Wednesday 22nd February

Despite poor weather being forecast, as so often proves to be the case on a cruise, the reality was much better! The even light was again good for looking towards both sides of the estuary. The tide was again low as we left Exmouth, and again we spent a while near Lympstone waitingfor the rising tide to help us on our way (though today the passing ‘skeletontrain’ was returning north laden with timber!). Several windsurfers, taking advantage of the fresh westerly, seemed to be responsible for a lack of waderson Pole Sands, although our first Brent Geese feeding close to the beach walkers at Exmouth seemed quite unfazed.



Inside the estuary, we found at least 9 Goldeneye and 17 Great Crested Grebes, but the stars were two Slavonian Grebes together near Lympstone: the closest views were of a newcomer, including in flight (sadly the ‘resident’ bird seems unable to fly). The Spotted Redshank was feeding in shallow water again with Greenshanks at its favoured freshwater outlet at Powderham. Sanderlings were again feeding along the sandbanks, but not as many as yesterday. All of the approximately 510Avocets were lined up to give superb views between Turf and Topsham, where large numbers of Dunlin, Grey Plovers and both Godwit species were feeding. The main flock of Brent Geese was out in the fields, but too far away for us to find the Red-breasted Goose that was presumably with them.

Dave Smallshire