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Tuesday 8 May 2012

Exminster marshes

My visit was confined to Station Road and a short bit of the canal bank. At the high tide roost were 16 dunlin, 3 grey plovers, 55 whimbrel, 2 curlews, 4 bar-tailed godwits and one turnstone in summer plumage. A single ringed plover flew over to the estuary. A pair of shoveler and 2 additional males were the most for almost a month. Other ducks included a pair of wigeon and 10+ mallard. Hawking over the lagoon were 5 hobbies, flying as a small group on several occasions. I did not look to closely at the gull flocks, still very impressive. There was however a first summer Med gull near to the road close to a pair of garganey that were showing well to visiting birders. Another male garganey was at the end of Cork's drove. Other migrants included c50 swifts and 2 wheatears.