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Astronomical! Spring is here!

Sunny day at Dawlish Warren

Despite the chilly wind and the frosty nights, spring is officially here! Daffodils are starting to unfurl on the roadside verges, celandine are lifting their bright yellow faces to the sun and tree buds are starting to burst into life!

Birds to look out for...

Wren

In early spring, the male wren attracts a female by building a series of nests in his territory, the female is more attracted to a male who can build multiple nests. She inspects each one and then lines the chosen nest with feathers to make it cosy ready for the chicks.

Welcome, Claire!

Pond dipping at Heath Week.

Hello everyone! I’m Claire, your new Wildlife Warden, and I’m absolutely thrilled to be joining the team. I wanted to take this opportunity to introduce myself, share a bit about my background, and let you know what I’m looking forward to in this role.

What's in a name?

Oystercatcher "Blood red legs, oyster-gatherer"

Surely one of the main aims of successful communication is to convey information that is clear enough for everyone to understand, no matter what age, background, or education they have come from. It is something that the team at SED wildlife work hard to achieve through a variety of different ways including social media, signage, education events, guided walks, radio/tv appearances, and one to one interactions on site.

So how does it work you may wonder?

Deep underground...

Whilst we’re not expecting to see Silver-studded blue butterflies in flight at the Pebblebed Heaths until around mid-May to June, an extraordinary relationship is currently happening deep underground.

A well-travelled visitor

Project Godwit is creating a migration map where individuals are caught, ringed and then can be recorded where they are seen. The maps show Black-tailed godwits as far south as Mauritania and Senegal!

What to look out for?

Stonechat

As we have officially entered bird breeding season, males display their song, bright coloured feathers and even their nest building skills for the females, look out for stonechat on the heaths. This bird is actually present all year round but are more often seen in spring / summer. Males look very fetching with black and white heads and orange-red breasts. Look out for them perched on the top of low bushes, flicking their wings and uttering a sharp, loud call that sounds like two stones being tapped together. They can be seen all over the Pebblebed Heaths.

Brimstone (butterfly)

An almost fluorescent yellow, large butterfly this is one of the first and most welcome signs of spring. Adults hibernate through cold weather and can be seen flying on warm days throughout the year, although they are most often seen in spring. The males are yellow with orange spots in the middle of each wing and the females are greenish white with the same orange spots. The caterpillars are green and very well camouflaged, but when you get your eye in, can often be seen resting along leaf margins. We’ve recently seen brimstone butterflies along the path near Woodbury Castle on the Pebblebed Heaths.

Skylark

Another birds that is resident in the UK all year round but more evident when the weather warms up. Skylarks are a small and relatively drab species which are difficult to see when on the ground, however when they fly into the sky to sing their beautiful song, becomes one of best portents of spring. Look out and listen (!) for them at Warren Point, Dawlish Warren.

Water vole

Spring is an excellent time to see if you can spot the elusive water vole, before the vegetation on the pond at Dawlish Warren has grown up. About the same size as a rat but with a furry tail (rats have scaly pink tails), a blunt nose and small furry ears. The water vole can most often be seen on the banks of ponds or reed beds nibbling on grasses and reeds, whilst being close enough to the water to make a swift exit if danger strikes

Dog violet

A small purple flower with a white centre and five striking petals that overlap each other, it also has small, green heart shaped leaves. Dog violets are most often seen in woodlands, heaths, hedgerows and grasslands and can be seen by the kissing gate near the visitor centre at Dawlish Warren. Did you know that ancient Greeks thought of violets as symbols of fertility and romance, they also used them for curing skin diseases. Scented varieties have been used in perfume for centuries.

Volunteer with us!

Want to contribute to local wildlife conservation?

We're currently seeking volunteers who can help with any of the following:

• Events - engaging the public in conversations about wildlife and assisting with the smooth running of events and pop-ups.
• Foot patrols - walking with our wardens across our three key sites.
• Boat patrols - accompanying our wardens on the Exe Estuary, driving the patrol boat (Powerboat Level 2 required). 

If you are interested in helping our team in any of these roles please get in touch at: sedwildlife@eastdevon.gov.uk to find out more.