Exeter Services (M5) & Topsham - Tue 1 Jan

An fairly early start and a trip down to south Devon for some serious birding in an attempt to get the 2013 Year List off to a good start. My first port of call was the motorway service station at Exeter where a small party of Waxwings had been present, but when I arrived at 8.00am there was no sign. Before long the other guys I was meeting up with arrived, and after a brief chat we decided to set off for Topsham instead and return to the services later in the morning.
At Topsham we scanned the area in front of the hide and after much searching I located the long-staying Long-tailed Duck, though it was terribly mobile and elusive despite it being a small lake! Several waders were present, including good numbers of Avocet and both godwit species. The commoner duck species were also present and a Water Rail put on a good show.
We then headed back to the services where we soon located four Waxwings feeding on a berry-laden bush...result!

So with the target birds ticked off we headed off to the next site.