Guided Bird Watching Cruise – 17th December 2025

Today’s cruise resulted in good views of many waders and wildfowl in the upper reaches of the estuary, where the influx of flood water had pushed many species away from their normal feeding locations. Leaving a wind-blown Exmouth, there was some shelter behind the sand-spit of Dawlish Warren, and we could see many Brent Geese and Shelduck feeding in Shutterton Creek, together with waders such as Redshank, Greenshank, Bar-tailed Godwits, Curlew and Oystercatchers. They were all feeding busily before the incoming tide covered the mudflats and pushed them onto the adjacent fields. The strong wind had also displaced all the Shags from their favoured perches on mooring buoys onto sandy islands such as Bull Hill, so we were not able to see them at close range. However, this enabled an unusual direct comparison of the smaller Shags against the larger, and much commoner, Great Cormorants.

In the channels there were Great Crested Grebes, Red-breasted Mergansers, and a single Great Northern Diver that disappeared before we could see it properly. We were all pleased to see two seals, one each of Grey and Harbour, at close range in the main channel, but they also seemed keen to avoid us and swam off quickly.

The first of many hundred Avocets were seen at Powderham Park, and the further up the estuary the larger the flocks were. The largest collection of waders was opposite the Turf Hotel, where about eight hundred Black-tailed Godwits, together with Lapwing, Grey & Golden Plover, and a thousand Dunlin scattered across the mudflats in all directions. Just as we approached the Topsham turn, a single Marsh Harrier flew up the canal reed-bed, giving good views to everyone on the top deck of the boat.

Heading back to Exmouth, there was a second opportunity to see some smartly plumaged Oystercatchers behind Dawlish Warren, and a brief view of Turnstones and Sanderlings.