First Shelduck back and more Sanderlings

Quite a fresh NW wind, overcast for most of the day with some light showers. The sun peeked through briefly in the evening.

South shore - "high" water 17:30 (MD)

I've been a bit under the weather today, probably a bit of "man flu". So didn't venture out till this evening, even then it was hard work, the mud felt stickier than usual and the sun made its only appearance of the day to be behind the waders, making viewing difficult!

There was a feeding group of 28 Ringed Plover and 2 Dunlin along the first patch of wet mud. Probably the group that the Curlew Sandpiper had been feeding with, but no sign of it today.

The tide doesn't come far up the beach on these low neap tides (just 7m today), leaving a very big beach and a very distant waterline. And when you get there, this is what you see!

Waders silhouetted by the sun, these are Dunlin

I had to paddle out a way and look back, the tide was still coming in, but only very slowly. This helped as the waterline became increasingly further away. 

It was mainly Dunlin that moved in to feed in front of me, but there was one Sanderling with them.

Sanderling, centre, with Dunlin

There were three more further along the beach 

Three Sanderling, far left, far right and centre.

Sanderling 4 

I haven't had a chance to scrutinise yesterday's inflight shots of Sanderling in a large, passing, Dunlin flock, but there were probably c15. These are some of them

Some of yesterday's Sanderling in a Dunlin flock

Estimates of other waders on the waterline 

Bar-Tailed Godwit 50

Grey Plover 20

Knot 50 

Dunlin 150

Mediterranean gull 1 adult

Mediterranean gull 

It was obviously going to rain so I started to trudge back. 

Shelduck 1 - I was going to say "distant", but then realised, that the duck was close inshore, it was me who was distant!

First Shelduck reported this autumn 

Rain it did, but not for long.

 Hopefully, the pleasure of walking will return by tomorrow (MD)