Spoonbills, Wigeon, Godwits and Black Swans at Bowling Green Marsh nature reserve, Topsham - 15th March 2026

I was staying in East Devon for a week and, on Sunday, I took the train from Exmouth to Topsham.  Then I walked to RSPB Bowling Green Marsh and sat in the bird hide for some time.

Row of Black-tailed Godwits in both summer and winter plumage

Wigeon feeding on the grass

Spoonbill and Shelduck on a narrow island in the lagoon

In fact, there were two Spoonbills on the little island

Spoonbills and a long row of Black-tailed Godwits

Little Egrets flying above some Black-tailed Godwits

A pair of Black Swans were on grass at the other side of the lagoon

Pintail on the lagoon

The two Spoonbills were feeding when the Black-tailed Godwits decided to move

Spoonbills preening behind two Godwits

The pair of Black Swans moved into the water and sailed past the bird hide

talking to one another as they sailed along the water

I came across a male Blackbird on the lane leading from Bowling Green Marsh

Curlew and Redshank feeding on the mud in front of the Goat Walk in Topsham

 I had a great time and planned to visit again later in the week.

Birding visit to Otter Estuary nature reserve, Budleigh Salterton, on 14th March 2026

I was staying in a mobile home at Devon Cliffs Holiday Park near Exmouth for a week and, on my first full day in Devon, went on the bus to Budleigh Salterton in order to visit the Otter Estuary nature reserve

View of some of the houses on the cliff in Budleigh Salterton, with the holiday park on the distant cliffs

The flatter part of Devon Cliffs Holiday Park - all the rest of it was uphill!

View from the coast side of the nature reserve at low tide

I was greeted by a friendly Robin near the entrance to the reserve

Distant tree and clouds past a reed bed

Pair of Shelduck searching for food in the mud

Oystercatcher patrolling the very shallow water

Tall thin tree trunk is a point of interest in the centre of the reserve

Male and female Eurasian Teal feeding in the shallow water

Two Spoonbills in the centre of the estuary

I managed to get slightly closer to the Spoonbills and this one began walking away from me

The two Spoonbills feeding in one of the channels in the estuary

I saw them preening later on in the afternoon

Two Little Egrets on the other side of shallow water - viewed from one of the bird hides

Closer look at one of the Little Egrets

Redshank resting at the edge of the mud

Path at one side of the nature reserve

Row of trees on a ridge on the other side of the river Otter and overlooking the sea

Little Egret strutting its stuff when I was leaving the Otter Estuary nature reserve

View of Budleigh Salterton as I walked along the sea front after a great walk round the nature reserve

 

Bird and nature walk in Walthamstow Wetlands - 5th March 2026

Two male Tufted ducks on one of the reservoirs on a bright sunny day

Female following a male Tufted duck

Fresh new buds in front of a clear blue sky

Romeo, the local cat, chilling out in the sunshine

Pair of Egyptian geese in front of an island in the reservoir

Grey Heron with long extended neck

Gadwall drake standing in shallow water

Female Gadwall searching for a snack

Mute Swan and Grey Heron at the edge of the reservoir

Grey Heron lifting its wings ready for take-off

Tiny Wren towards the top of a tree

I took a photograph of a large swathe of Blackthorn blossoms and then saw a Peacock Butterfly in the centre!

Two Grey Herons at the side of the reservoir - both enjoying the lovely sunshine

The Engine House visitor centre

On the other side of the Wetlands a blond Egyptian goose was searching for a snack

Robin at the end of a branch as I left the Wetlands in the late afternoon