New Site & a New Blog!

If you've been keeping tabs on this blog during our bird watching season could we ask you to move your bookmark to a new destination?
www.birdwatchingcruises.co.uk is our brand new site designed by local company Vibrant Pulse and has a brand new blog incorporated into it which will be updated by our ornithologists after every trip
We look forward to seeing you this season!

Sunday 10th March 2013

A very cold day today but numbers of birds up from previous day. Once again the only Sanderling seen was at Pole Sands.

Whilst watching it a Great Crested Grebe flew past on its way out to sea, possibly leaving for its breeding quarters, although six more were seen during the trip.

Two separate male Goldeneye were spotted among buoys in Starcross area. This species return early to their breeding areas which might explain the reduction in their numbers on the river.

 

The Spotted Redshank today did have the company of two Greenshanks at Powderham with also a small flock of Turnstones feeding at the base of the wall.

We did see three Bar-tailed Godwits today. Other Waders were plentiful especially Dunlin. 

 

These last two trips I have noticed that many Shelduck are being seen closer to the boat. A good opportunity to note the size difference between male and female.

On the return journey 1000 plus Brent Geese were at Turf. How long before they leave for their Arctic breeding grounds? Let’s hope they return next winter with many young.

A fitting sight for my last trip of the winter.

Ian Waite

photos by Helene Buse

Saturday 9th March 2013

A cold misty trip with rain at times but still many birds on the river, although numbers down on some species.

Usual mix of Gulls, Crows and Oystercatchers on Pole Sands with one Sanderling feeding on the tideline, the only one seen on the trip.

Four Lesser Black-backed Gulls on the sands were unexpected.

A Seal was seen making its way from the mouth of the river towards Dawlish with a second one pulled up on Bull Hill.

Only a handful of Red-breasted Mergansers were seen en route to Topsham, but on return many more sighted.

 

Spotted Redshank was one of the few Waders at Powderham. The two Greenshanks seen today were further up river.

Brent Geese were in small groups at various locations seeking out the remnants of Eel Grass. 

No large flocks of Avocet or Black-tailed Godwits but many smaller groups seen. No Bar-tailed Godwits noted today and no sign of Long-tailed Duck.

Ian Waite 
Photos by Helene Buse

Wednesday 27th February 2013

The high pressure combined with spring tides meant we had a longer than usual cruise this afternoon – the boat moves up the estuary on the rising tide, which took its time! 

Great Crested Grebe

Grebes stole the limelight today: first a Little Grebe off Dawlish Warren, then two more near the Slavonian at Cockwood and then a total of 18 Great Crested Grebes scattered up as far as Topsham (18 is the most I’ve seen in the Exe in over 25 years of watching).

The Harbour Seal was out on Bull Hill sandbank and on our return was getting ready to float off, with her head and tail held high in classic ‘banana’ pose. She’s a star!

Long-tailed Duck

Eighty Shelduck, 7 Goldeneye, lots of Red-breasted Mergansers, ‘our’wintering female Long-tailed Duck, groups of Wigeon and Teal and virtually the whole of the estuary’s Brent Geese in flight provided some good wildfowl watching.

Waders were concentrated in the upper half of the estuary today, with over 200 each of Grey Plover and Bar-tailed Godwit. 

Of course Avocets gave good views and all three ‘shanks’ were feeding in the River Kenn outlet, though the Spotted Redshank took a while to find.

By around 5:00 pm large numbers of gulls had arrived to roost, including over 25 Lesser Black-backs (returning migrants from Iberiaand West Africa) and 300 Common Gulls. 

Including these, there must have been well over 10,000 water birds on the estuary during our return to Exmouth!

Dave Smallshire

Monday 25th February 2013

The Harbour Seal’s head was spotted several times near the quay as we boarded, eventually coming up with a flatfish. It’s good to see evidence that she can find food, despite apparently having cataracts in both eyes. No doubt her splendid set of whiskers are handy for detecting flatfish resting on the estuary bed. A Turnstone flew onto the quay and began looking for food scraps in the car park.



