Posts by Stuart Line Cruises

On Tuesday 1st March we learned via social media that one of the players from local Topsham Rugby Club would be driving to the Ukraine/Poland border with his father, this coming Sunday. They plan to take a van full of humanitarian aide to the Ukrainian refugees and invited people to drop donations to the club.…

The highlight of today’s birdwatching cruise was an adult Spoonbill on the mud near Topsham, which brightened up a damp afternoon no end! Nearby, a Spotted Redshank was on its favoured patch of mud, while the other waders were much as yesterday, apart from about 300 Golden Plover roosting on the mud near Turf and about…

Today’s cruise did well for gulls, seeing 7 species, including an adult Mediterranean Gull at Exmouth and a young Kittiwake settled on the river off Powderham; a dozen Lesser Black-backed Gulls were signs that migration back from Iberia and West Africa is underway. A Peregrine sitting on the church tower in Exmouth did its best…

Plenty to see in the lower reaches of the Estuary today with Gulls in good numbers, Black headed, Common, and Herring Gulls seen throughout with a few Greater Black Backed Gulls seen as well. The highlight in the Starcross area was a pair of Goldeneye showing well for the visitors. Further up the Estuary Greenshank…

With a damp start, the sun did show briefly for some of the cruise today. Again it was a slow start around Dawlish Warren with DB Brent Geese near the mouth and Turnstones off Starcross. A few Great Crested Grebe showed off Lympstone. 50+ Pintail were off Exton up towards the Clyst confluence. A fly…

With a showery start, the sun shone for most of the cruise today with a Rainbow to finish a memorable ending. It was a slow start around Dawlish Warren with DB Brent Geese near the mouth and Turnstones near the old Oyster cages. A good look for the Black-Neck Grebes along the Starcross Straight failed…

For those of you who are new to this monthly sign-up, welcome! And for those who have been loyal readers for some time, welcome back to your favourite read of the month! No Blue January for us! Guided Bird Watching Wow what a great start to the year we have had, with our ever so…

This afternoon’s proved hard going in the lower half of the estuary, but with amazing concentrations of birds in the upper half. Unusually, 2 Mute Swans were along Exmouth sea front and 2 Ravens were around Cockle Sands, but more predictable were a Peregrine on Exmouth church and the 2 Black-necked Grebes at Cockwood. A…

A fresh NW wind resulted in most birds concentrating in the upper half of the estuary for this afternoon’s cruise. The 2 Black-necked Grebes were back at Cockwood, with 3 nice Goldeneye – the drake tossing his head back in display a few times. There were at least 25 each of Great Crested Grebe and…

Beautiful calm, sunny conditions today: perfect! Today the Black-necked Grebes had wandered up nearer to Powderham Church. They were almost overshadowed by around 40 Great Crested Grebes (a record total for the Exe, I think), most of which were again off Lympstone Barracks, as were a flock of Pintail. About 25 Red-breasted Mergansers were also…