In Flood

My word haven't we had some rain! It's rained daily at Exeter Airport since 31st Dec 2025 apparently and must be about the same for Seaton. Weather warning after weather warning, which if it were April or May I would be delighted about, but even I am getting tired of these winter wash-outs.  Hopefully there is some change on the horizon.

During all the flood days, Cattle Egrets have been remaining in the lower valley all day.  Often they just roost down here but they've been hanging around a whole lot more than usual.  Even though if on some days they have struggled to find anywhere dry to land...

Been 25 - 35 during the flood days

 

Last Wednesday the flood water on Colyford Marsh gave me my first views of a local Otter for over five years.  I watched it turn over in the water a few times, exposing its impressive tail with each roll, before sloping off into some nearby reeds.

An early morning look over Bridge and Colyford Marsh last Thursday morning finally showed a grey Goose in the Axe Valley this winter.  However, not any of the varieties I really wanted if I'm honest...

A Greylag, presumably the bird seen the previous day at Chard Reservoir

 

A little further away, this absolutely corker of a first-winter Caspian Gull was settled on Colyford Marsh. Would have loved closer views of it as it looked a right bobby dazzler!  My fourth of 2026...

Almost pure grey 1w scaps, lovely brown coverts and darker tertials, clean white head and a mightily impressive bill!

 

On Saturday morning a Coot on Seaton Marshes was probably the returning bird that's been here for several years.  Not seen any since New Year at Lower Bruckland Ponds, so it's a helpful bird for the patch year list that's for sure.

This morning, walking through Seafield Gardens showed that both (presumed) Siberian Lesser Whitethroats are still with us, as well as a couple of Black Redstarts and a Blackcap.  

The awful weather has delayed some more birds breaking into song (see last post), however over the last couple of days since it has settled down a bit I have heard my first singing Greenfinch (10th Feb), Wren and Blackcap (both 11th Feb) of 2026.  All a week or so later than last year, but as I said that's presumably simply down to the wind, rain and cloud that we've endured!

Spring is starting to show on the Estuary too, with Lapwing and Wigeon numbers well down from just a week ago, and outside my office today were 12 Lesser Black-backed Gulls in a relatively small flock of large gulls - proper spring migrants.  One of them looked quite clearly to be an intermedius too, which was nice...

An adult Herring, two graellsii Lesser Black-backed and an intermedius Lesser Black-backed on the right

 

Hopefully even more gull passage is incoming. It's not gone unnoticed that a few new Ring-billed and Iceland Gulls have turned up in the UK over the last few days. I will keep checking...

 

  

Spring Starts To Show

On Saturday evening at 5:40pm as we were driving to Exeter, I couldn't help but notice that it wasn't pitch black.  The residual light from the day was still obvious it in the western sky, and reminded me that actually we are well on our way to spring.

Bird song is also reminding me this. Last year I enjoyed logging the dates of when I heard each species break into their spring song for the first time, so am doing that again for 2026.  

As usual I can't put a date besides Robin, Wood Pigeon, Collared Dove and Mistle Thrush as they were singing all winter.  Great Tit is also a bird that I heard singing during nice weather before the start of the year so no date for that one too.  But I do have dates for...

Song Thrush - 3rd January (a very persitent and keen singing male audible from my back garden)

Skylark - 16th January

Blackbird - 23rd January (this was a lone singer, but by 1st Feb several males were at it)

Dunnock - 30th January

Chaffinch - 30th January

Cirl Bunting - 30th January

Goldcrest - 1st February 

Other bird news from me is a bit patchy...

A single flock of 32 Cattle Egrets on the Axe Estuary on Sunday evening was a new patch high count for me.  This winter has been our best ever for this species as I only broke the 20 barrier for the first time here in December 2025! 

An Axe mega-flock of Cattle Egrets

 

Although I missed the five Little Gulls Tim C had in Seaton Hole last Tuesday, I did see an adult on the same day fly south down the Estuary at dusk - an office tick for me so thanks for the message Mike! Still plenty of Med Gulls about too.   The Avocet flock has got bigger again, there's now nine birds on the Estuary.

From what I have read elsewhere the two Lesser Whitethroats are also still about, as is the Cirl Bunting flock in Beer which Kev is now providing some supplementary food for. 

And finally, at the end of last week I had wonderful views of a Firecrest at a place I saw one at the start of the winter, in a large holly tree in Seaton.  They really are doing well in Devon these days (and West Dorset from what I've heard).   

Thanks for reading, and hold in there - Spring is just around the corner!