It was fairly calm today with some lovely sunshine to take the edge off the chilly northerly breeze and show up the birds to their best. After seeing what was probably a Great Northern Diver inside the estuary near Exmouth, for the second day we had great views of an immature Great Northern Diver, this time mid-river off the Marines camp. Jo King took some great photos of this and some of the other highlights of another great cruise.
![](https://www.stuartlinecruises.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Great-Northern-Diver-Exe-Estuary-6.12.22_00003-1024x675.jpg)
![](https://www.stuartlinecruises.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Lapwing-Exe-Estuary-6.12.22_00002-1024x819.jpg)
The estuary held about 20 Great Crested Grebes, 30 Shags, plenty of Little Egrets, lots of Brent Geese (including many young this year), Black-tailed Godwits (including one showing breeding plumage) and Avocets, at least 600 each of Lapwing and Golden Plover, and 100+ Bar-tailed Godwits with a few Knot at Topsham, where there was also a pair of Black Swans. Again a Pied Wagtail accompanied us on the boat, collecting pasty crumbs as we left. As we returned past Dawlish Warren, a couple of dozen Sanderlings shone in the sun as they scurried along the water’s edge. A Grey Seal remained basking on a pontoon off Dawlish Warren, while another appeared briefly beside the boat near Turf.
![](https://www.stuartlinecruises.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Black-swans-Exe-Estuary-6.12.22_00001-1024x767.jpg)
![](https://www.stuartlinecruises.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Grey-Seal-Exe-Estuary-6.12.22_00002-1024x683.jpg)
![](https://www.stuartlinecruises.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Avocet-Exe-Estuary-6.12.22_00002-1024x819.jpg)
Dave Smallshire and Photos by Jo King
![Anchor-Icon-Blue Anchor-Icon-Blue](https://www.stuartlinecruises.co.uk//wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Anchor-Icon-Blue.png)
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