Near the wreck off Cockwood we saw another ‘resident’: the Slavonian Grebe, accompanied by Red-breasted Mergansers and some Goldeneye. Just before, we had glimpsed a Little Grebe (Dabchick) and later saw a total of more than 10 Great Crested Grebes, some in winter plumage and others complete with the splendid head plumes of breeding plumage.



A few Sanderlings and good dozens of Grey Plovers were on the central sandbank, while three Ringed Plovers that flew from the shore at Powderham were the first I’ve ever seen on a cruise (this generally common wader is very scarce in the Exe in winter).  The mud by the River Kenn outlet held couple of Avocets, two Greenshanks, a Spotted Redshank and both species of godwit. Most of the Avocets were in groups feeding or resting in the shallows off the Royal Marines Training Base at Lympstone, where many Dunlin and Black-tailed Godwits were feeding on the distant mud.



As we approached Topsham, we had closer views of Avocets, Dunlins, Grey Plovers, Shelducks, Redshanks, godwits and Mergansers, while groups of Teal were dabbling on the edge of the mud near our turning






Dave Smallshire

Sunday 24th February 2013

A few Sanderlings were again seen on the tideline around Dawlish Warren and later on a sandbank in the middle of the estuary. A few more Shags appeared today, several with breeding crests that blew around in the northerly wind. The Harbour Seal was hauled out on Bull Hill all afternoon, waiting for the rising tide to lift if off. There were two Slavonian Grebes today, though the ‘new’ bird was with a couple of Great Crested Grebes rather than joining the ‘resident’ one off Cockwood.



Grey Plovers and Bar-tailed Godwits seemed well in evidence, with around 200 of each well-scattered over the intertidal flats, and a dozen or so Knot were on the mud near Lympstone. Avocet numbers seem to have dropped lately, though there were still several groups feeding, bathing or preening and plenty of close birds between Turf and Topsham. As usual, the wintering Long-tailed Duck was at Topsham, where we had good views of three Goldeneye (one drake) and quite a few Red-breasted Mergansers.



On our return journey, a flock of Golden Plovers flew with Lapwings briefly beyond the sea wall on Powderham Marshes, south of Turf. The Spotted Redshank was near a couple of Greenshanks by its favourite little creek at Powderham.



Dave Smallshire

Saturday 23rd February 2013

Still cold but good weather for soup sales and it does mean conditions were dry with reasonable visibility.

There was a special moment today which would make some birdwatchers very envious.
Near the River Kenn there were three birds together showing well - Spotted Redshank, Greenshank and Avocet.
What a trio of species!

We then had a slight dilemma when the Long- tailed Duck came into view because, also very close but in front of the boat
was a pair of Goldeneye.  As we had already seen the latter I concentrated on the Long-tailed Duck especially as it was a ‘first’ for many on the boat.
It was a surprise to see the Goldeneye this far up.

I’m sure Teal numbers at Topsham have increased of late. Male birds are looking very handsome!  It’s a pity they don’t breed in the South West.

There were excellent views of Avocets, although no large numbers were seen of this species or Black-tailed and Bar-tailed Godwits but Dunlin numbers were high.
There are just so many places where the waders can feed at present, sometimes not in view.

One species showing well was my favourite, Grey Plover. Their ‘jizz’ is unique.

As usual Red-breasted Mergansers delighted throughout, and Sanderlings, starting to look a little darker, showed well, feeding on the water’s edge at various places.



Ian Waite

Friday 22nd February 2013

Friday 22nd February


Very cold today for the passengers but many birds to see starting with a Turnstone on the Quay.
Brent Geese were frequently sighted feeding at various points looking for the remaining Eel Grass.
Some were on the beds at Pole Sands and more on the beds opposite which stick out from the beach.

There were several flyovers during the trip which never fail to impress, including hundreds coming up from Exminster Marshes.

