More Goosander

A bright sunny day with a fresh NW wind.

South shore

I had a walk out from the saltmarsh on the rising tide to check out the waders (Malcolm). It was obvious from a long way from the waterline that the Peregrine were also checking out the waders, they kept lifting but after a while became more settled, presumably the Peregrine had made its/their catch.

Sanderling 1 - only seen from distance early on, no sign when I got closer.

Sanderling -  lower middle

I managed a reasonably accurate count of the larger waders

Curlew 20

Oystercatcher 25

Bar-Tailed Godwit 180

Grey Plover 19

The small waders were so mobile that only an estimate was practical.

Knot 600

Dunlin 250

Bar-Tailed Godwit and Dunlin

These clips gives a sense of the chaos

This is what the small waders are feeding on. Each pimple of mud covers a tiny mollusc 

Meadow Pipit 6 over to north

Wheatear 7 between saltmarsh and Red Nab

Wheatears

Pale-bellied Brent goose 39 feeding on Red Nab

Shelduck 10

Middleton Nature Reserve (MD, AG)

Goosander 5 female/1st winter

In the morning there were just two female and a 1st winter (left side)

When Angela checked in the afternoon there were five (a good record shot with a mobile phone).
So a minimum of eight different birds seen here this spring, as there has also been three adult males.

Gadwall 3

Cetti's Warbler 2

Chiffchaff 2

Brimstone butterfly 1 male 

Just out of the recording area - horse paddock behind Middleton Parish Hall

Glossy Ibis still present morning and afternoon