It was a very cold day as we boarded the boat at Exmouth for another of Dad's Stuart Line Cruises up the Exe Estuary. I was again playing the part of "secondary spotter" while dad was doing the commentary.
My task was to beat my last trip's spot of four Great Northern Divers, and keep my eye out for that Common seal that loves to sit out on the sand.
I was wearing six layers on top, two pairs of gloves, two pairs of long socks and leg warmers. I still had to resort to pacing up and down the boat in order to keep warm, and in order to stay the opposite side of the boat to a busy Dad, so that we had eyes on all areas.
I was given a cup of coffee to warm my hands up ready for all the binocular work they would be doing. It began to snow as the engine started up.
The boat did its usual trip out to sea to look at the sandbanks and mussel beds for good views of Curlew and Oystercatcher. The Shags were really starting to look stylish with their wispy crests! We turned back into the mouth of the river past Dawlish Warren, following the main channel up the estuary. The first Diver was spotted as we past the salt marsh, as were the first views of Grey Plover (a bird which I am really beginning to like, spotting its black armpits as it flies along calling) and plenty of Brent Geese feeding round the edge of the mud.
And this is where my challenge began, hunting hard for Divers up towards Starcross. My efforts produced a further three birds in quick succession! We also had good (well, better than last time) views of two Slavonian Grebes at Starcross - the size of a Little Grebe, but in the winter they are black and white, rather like a miniature Great Crested Grebe. There were plenty of Red Breasted Mergansers about as usual, and a few Little Egrets out feeding. I saw one of these elegant birds feeding alongside a curlew, and was astonished at how similar they are in size!
As we approached Powderham estate, we could see the great Turkey Oaks near the castle, where the Grey Herons are beginning to breed already and were tending to their nests, later to be joined by the increasing number of Little Egrets that breed in amongst them. The number of waders began to increase, the first Avocets began appearing and the usual Greenshanks feeding along the water's edge. A small group of Canada Geese flew up the river ahead of us, and I could just make out a smaller shape in amongst them - possibly the Bar-headed Goose that has been hanging around lately, or even a Barnacle Goose. We had been checking all the flocks of Brents for the Red Breasted Goose that so far has eluded me, but our searching was in vain. Yet again.
Heading up past Turf we found the same pair of Greylag Geese as last time sat honking on the mud, and groups of Teal fled from the waves as we passed, running up the mud leaving wiggly trails behind them! As we reached Topsham, we turned to return back down the river, but by now the tide had risen and the waders were being pushed into tighter groups on the mud, and we regularly passed flocks of Dunlin and Godwits flying off to their high tide roosts, possibly at Bowling Green Marsh.
Teal Anas crecca mud trails
Travelling the return journey, I had trouble deciding which side of the boat to look from; I was either facing into the low sun, or into the icy wind! So I chose a spot somewhere in the middle where I could get a limited view of both sides, and a little view straight ahead.
I spotted a trio of drake Goldeneye fly past and off into the distance, and we were surprised to see a group of Sanderling feeding right out on the mud rather that along the water's edge like normal. Another unusual sight was about 50 Rooks out on the mud. There are always Crows out there, scavenging from the Oystercatchers and learning to drop mussels onto the rocks. Dad had been previously admitting he'd only ever seen one Rook on the mud, and how rare it was to see them here. Then along came 50, but we weren't at all sure what they were doing, they appeared to be foraging for something, who knows what!
I was disappointed to not see the seal, and now that the tide was so high he could get absolutely anywhere in the estuary. We did manage to see a couple of mammals though...some sheep had wondered over the railway and somehow got over the embankment and down onto the shore. They looked a little confused, and unsure how to get back! Luckily the tide wasn't high enough to reach them.
We didn't spot a single one of our Divers on the way back, so I equalled my record of four birds. We spotted a flock of Pintail over towards the cliffs at Lympstone, and a few more distant Goldeneye - this made up for not seeing the Long-Tailed Duck, which we know is out there somewhere. A large flock of Brent Geese descending onto Starcross golf course gave another opportunity to spot my Red Breasted....but no luck again.
The boat pulled back into Exmouth and we were the last to disembark, as usual, and I heard a Rock Pipit to squeeze on the end of our day list. As we left the car park, I could see a small bird sat on top of the sea wall. I thought it was going to be the Pipit, but was surprised to discover it was a Linnet - a singing Linnet! Or a Sea Linnet, as I quickly named it. An unusual sight so close to the sea, as I got closer to take some pictures a pair of them took flight and vanished. As we got back to the car we could just about make out a flock of about 30 or 40 ducks flying out to sea - almost certainly Common Scoters, and almost certainly harbouring the Surf Scoter which winters with them, though impossible to pick out at that range.
We bundled into the car and immediately turned up the heat, desperate to bring the feeling back to my fingers. Another successful trip, what could have possibly been better? Hmm, maybe the roast lamb that was waiting at home, and the chance to get some cuddles from my niece.
A good day.
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