The group of Goldeneye including the two males were located and we had excellent views of the Spotted Redshank in its usual location.
Some of the Great Crested Grebes were showing signs of summer plumage as were a few of the small number of the Black-tailed Godwits
seen.
Approximately 200 Bar-tailed Godwits were huddled together.  We were unable to locate the larger flocks of Black-tailed Godwits, Dunlin and Avocet
today but the Long-tailed Duck proved reliable.

As we returned to Exmouth a Seal pulled itself up onto the sand at Bull Hill and nearby, also on the sand, was a group of Cormorants
and Shags clearly showing the difference between these species.

Certainly cold for us humans today but imagine being one of the Herons sitting on their nests at Powderham!


Ian Waite

Sunday 10th February 2013

Shag by Sue Smith

Immediately noticed absence of Shags today, as expected.  They will be on the cliffs nesting already as were several Herons in the trees at Powderham.

Bat Tailed Godwit by Dave Smallshire

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Not for the first time this year the large flocks of Black-tailed Godwits were not sighted - just a few individuals outnumbered by the Bar-tailed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Avecet feeding by Dave Smallshire

 

Avocets impressed the passengers with close views of them and their feeding habits.

Their blue legs obvious to most.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

At least four Greenshanks were seen near the River Kenn and probably the Spotted Redshank although light, distance and legs submerged in water prevented a definite identification.

 

For the second time on my trips I was surprised to see four Ringed Plovers at this location.

 

Once again the Long Tailed Duck showed well. Such a reliable bird this winter as at present are the group of Goldeneye seen near Starcross.

 

At least eight Great Crested Grebes today with some showing their spring colours.

 

A large flock of Brent Geese were seen in a distant field at start of trip but very obligingly landed on the river as we arrived at Turf.

Ian Waite

Saturday 9th February 2013

With calm conditions and nice even light, this afternoon’s cruise was near perfect for viewing the estuary. Soon after leaving, the head of a Harbour Seal poked above the surface as if to look at us.

Sanderling

As sometimes happens, the tide was lower than expected, so we had more time to dally on our way to Topsham. 

Sanderling with Turnstone

We were able to make a close approach to a very obliging Sanderling that ran along the tideline at Dawlish Warren, giving everyone great views of this palest of our wintering sandpipers. Nearby was a close Little Grebe and then, more distant, the resident Slavonian Grebe. Around 50 Rooks had joined the Crows on the mussel beds.

The drakes in a small group of Red-breasted Mergansers courted the females with exaggerated head postures.

 Later, among a group of Goldeneyes, two handsome drakes threw back their heads and splashed out with their feet. 

After passing five Greenshanks at Powderham, the wintering Spotted Redshank finally came into view.

Bar Tailed Godwit in flight

Several large groups of Avocets and Black-tailed Godwits were off Lympstone, though as usual we had the best views of these at Topsham, where there were some close Bar-tailed Godwits for comparison.

Bar Tailed Godwit

The female Long-tailed Duck stayed on the edge of the channel as we passed by, providing most people with their ‘bird of the cruise’. 

A couple of dozen Teal dabbled in the mud, the emerald green speculum of some glinting through their wing feathers. Two Greylag Geese flew over the river as we turned to make our return – there is a small feral population on the marshes. 

Returning, a large flock of Brent Geese had landed at one of their favoured bathing and preening spots near Topsham.

As a final treat, we watched both male and female Peregrines sitting on Bull Hill sandbank and taking off.

Dave Smallshire

all photographs provided by Dave Smallshire

Thursday 7th February 2013

Dry and cloudy, though a little sun later in the cruise.

It was good to see a few Sanderlings along the tideline at Pole Sands and Dawlish Warren, chasing the waves in and out in classic fashion. 

The Harbour Seal was hauled out on Bull Hill – and in fact still there on our return.

Five Great Crested Grebes and a Little Grebe were in mid-estuary, where a group of 6 Goldeneye included a smart drake. 

