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