Exminster marshes

Not much time and a cold wind resulted in a brief visit between 9.00 and 10.00. A fox conveniently crossed the reserve causing some birds to fly up and then settle , sometimes closer to the fox! This is what the spoonbill did, providing the best views I have had. The adult bird has a white or pale yellow ring on the upper part of its left leg. Also briefly in the air where the 8 white-fronts. Duck numbers seemed to have dropped although 9 pintail and 20 plus shoveller are similar to previous counts. A group of 78 coot was feeding on the fields and a single water rail was in the ditch next to the canal-side car park.