4th and 5th February

Apologies for the out-of-order with this blog but technical difficulties ensued with my broadband being down for 10 days! - Dave Smallshire


Saturday 4th February
It was cold today, just above freezing and we even had a few snowflakes during the morning! 

Birding began with a Razorbill diving right next to the boat at Exmouth Quay as we embarked - a good start. Another was later seen inside the estuary close to the shore of Dawlish Warren.
A couple of Sanderlings were scurrying along the shoreline at Pole Sands and  four Great Crested Grebes could be seen out to sea. The latter species was seen frequently as we moved up the estuary - perhaps a dozen or more in total. 
Plenty of Shags were fishing also, though quite scattered between Exmouth and Powderham. There were good numbers of Mallard and Teal (presumably because inland waters were frozen), some Pintail with Wigeon near Lympstone, and three unusual duck sightings: 2 separate Tufted Duck drakes in the Turf-Topsham area, 2 Gadwall flying over the middle of the estuary and a Shoveler at Topsham.
Among the many Black-headed Gulls off Lympstone was an adult Mediterranean Gull; although this species is frequently present around the Exe, it can be difficult to find when hundreds of other gulls are milling around!



 


Sunday 5th February


Today's cruise was in much milder conditions and better light than yesterday. 
Out to sea off Dawlish Warren, 3 Black-necked Grebes were identified with the help of someone’s telescope,but too far to see properly with binoculars. 
The Slavonian Grebe and 3 Little Grebes were off Cockwood, and there were perhaps more than a dozen Great Crested Grebes in the estuary. One of yesterday’s Razorbills gave excellent views off the Warren.
We saw only two Little Egrets, but Grey Herons were visible at their nests behind Starcross Yacht Club. The wintering immature Red-breasted Goose was with Brents near Turf, where a Peregrine was sat on the mud. 
Ducks included 5 Goldeneye and perhaps 80 Red-breasted Mergansers. 

Avocets in flight

Avocets were present in good numbers (500perhaps?) and gave us good views around Topsham, where there were also lots of Black-tailed Godwits today. 





Other waders seen included about 30 Lapwings(Turf), 2 Greenshank (Powderham), Sanderling (Pole Sands) and about 20 Knot. 
Yesterday’s adult Mediterranean Gull flew around us off Lympstone, giving everyone good views. Other sightings included a Kingfisher at the Kenn outlet, several Rooks on the sandbank off Powderham Church (not all crows on the Exe are Crows!) and, most unusually, 2 Ravens keeping the Carrion Crows at bay at a bird corpse (gull?) on Great Bull Hill sand bank off Exmouth.

 


A Harbour(Common) Seal was seen briefly.