David

According to the marketing department of Great Western Railway, avocets are the bird of the Exe estuary: the line from Exeter to Exmouth is the Avocet Line.

Attractive as the birds are, they are only there for a few months as a winter refuge. Here are some feeding on exposed mud at low tide late in January. Most likely, they have already headed off to their breeding grounds.

A lone curlew walking across the mud exposed at low tide on the Exe estuary.

Yet more birds gathering on the mud exposed at low tide in the Exe estuary. Black headed gulls this time.

Robin perching on a bramble twig. Bowling Green, Topsham: not actually on the RSPB reserve, but the quiet lane leading to it. Hedgerow birds like robins and dunnocks seem to be bolder than usual there.

More birds out on the Exe estuary at low tide. These are redshanks, with a few gulls trying to get in to the picture.

A row of seafront properties at Exmouth, probably small hotels or b & bs. I was struck by the range of colours they were painted in.