The wintering Spotted Redshank stood preening at Powderham beside a Greenshank, with Redshanks in the background: a lovely comparison. 

In the Turkey Oaks, several Grey Herons were busy at the heronry. 

All the Little Egrets seen today were on the estuary; they will start nesting later.

Someone spotted a Peregrine sitting on a log on the mud as we approached Topsham, no doubt eyeing up its next meal!

 

 The avocets – maybe 500 in total – put on a great show, just as the sun started to appear. 

Teal and Bar-tailed Godwits also gave nice views at Topsham, though as usual the latter were greatly outnumbered by Black-tails. 

As the boat turned at Topsham, several Snipe zigzagged up from the Cord Grass and off towards Exminster Marshes. 

Hundreds of Brent Geese – probably disturbed from the Clyst Valley– were preening close to the boat on the return journey.

Dave Smallshire

Sunday 27th January 2013

Still sunny but the wind was quite strong. 

 

 Sanderlings were seen again on the edge of Exmouth beach which was particularly busy. They must be finding a good supply of food there.

 

 

The Common Seal was on Bull Hill with Cormorants stretching their wings and displaying their white breeding patches.

 

 

 

Two Little Grebes and one Slavonian Grebe were seen near the wreck and one male Goldeneye near Cockwood.

 

On the way back several Goldeneye were sighted including five flying over the boat.

 

Near River Kenn the Spotted Redshank was standing very close to a Greenshank with the difference in leg colouring very apparent.

 

 

 

 

 

I saw at least one Heron in the Heronry but none seen on the river, or Little Egrets. Both these species were probably feeding in

clearer waters on the adjacent marshes.

 

At least 300 Brent Geese were at Turf chatting away as we passed. Good views of waders, especially Avocets, but they are

definitely more scattered than in the past.

 

As Dave mentioned earlier, this winter all the flooding we have had has probably spread the food supplies to other areas.

 

No Long-tailed Duck today but the handsome Red-breasted Mergansers were a regular sight.  

 

Ian Waite

Saturday 26th Janaury 2013

Sunshine today and it was a lot warmer, which was obviously appreciated by a slumbering Common Sealhauled up on the sand at Bull Hill.

We found the Spotted Redshank by River Kenn but no Greenshanks. There were distant views of fourteen Goldeneye off Cockwoodbut two Slavonian Grebes were closer on the opposite side of the boat.

Large flocks of Lapwing lifted off Exminster Marshes with an accompanying smaller flock of Golden Plover and approximately

300 Brent Geese were seen in flight over fields at Turf Lock.

On our approach to Topsham, as we started to see waders, an unexpected sighting was a Peregrine. It was perched on a small branch which was lying on the mud, surveying its surroundings. 

As our eyes fell back onto the river the Long-tailed Duck was in close proximity. Two contrasting species.

As we returned accompanied by squadrons of Oystercatchers going to roost, five Gadwall were a surprise and a few Wigeon

were seen reminding us that there are thousands of these ducks wintering on the Exe but usually staying on the marshes.

Ian Waite

Friday 25th January 2013

A cold windy trip but good birding.

 

 

Before we left the dock two Slavonian Grebes were seen from the rear of the boat feeding amongst the buoys.

They were still there when we returned from visiting the mouth of the river where I was surprised to see Oystercatchers and Sanderling sharing the Exmouth beach with dog walkers.

 

 

 

 

Having had good second views of the Slavonian Grebes, comparing their size against handsome Shags, we were soon enjoying an excellent sighting of five Goldeneye including two stunning males.

 

 

 

As we approached Topsham the Long-tailed Duck went down river past the boat, only seen by a few. Obligingly it waitedfor us to return and showed well.

 

After recent cold weather wader numbers appeared to have increased, particularly Godwits and Avocets.

 

Grey Plovers were very confiding today, an opportunity to examine their plumage and “jizz”. Such characters!

 

A cold day but there was a good variety of birds seen

 

Ian Waite

Friday 11th January 2013

Although the weather was brighter with good visibility to start, fine drizzle later in the cruise limited visibility a little – but the birds were still to be seen!

