It rained down rocks!

A prolonged and heavy shower late morning eased just after lunch. A few later lighter showers. A light east breeze.

First these shots from Howard yesterday at the old heliport:

I made another visit today hoping to get lucky with the Knot, alas there were fewer birds c1500 which stayed in the middle of the outer wall with only one quick fly round due to a corvid dropping over the wall and spooking them.

There was a male Kestrel flying low over the field which flushed 11 Snipe, and c40 Greenfinch,

that is a greenfinch with the Kestrel

A more recognisable shot of a Greenfinch

7 meadow pipit feeding around the naze and onto the lorry park

at the cafe end someone had put some seed down on the path for the birds
(House Sparrows)

.........and Rat with offspring.

One of three Pied Wagtail, this one with a metal ring was just beyond reading range.

South shore

I couldn't get out till lunchtime today (MD). At this point it was pouring down and had been for over an hour. It was high water so I started at the saltmarsh 

Common Snipe 8

Jack Snipe 1

Linnet 55

Reed Bunting 2

Wigeon 37

Rock Pipit - there was just 1 on the saltmarsh, but another 9 along the foreshore (2 looked to be the residents at the slipway end chasing off 3 others, while a Robin was desperately trying to see off 3 more further along, plus a single bird at the Red Nab end). Other single birds on Red Nab, Sea wall and lighthouse in the regular residents areas. So a total today of 14!

Ringed Plover 8 

Greenfinch 2

On Red Nab

As I reached the outflows the rain was easing. 

Common Tern 1 juvenile and Arctic Tern 1 juvenile were flying high and patrolling the sea wall between the outflows.

The Common Tern was constantly calling, you can just about hear it in this clip. Watch in slow motion and you can see its bill opening as it calls.

On the way back the tide had ebbed further and both terns were feeding around No.2 outflow. This is the (silent) Arctic.

Juvenile Arctic Tern

Juvenile Common Tern

When Pete had a quick look from Ocean Edge at 15:00 there was just the Common Tern feeding, but the Arctic may well have been resting on the wall (see yesterday's post)

Cormorant 54 on the wooden jetty

Great Crested Grebe 1 feeding by the water intakes in the harbour again.

This, justifiably, sad looking Great Black-Backed gull was also in the harbour.
Unfortunately its flying days are over.

Grey Seal 1 between the outflows

In the Nature Park

Goldcrest 2 

Chiffchaff 1 calling near the white barrier at the entrance. There is nothing to see in this clip, I'm not pointing my camera at a wooden post so much, as pointing the camera microphone towards the calls. Mostly Chiffchaff calls.