Nature Notes
Probably one of the most enjoyable four or five hours to be spent on the river Dart, Canoe Adventures offers a unique and stunning way to see the estuary which is considered to be one of the most beautiful navigable rivers in the country. A favourite starting point for Canoe Adventures trips is the sheltered waters of Bow Ceek at Tuckenhay, or Longmarsh Slip in Totnes. Further "ports of call" included Dittisham, Stoke Gabriel and Dartmouth. Many other stopping points are available such as Ham Point, Hackney Creek and Langham Spit, these being only accessible from the water.
Along the way there are stunning views of the rolling South Devon countryside and spectacular steep wooded slopes which look like they have been the inspiration for the Tolkien books! Keep an eye and an ear out at all times, as the plethora of wildlife to be seen is truly amazing.
In Bow Creek at the starting point, you will no doubt see a number of inhabitants, look out for the little egrets which are small heron-like birds that are pure white. They stand in the shallows and on the mudflats searching for invertebrates as the tide rises. These birds have become a common sight, but only over the last fifteen years since they migrated from their traditional ranges in Europe and Africa. There are also plenty of mallards and often a pair of mute swans which through the summer months may have cygnets accompanying them (if they have had a successful breeding season).
Look out also for coots and moorhens which have similiar habits to one another. In the past moorhens have tried to nest in one of the moored canoes! Shelduck are a common sight too, particularly in Spring when you will see them in pairs herding their ducklings, which look like striped humbug sweets.
Notes taken from 'Wildlife Wonders' - Discovering the wildlife of the South Hams, published by South Hams District Council. (This is an Adobe Acrobat PDF document, for which you will need the free Acrobat Viewer).