Wednesday 26th February

An evening visit saw the female Eider, 14 Great-crested Grebe, four Great Northern and two Red-throated Diver offshore but these were almost outnumbered by the nine trawlers spread across the bay. 

Elsewhere 449 Brent Geese and the Slavonian Grebe were in the estuary and eight Meadow Pipit in Greenland Lake hinted at the start of Spring migration.

Due to the significant ongoing erosion, Teignbridge District Council is advising extreme caution when visiting. The dune path between groyne 10 – 18 is unsafe and a section of this path has been washed away, so is completely closed with no access. Access to the Hide and Warren Point is only possible via the beach with the risk of being cut off for a period either side of any high tide. The only access to these areas is along the beach at lower states of tide.

 14/02/20

17/01/20

28/11/19

02/10/19

Sunday 23rd February

Records from the estuary included 230 Brent Geese, 75 Grey Plover, 40 Turnstone, 40 Shelduck, two Wigeon and the Slavonian Grebe. Elsewhere an elusive Water Pipit was again in the saltmarsh, a pair of Shoveler were on the Main Pond and the female Eider and a Great Northern Diver were offshore. 

Saturday 22nd February

Counts from the estuary included 553 Oystercatcher,  173 Common and two Mediterranean Gull, 158 Brent Geese, 57 Bar-tailed Godwit, 53 Turnstone, 40 Shelduck, 25 Teal, three Goldeneye and a Wigeon. Elsewhere a Great Northern Diver and the female Eider were offshore, a Rook was foraging in the Bight and three Raven were overhead. 

Wildlife News: A rare bout of sunshine saw the first butterfly of the year, a Red Admiral moving through, with several Common Dronefly Eristalis tenax and single Marmalade Hoverfly and Buff-tailed Bumblebee on the wing. Elsewhere a Stoat was seen in Greenland Lake and a bull Grey Seal was on the mussel barge.

 Grey Seal - Alan Keatley

Marmalade Hoverfly Episyrphus balteatus  - Alan Keatley

Friday 21st February

Numbers over the evening tide were limited with many waders remaining on the uncovered sandbars elsewhere in the estuary. Counts included 568 Oystercatcher, 161 Brent Geese, 153 Common and two Mediterranean Gull, 84 Knot, 73 Redshank, 51 Grey Plover, 42 Shelduck, 26 Sanderling, 12 Teal, five Greenshank, three Goldeneye and the Slavonian Grebe.

Elsewhere a drake Shoveler was on the Main Pond and 11 Great-crested Grebe were offshore.

Wildlife News: Two Grey Seal were on the mussel barge. 

Thursday 20th February

Counts from the estuary late afternoon included 161 Common Gull, 156 Dark and four Pale-bellied Brent Geese, 151 Knot, 15 Ringed Plover and two Greenshank. Elsewhere single Green Woodpecker, at least three Cirl Bunting and 30 Linnet. 

Wednesday 19th February

The Slavonian Grebe was off Cockwood with 150+ Knot and Grey Plover, 25 Ringed Plover and 16 Sanderling also in the estuary but a male Peregrine hampered any further counts. Elsewhere two Great Northern Diver and the Eider were offshore in choppy conditions.

Peregrine - Lee Collins

Monday 17th February

Five Great Northern Diver and 12 Great-crested Grebe were off Langstone Rock but no other news was received. 

Sunday 16th February

The weather eased off by early afternoon but left little change in its wake, although beach levels dropped by up to a foot overnight. Waders remain dispersed around the estuary with few on the dropping tide but 41 Redshank and four Greenshank were present. Also in the river 200+ Brent Geese, 16 Great-crested and the Slavonian Grebe, nine Red-breasted Merganser and three Goldeneye.

Elsewhere the first 10 Pintail of the year flew high into the estuary arriving from east of Orcombe Point with 11 Great-crested Grebe and single Red-throated and Great Northern Diver offshore.

Saturday 15th February

A very wet and windy day with extensive flooding on the golf course meaning many waders were feeding on the empty fairways. Counts from the estuary included a winter high of 391 Brent Geese, presumably feeding areas elsewhere were underwater, 181 Knot, 158 Grey Plover, 23 Sanderling and the Slavonian Grebe. Elsewhere a Water Pipit was on the Golf Course and offshore eight Tufted Duck flew south along with four Red-throated and a Great Northern Diver, 30 Gannet and 20 Fulmar.