23-09-2007

Click on a photo to see it full size in a new browser window

At one end of Dawlish Warren, which is a sand spit across most of the width of the Exe Estuary, is Langstone Rock, a red sandstone "sentinel" between the sea and the main railway line from Exeter to Plymouth.

Looking the other way Exmouth can be seen beyond the end of the Warren and the channel through which the Exe flows into the sea.

Another view zooming in on Exmouth.

I don't know if this windmill out on the Warren powers a generator or a water pump.

Looking up the Exe Estuary from the Warren, with the Exmouth - Starcross ferry in mid stream.

Starcross, seen from the Warren is actually on the same side of the river.

Moving into Dawlish, the little river through the gardens in the centre, Dawlish Water, is home to some Black Swans which are actually natives of Australia.  Due to vandals they now have to be penned in but as you can see here this has enabled them to successfully raise this cygnet, in 2005 though they raised three cygnets outside of the pen.

Another view of the swans.

You can almost hear the swan saying "come on in for a swim, it's what we swans do".

All three of the swans in the water.

Three more photos of the Black Swans, this time out on Dawlish Water, in the middle one is building a nest.

Two shots showing just how flexible a swan's neck is!

A pair of geese, and odd species of geese at that. The one with the white head is an Emperor goose and the Black and white one on the island is a Barnacle goose. For some reason they have become a couple.
Thanks to Craig Rickard for correcting my previous caption.

A Muscovy Duck sits on a weir in Dawlish Water.  Muscovys are strange birds being somewhere between ducks and geese, unable to interbreed with either.

Back to the sea with this view the length of Dawlish beach and sea wall with Langstone Rock at the far end Exmouth just visible beyond.