Guided Bird Watching Cruise – 17th November 2025

It was a beautiful morning as we left Exmouth, with the sun taking the chill out of the northerly breeze. A small group of Skylarks flew past us at the Marina – evidence of migration that later in the cruise was evidenced by several flocks of Wood Pigeons flying over the estuary. Brent Geese were very much in evidence today, on the intertidal areas from Pole Sands off Exmouth up to Lympstone, although no juveniles could be detected in the closest groups – signs that 2025 has been a poor season for them in Siberia.

The first of 20+ each of Great Crested Grebes and Little Egrets were off Cockwood Corner, where the wildlife refuge held hundreds of wildfowl and waders, including Wigeon and Grey Plover.  We had great views of four Grey Seals hauled out onto pontoons off Starcross: photos were taken to see if any patterns match the identity those already known in South Devon. A few Greenshank were in their favoured area at Powderham and two Black Swans at Lympstone were apart from the groups of Mute Swans. Good numbers of Pintail and Black-tailed Godwits were feeding between Lympstone and the Clyst mouth, while the muds opposite Topsham held a tight roosting flock of several hundred Golden Plover. Hundreds of Lapwings and Dunlin were scattered at this end of the estuary too, but everyone’s focus was on the Avocets that shone in the strong sunlight.

It was good to find at least 7 Red-breasted Mergansers above Turf and about 35 Knot resting and feeding among yet more Black-tailed Godwits at Topsham. As the boat turned, only those on the lower deck glimpsed the Kingfisher perched at Topsham quay. Finally, a few Sanderlings were feeding along the tideline at Bull Hill and Dawlish Warren: the icing on a really nice cake of a day!

Dave Smallshire