Snipe in the rain!

Quite strong SE winds light rain early on became heavier throughout the day.

Saltmarsh - high water 09:50.

Today's 9.4m tide just covered the saltmarsh (the height required to cover the marsh can vary dependant on wind direction/strength and atmospheric pressure (the lower the pressure, the higher the tide))

It was already 75% covered when I got there, so most of the Common Snipe would have already been flushed. Leaving:

Common Snipe 10

Jack Snipe 3 probably 4

Wigeon and Lapwing similar to yesterday.

Reed Bunting 4

Rock Pipit 1 plus 2 on Red Nab

Heysham skeer

A quick look c3.5hr ebb - no sign of Brent goose.

These are some of Howard's pictures from yesterday 

This one shows the final tally of all 11 birds
Note the Brent unfriendly honeycomb worm colony behind them
No gut weed there.

You need to open these images to the the fine detail

This video clip includes the two Canadian ringed birds. The birds are very flighty, they take to the wing for a short flight whenever a wader is spooked. Howard stayed well away so as not to disrupt their feeding, so it's not possible to read the rings on this clip.

Middleton Nature Reserve 

Just a brief check of the wildfowl:

Gadwall 17

Tufted 2 male

Shoveller 1 male

Little Grebe 1