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
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