The Slavonian Grebe was again in its favourite area off Cockwood, near Red-breasted Mergansers and a splendid group of 13 Goldeneye that included two drakes. 

Towards Lympstone were Great Crested Grebes, but only five today. A few Sanderlings and Bar-tailed Godwits were seen along the sandier stretches of shoreline in the outer part estuary.

Again, the first Avocets were with Greenshank at Powderham, where the estuary’s sole wintering Spotted Redshank was seen on the return journey. 

Most of the Avocets (500?) and hundreds of Black-tailed Godwits and Dunlins were well scattered over the darker, organic mudbanks between Lympstone and Topsham. 

A few Lapwings were resting on the mud alongside Curlews and a few Grey Plovers as we approached Turf. 

Here a Grey Seal kept surfacing for brief periods to look at us, clearly showing its characteristic Roman-nose profile.

After seeing small numbers of Common Gulls in the outer estuary, there were lots more resting and bathing as we approached Topsham; a rough count suggested over 300, which is a good total for the Exe Estuary. 

The female-type Long-tailed Duck was on the river at Topsham, again giving us excellent views. Although it was alone at first, it joined Red-breasted Mergansers and flew back towards Turf with them.

Dave Smallshire

Thursday 10th January 2013

The first birdwatching cruise of the year was greeted by fog, albeit clearing slowly. 

Although we were denied distant views, anything within half a mile could be seen – just about – and we had no problems with wind or glare!

Two surprises met us in the estuary mouth: an adult Mediterranean Gull on Pole Sands and a (sickly?) Guillemot swimming close to Exmouth beach. 

Plenty of Shags, some sporting the crests of their breeding plumage, were seen in the outer estuary and we had distant views of the Slavonian Grebe that has been resident for the last 6-7 years, but the Harbour Seal was seen only briefly before diving near the boat.

 A Sanderling ran along the tideline at Dawlish Warren and the first of at least 13 Great Crested Grebes was seen opposite Starcross.

A period of mainly light rain cleared away the last of the murk as we chugged upriver.

The first Avocets were scything into the shallows with Greenshanks at Powderham. 

Lots more Avocets, hundreds of Black-tailed Godwits and Dunlins and a good scattering of Little Egrets were seen between Lympstone and Topsham. 

 It was nice to have a Grey Plover fly over the boat, so that we could appreciate its diagnostic black ‘armpits’. 

A few dozen Golden Plovers and Lapwings were resting on the mud. 

At the last moment before the boat turned at Topsham, the star bird of the trip appeared: the wintering Long-tailed Duck. 

It gave good views alongside Red-breasted Mergansers both here and further on towards Turf.

Dave Smallshire

Saturday 12th January 2013

A very different afternoon compared with the previous two days, and the tide much higher with low pressure and an onshore breeze. 

A fresh south-easterly kept the visibility good and, although we still had some showers, the sun came out to shine on the Shags and turn them into ‘Green Cormorants’! 

There were more Shags today in the outer estuary, with at least 70 counted. Great Black-backed Gulls were also more prominent today, with over 100 sitting in groups on the sandbanks. 

The Slavonian Grebe gave quite good views near Dawlish Warren and 11 Goldeneye at Cockwood included one adult drake.

Half a dozen Sanderlings fed along the edge of the sandbank in the centre of the estuary. 

At Powderham, the first Avocets were feeding again as were nine Greenshanks on the return journey. 

Large numbers of Avocets (500?), Black-tailed Godwits (1000?) and Dunlins were feeding widely over the mudbanks between Lympstone and Topsham. 

About 50 Golden Plovers flew over Exminster Marshes with a larger flock of Lapwings. 

As we approached Topsham, we got some better views of Bar-tailed Godwits, but there still no Knot to be found. 

The female-type Long-tailed Duck was again the star bird, giving us good views alongside some nice, close Red-breasted Mergansers.

Dave Smallshire