DAWLISH WARREN
Waders and terns feature on Devon’s finest estuary
The sand spit of Dawlish Warren juts into the mouth of the River Exe estuary like a giant curved arm forming a protective barrier beach of sand dunes and marram grass from the rough seas of Lyme Bay. The peninsula has National Nature Reserve status and is one of the finest estuarine habitats in the south-west, with a myriad of inter-tidal sand bars, mudflats and slacks ideal to receive a wide range of migratory seabirds, waders and passerines. A small oak wood, thickets of scrub, freshwater ponds and marshy grassland all add to the habitat variety, while a private golf links can be overlooked for grounded migrants on the fairways, where Cirl Buntings also often turn up. On the outer arm of the Warren a hide overlooks a high tide wader roost and affords good views of the open water of the River Exe channel. The point is a good spot to observe birds such as terns, gulls and wildfowl moving in and out of the estuary. Dawlish Warren is a noted rarity hotspot for waders and terns, particularly Roseate Tern, while most late summer periods produce a good seawatch if a depression from the Atlantic sweeps into the bay. Such conditions can bring the likes of shearwaters, petrels and skuas close to shore. Along the route search for Sand Lizards among the gorse scrub and basking seals on sand bars out in the estuary. There is also a wide variety of plants for the botanist to enjoy as well as a range of dragonflies and also butterflies. The beach at Dawlish Warren is a magnet for tourists on warm summer days, although even then you
should be able to find a quiet spot on the inner arm of the peninsula.