Exe Estuary Cruise and EDG Review
On Saturday just gone, I was thrilled to join my Dad on a Stuart Line Cruise up the Exe Estuary, which set off from Exmouth at 1pm. Dad has led some of these winter trips for many years now, and I always like to try and get on at least one a winter. With no telescopes on…
Read MoreGuided Bird Watching Review – Saturday 18th November
My first trip of the season featured divers. Two Great Northern Divers and a Red Throated Diver. All three sighted in the Starcross area where we also saw a Slavonian Grebe. Wigeon numbers were very high especially round the Clyst where they were joined by Pintails. This is one of the benefits of an early…
Read MoreGuided Bird Watching Review – Thursday 16th November
16th November 2017 The first cruise of the winter season got off to a great start with a Kingfisher sitting on one of the boats off Dawlish Warren … unfortunately before anyone had boarded the Pride of Exmouth! The weather glorious for the first half of the cruise, a little cloudier later. Offshore there were large…
Read MoreGuided Bird Watching Review – Tuesday 14th March
Tuesday 14th March, 2017 The final birdwatching cruise of the winter found a hint of spring in the air, with a Skylark singing its heart out over the dunes at Dawlish Warren. After a few days of summer visitors arriving, clearly some of the winter visitors had also begun departing, including many of the Avocets…
Read MoreGuided Bird Watching Review – Saturday 11th March
Saturday March 11th My final trip of the winter was notable for the number of Turnstone, at least 200. At Starcross the Pontoon was covered in this species with others in flight and on our return a buoy hosted twenty plus with one Dunlin. Probably a passage of these birds joining the regulars. Two Slavonians…
Read MoreGuided Bird Watching Review – Friday 10th March
Friday March 10th Thick mist to start the trip although some birds were still seen and the calls of Curlew and Oystercatcher coming out of the gloom was atmospheric. As we progressed up river the visibility improved. Near Powderham a big surprise when two Slavonian Grebes were between us and the shore. Excellent close views…
Read MoreGuided Bird Watching Review – Tuesday 28th February
Sunday 28th February, 2017 A fine though windy afternoon’s cruise, during which notable sightings included the 2 Slavonian Grebes as usual off Cockwood, later with 6 Goldeneye. There were also 7 Great Crested Grebes, including a group of 5 together. Two Greenshanks were off Powderham, one of them by a sandbank in mid-estuary where Sanderlings…
Read MoreGuided Bird Watching Review – Monday 27th February
Birdwatching Cruise Monday 27th February Once again waders at Topsham provided a real treat being in large numbers and very close to the boat. The Avocets were closely grouped interspersed with hundreds of Black-tailed and some Bar-tailed Godwits. A Sparrowhawk flying low over the mud briefly spooked the Dunlin but it was quickly seen off…
Read MoreGuided Bird Watching Review – Sunday 26th February
Guided Bird Watching Review – Sunday 26th February There were plenty of kite-surfers off Pole Sands this afternoon, taking advantage of the fresh westerly wind. The rain held off as we headed up to Topsham. A large flock of Brent Geese flew up from Starcross and landed on the mud. Ten Sanderlings had returned to…
Read MoreGuided Bird Watching Review – Friday 24th and Saturday 25th February
Friday 24th February and Saturday 25th February Both trips featured spectacular flocks of wading birds at Topsham flying above and around the boat then returning to the mud giving amazing views to all on the boat. On Friday a Peregrine was spotted but on Saturday there seemed to be no apparent reason for the display…
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