David

The Exe estuary is one of the top spots in Europe as a winter destination for migratory birds. many of them feed on the flora and fauna of the rich river mud at low tide, and retreat to the marshes and reed beds of the floodplains of the river and its tidal tributaries at high tide.

Much of the wetland area downstream of Exeter’s (fast expanding) built-up area is now a series of RSPB reserves. One of the longest established is Bowling Green Marsh in Topsham.

High tide in winter is when the reserve becomes a birding magnet, pullulating with many species of waterfowl. But there’s a chance of something of interest at any season. Little egrets, like the one preening in the foreground here, are now year-long residents on the estuary. The spoonbill pair here, this time,  were resolutely keeping their distinctive beaks completely hidden.

A pair of common red soldier beetles, busily engaged in mating, and not at all disturbed when I brought the camera quite close to get these pictures. The male is a lot smaller than the female.

One of the black swans on the river Exe at Topsham, flying upstream. The bridge in the lasty picture carries the M5 across the river.

Common red soldier beetles are indeed common in summer, and bright red. Although they are small, they are fairly easy to spot when busy feeding on white flowers like these wild carrot.

Just three minutes separates the latest picture in the previous set from the earliest one here. In that time, the shelduck parents had rounded up their dispersed ducklings into a tight group. They had led them to the lower end of a narrow stone jetty, and were shepherding them into a tight group just above the high tide mark.

It became clear over the next few days that this was a regular overnight resting spot, with the ducklings sleeping in a huddle while the parents were protectively nearby.

Young shelducks on the river Exe at Topsham recently. The ducklings were perhaps a couple of weeks old when we saw them, so already quite big. It was also a large brood: thirteen ducklings.

The young ones were being assiduously cared for by both parents – quite often this task falls to the female alone in ducks. Indeed, we saw another set of shelduck young nearby being cared for by the mother alone.

The pictures were taken a little while before sunset, which was also around the time of the high tide that day.