Guided Bird Watching Cruise 3rd March 2026

The light was mostly excellent for this afternoon’s cruise, which progressed slowly on a very low tide. There was evidence that some of the wintering birds had already started to move back towards their breeding grounds. For example, we saw only 3 Great Crested Grebes and fewer Shags in the estuary than in recent weeks. Some of the latter were sporting their curly breeding crests, while quite a few Cormorants had extensive white head plumes and the white thigh patch that marks their breeding plumage.

In the relatively calm conditions, Little Egrets were busy feeding all around the estuary. Several hundred Brent Geese were around Cockwood, while over the sea wall in Powderham Park we could see Shelducks among the Fallow Deer, plus a glimpse of an Egyptian Goose. A Grey Heron carried a stick towards the heronry behind the Yacht Club, where we could see quite a few large nests in the tops of the Turkey Oaks.

Four Spoonbills were seen feeding distantly in the mouth of the Clyst, as was a group of Avocets. An immature Peregrine shot past the boat and beyond Turf we saw 3 Harbour Seals on the edge of the mud—young ones judging by their size and rather gingery tones.

As we approached Topsham, a single Avocet flew over flocks of Black-tailed and Bar-tailed Godwits, with smaller numbers of Grey Plover, Dunlin, and Knot, and the ever-present Redshanks, Curlews, and Oystercatchers. Lots of gulls were bathing and feeding in the shallows, with Black-headed Gulls coming into breeding plumage and groups of Common Gulls.

As we returned towards Dawlish Warren, there were resting flocks of Oystercatchers on the sandbanks and a flock of Dunlin and other waders feeding feverishly on the rising tide.

Dave Smallshire