The penultimate guided birdwatching cruise today saw highlights from the Brent Geese putting in aerial displays near Turf Lock with at least 400 birds showing well. The pick of the birds today was 20+ Sanderling on sandbars north of Powderham Park area of the Estuary, in the same area produced 60+ Shelduck and near Exton station the Pintail flock was seen at a distance. The 300+ Golden Plover were still in the Turf Lock area and showed well before the weather closed in with the rain becoming heavier. Several hundred Black Tailed Godwits showed well with Bar Tailed Godwits and Dunlin in good numbers. Slavonian Grebe was off Starcross but was at a distance. Great Crested Grebe and Red Breasted Mergansers were showing well with a number of flybys pass the boat in the mid Estuary area. Greenshank and Redshank were seen around the River Kenn outfall. A Grey Seal put in a brief appearance near the Clyst confluence thrilling the visitors on board. Avocet numbers are now drastically reduced with roughly 30 birds seen off the Goat Walk area near Topsham and the Clyst confluence it does look like the warm weather two weeks ago triggered a mass exodus from the Exe Estuary back to their breeding grounds further east along our coast and possibly heading back to the Netherlands for the forth coming breeding season.
Derek Carter
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