Sunday 06 September – East Devon Leader: Jane Cumming

This was the Club’s first outing requiring COVID compliance, with the leader, three participants who committed in advance and two more who joined us knowing there was space on the trip. With the large airy hides at the two sites we visited, there was no reason to change anything about our usual mode of birding although the hide at Bowling Green may have been more crowded if we’d gone there earlier. This wader expedition began with the high tide at Black Hole Marsh, part of Seaton Wetlands, and moved west to Bowling Green Marsh as the tide fell. Note for next time: it would be better to catch the high tide on the Exe when the waders roost on the marsh, and move on to Seaton Wetlands with the tide falling to expose mud along the River Axe. Nevertheless, we found plenty to look at on the scrapes at Seaton, notably twelve species of wader: Oystercatcher, Lapwing, Ringed Plover, 30 Dunlins, two Knots, one (possibly two) Curlew Sandpipers, 50 each of Curlew and Black-tailed Godwit, Redshank, a Greenshank or two, one or two Common and one Green Sandpiper. A selection of the usual waterbirds were around – Mallard and Teal, a Little Egret, Grey Heron, gulls, Kingfisher and some heard a Water Rail. Of course, we had missed the tide and with it the Curlew Sandpipers at Bowling Green Marsh but there were more duck species, including three Pochards, a female Scaup, lots of Wigeons and many more Pintails than we are used to seeing in Avon. Hundreds of Black-tailed Godwits were still flying out a dozen at a time, and there were 20 Lapwings and a couple of Greenshanks hiding amongst the Redshanks. It was good to be out birding again! (Thanks to Jane for leading.) Jane Cumming