st February, seven Chiffchaff were on site and two Wheatear were in The Bight.

Other Wildlife: A torpid Speckled Wood was warmed up and eventually took to the wing during a sunny spell.

Friday 22 March 2024

Friday 22nd March

A ♂ Wheatear was newly arrived on the Dune Ridge, with a ♂ Blackcap in Dead Dolphin Wood and eight Chiffchaff on site. The first Red-legged Partridge of the year was flushed up from Dune Ridge before gliding across Greenland Lake, right in the 'migration' period for this species on site. 

A singing Meadow Pipit on Warren Point was hopefully not a migrant unlike the two over SW, also heading SW, two Grey Heron, one far offshore, another overland early morning.

Counts from the estuary included 209 Oystercatcher, 122 Curlew, 93 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 59 Turnstone, 27 Redshank, 12 Teal, 11 Greenshank, the nine Eider, eight Bar-tailed Godwit, six Sanderling, four Red-breasted Merganser, a Ringed Plover and no Dunlin.

Offshore two Red-throated and a Great Northern Diver flew SW with four Sandwich Tern in the bay and three Great Northern and a Red-throated Diver, three Great Crested Grebe and two Common Scoter on the sea.

Year list addition:

118. Red-legged Partridge


Thursday 21 March 2024

Thursday 21st March

A low tide afternoon visit, reflected by low bird numbers in the estuary, although two Sandwich Tern were present. Offshore was more productive with four Great Northern Diver and 10 Great Crested Grebe in flat calm conditions.

Elsewhere four Chiffchaff were on site with three Teal still on the Main Pond, alongside breeding Little Grebe and Moorhen and prospecting Canada Geese and Mute Swan

Other Wildlife: The bright warm weather encouraged more insects to make their first appearance of the year including a Comma on the Dune Ridge, with three Peacock and a Speckled Wood also on the wing.

Comma - Alan Keatley

Bumblebees are also emerging from their winter hibernation with queen Common Carder Bee and Red-tailed Bumblebee in the Buffer Zone alongside several Buff-tailed Bumblebee. One of the few furrow bees to appear in March, a Shaggy Furrow Bee Lasioglossum villosulum was nectaring on a Dandelion. Several male Hairy-footed Flower Bee were busy around the planted Rosemary near the crazy golf. 

Shaggy Furrow Bee - Alan Keatley

Hairy-footed Flower Bee - Alan Keatley

Elsewhere it was just about sunny enough for a few Sand Crocus to make an appearance and a Common Groundhopper was a welcome find amongst the Marram on the Dune Ridge, the first record for several years.

Sand Crocus, an unusually dark flower - Alan Keatley

Common Groundhopper - Alan Keatley

Wednesday 20 March 2024

Wednesday 20th March

The year's first Yellow-legged Gull, a 4cy, was in the estuary with 13 Pale-bellied Brent Geese and four Eider

Elsewhere nine Common Scoter, four Sandwich Tern and three Great Northern Diver were offshore and two Blackcap and a Wheatear were on site.


Year List update:

117. Yellow-legged Gull

Tuesday 19 March 2024

Tuesday 19th March

As spring progresses three Wheatear were on site, two in Greenland Lake and one in The Bight, a Sandwich Tern offshore and a Scandinavian Rock Pipit on the beach. Also offshore two Great Crested Grebe, a close in Fulmar and single Red-throated and a Great Northern Diver.

Wheatear - Dean Hall

Great Northern Diver - Dean Hall

Elsewhere a pair of Buzzard were joined by a third, flight displaying over the estuary and a flock of 40 Bar-tailed Godwit flock flew into Railway Saltmarsh at low tide.

Other Wildlife: Not as sunny as yesterday and fewer flying insects with no butterflies or mining bees, but it was compensated by a few notable beetles, the best being a Bloody-nosed Beetle stranded on the beach. 

Bloody-nosed Beetle - Alan Keatley

Also recorded Black Marram Weevil Otiorhynchus atroapterus clambering back up a geotube and a 22-spot Ladybird on the Dune Ridge.

Black Marram Weevil - Alan Keatley

Monday 18 March 2024

Monday 18th March

A 1 hr 15min seawatch saw four Common Scoter and three Red-throated Diver head SW, with two Sandwich Tern, seven Great Crested Grebe, two Great Northern and Red-throated Diver offshore.

Records from the estuary included the nine Eider and a 2cy Mediterranean Gull on Bull Hill with counts including 55 Turnstone, 36 Oystercatcher, 21 Teal, 21 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 13 Redshank, eight Greenshank and a pair of Red-breasted Merganser.

Elsewhere a Sand Martin flew north, six immature Mute Swan flew SW out of estuary and a Chiffchaff on Warren Point was one of five on site. 

Other Wildlife: The second day of spring sunshine saw the first emergence of the Warren (Sand) Crocus, with at least 15 plants in flower.


The same weather encouraged a couple of basking Common Lizard and the first Speckled Wood of the year along the Back Path, with two Peacock again on the wing. 

Speckled Wood - Alan Keatley

Various other insects also made their first appearance of the year, including Small Sallow Mining Bee Andrena praecox, Common Green Furrow Bee Lasioglossum morio and a couple of male Hairy-footed Flower Bee Anthophora plumipes busy nectaring and an early Plain-faced Dronefly Eristalis arbustorum basking in the warm sunshine. 

Common Green Furrow Bee - Alan Keatley

Other firsts for the year the weevil Euophryum confine and the  nationally scarce Dune Jumper Marpissa nivoyi and Sand-bear Spider Arctosa perita.

Euophryum confine - Alan Keatley

Dune Jumper Marpissa nivoyi - Alan Keatley

Sand-bear Spider Arctosa perita - Alan Keatley