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David

Exe estuary 201602 – river and sea views, landscape format

Exe estuary, low tide, heavy clouds over Haldon Forest

Another set of views at different states of the tides and the weather from different points on the lower Exe estuary, and from the two sides of the mouth of the river. This time all the pictures are in wide screen landscape format.

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David

Exe estuary 201602 – Grey wagtail, Exeter Quay

Grey wagtail, Exeter Quay
Wagtail of another species, following yesterday’s pied wagtail. This bird can often be found in the same area near Exeret Quay. Well used to disturbance from people and dogs, it’s quite bold.

The bird is showing lots of yellow, so it must be a grey wagtail.

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David

Long-tailed tit, feather dance, West Park

Long-tailed tit, feather dance

Long-tailed tit, possibly a male, displaying by carrying a feather which was almost as long as it was, and trying to impress two other birds. All just a few yards from the bridge over West Park lake a couple of days ago.

Long-tailed tit, feather dance

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David

Exe estuary 201602 – river and sea views, portrait format

Exe with wrecks

Set of views at different states of the tides and the weather from different points on the lower Exe estuary, and from the two sides of the mouth of the river. All photos in portrait format.

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David

Exe estuary 201602 – pied wagtail, Darts Farm

Pied wagtail, Darts Farm

Darts Farm outside Exeter must be a contender for being the most upmarket farm shop in the country (including a fair amount of space devoted to an RSPB-branded Cotswolds Outdoor outlet.

The farm’s facilities include an RSPB reserve which regularly features in reports. But at the time of our visit this pied wagtail, haunting a rubbish disposal area for the shopping complex, was the star attraction.

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David

Exe estuary 201602 – Red breasted mergansers

Red breasted merganser

Red breasted mergansers fishing in the Exe at Topsham.

The birds seemed to come around low tide, hunting when the channel was at its narrowest.

One day there was a group of eight directly off Topsham Quay, with another group of seven visible a couple of hundred yards further upstream.

On other days they were in pairs, seemingly engaged in synchronised swimming, diving together and surfacing at the same time and still the same distance apart.