Beyond the Boat: The ultimate guide to our winter birdlife

As autumn settles in, the Exe Estuary undergoes its annual transformation. Tens of thousands of migratory waders, ducks, and geese arrive in our sheltered waters from the high Arctic, turning the river into one of the most vital winter wildlife spectacles in the UK.

Whether you are sailing out on one of our Guided Bird Watching Cruises, walking the coastal path, or watching the mudflats with binoculars, having a comprehensive, visual guide to what you are seeing makes all the difference.

We are delighted to announce that we are now stocking a brilliant new regional release in our Exmouth Marina booking office, and at the Winch Room: Birdwatching in Devon and Cornwall – A Photographic Journal.

Five Years in the Field

Rather than a dry, generic field guide, this 256-page hardback is the culmination of five years of dedicated field photography across the Southwest.

The author and photographer, Paul Howrihane, is a local naturalist living on a smallholding on the Devon-Cornwall border. Rather than relying on stock images, Paul spent half a decade documenting the region’s diverse bird species entirely in their natural local habitats.

From secretive woodland birds like Willow Tits to the iconic Avocets, Brent Geese, and Curlews that feed on the Exe mudflats, the book pairs vibrant, high-detail photography with practical notes on behaviour, seasonal patterns, and where to find them.

An Ideal Companion for Winter Wildlife on the Exe

For decades, Stuart Line Cruises has helped visitors and locals experience the internationally protected Ramsar wetland of the River Exe from the water – reaching sandbanks and feeding grounds that simply cannot be viewed from the shore.

Paul recently visited us and wrote a wonderful piece about our cruises over on his website (read his feature on Stuart Line Cruises here). Having his book available down at the marina and the Winch Room, felt like a completely natural fit:

• Identify What You Spot: Browse the pages before or after your cruise to match the species our onboard ornithologists point out.
• Discover New Spots: Use the regional profiles to plan your own coastal and woodland birdwatching walks across Devon.
• A Thoughtful Gift: A beautiful, locally produced hardback that makes a fantastic Christmas or birthday present for any nature lover, photographer, or birdwatcher.

Where to Pick Up Your Copy

Limited numbers of signed and standard hardback copies of Birdwatching in Devon and Cornwall are available now directly from our Booking Office, or the Winch Room:

• Location: Stuart Line Cruises Booking Office, Unit 3 The Point, Pier Head, Exmouth Marina, EX8 1FE
• Opening Hours: Open 7 days a week, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Feel free to pop in, browse through the pages, and chat with our team about our upcoming winter birdwatching sailing dates!