Guided Bird Watching Cruise – 16th February 2026

A bright and blustery day today with the wind gusting strong at times, which is probably why we saw fewer birds than usual. Those birds that were braving the mudflats were often forced to lean into the wind to remain upright. But the light was good, bringing out the best in the birds we did see.

Pole Sands hosted its usual foraging bands of Herring Gulls and Carrion Crows, with a few Curlew and Oystercatchers probing in the mud (most of the Oystercatchers were seen later, further upstream). A solitary Great Black-backed Gull hunkered down against the wind. Small groups of Shags were fishing in the lee of Dawlish Warren or standing on the exposed sandbanks along with Cormorants, some of which were in breeding plumage showing white thigh patches. The shoreline between the Warren and Starcross produced Black-headed Gulls, Common Gulls, a couple of Little Egrets, two Greenshanks and a few Shelducks. Curlew kept us company for the whole trip, either singly or in small groups flying low over the water and feeding on the mud.

It wasn’t until the boat neared Turf Locks that we began to see more birds on the mud braving the buffeting winds. A small flock of Avocets flew past heading upstream to join others near Topsham; a few Redshanks were off the Turf and in the lock channel and flocks of Dunlin began to appear, flying low in sparkling flocks. Amongst the feeding Dunlin were our first Grey Plovers of the day, distinguished by the ‘scuttle and stop’ mode of feeding. More were seen as we approached the River Clyst, many of them sheltering in the shallow, winding creeks. A large flock of Dark-bellied Brent Geese lined the edge of the channel, some of which took off to fly over into neighbouring fields.

A Great Crested Grebe briefly kept pace with the boat, diving alongside. Bar-tailed Godwits began to appear in small numbers, gradually building to larger groups as we neared Topsham, where they were joined by a sizeable flock of Black-tailed Godwits. The latter took flight as we approached, giving a fine display of tell-tale white wing bars and black tails. Just below Topsham, keeping company with the Godwits, were two small, tightly packed flocks of Knot.

The Pride of Exmouth was escorted into Topsham by six Red-breasted Mergansers, two of which took off and flew back over the boat, provoking a few gasps of awe. Other than the Mergansers, the only other ducks seen during our cruise were a pair of Mallards off Turf Locks. Off Topsham Quay, a Redshank lived up to its name ‘warden of the marshes’ by zipping past the boat and alerting us to a Peregrine darting overhead in rapid pursuit. The Redshank escaped and we watched the frustrated hunter soaring higher until disappearing over Exminster Marshes.

A strong following wind helped us along on our return to Exmouth. But would there be any Sanderling on Great Bull Hill? Usually there can be up to a dozen birds, but today there was only one, looking freshly laundered in its winter white plumage, feeding along the shoreline in defiance of the gusting wind.

Yet another splendid day out on the estuary in the company of our soon-to-depart winter visitors.

Steve Manning