Exminster marshes

A pleasant walk around the marshes with Peter Reay this morning produced some good birds. The hen harrier was quartering fields to the north of Cork's drove and the female smew was on the canal south of Topsham Lock at 9.45. There were few other ducks on the canal apart from 3 tufted ducks. Near Turf the 8 white-fronted geese were in the adjacent field before flying first towards Powderham and then back towards the lagoon where they eventually settled. There were about 160 brent geese south of the Turf with more out on the estuary. Still no sign of any Cettis warblers but we did glimpse one wren and saw a flock of long-tailed tits.