First Med for ages, two Shag and the Ibis still about

A sunny dry morning after heavy overnight rain, more overcast by afternoon. The SW wind eased and shifted to east.

South shore 

Shaun, Dave, Julie - Report from Shaun:

Pale-bellied Brent goose - Highest count we got was 35 (on three occasions). Amazing how they can hide! One looked to be Dark-bellied.

Shag 2 - 1 dark with bright yellow bill (as per recent photos) was in the Harbour near the platforms, then flew to the entrance. Waited for ferry to come in and noticed another Shag roosting on the wooden pier. A juvenile (brown and pale faced!). The first then flew to pier and tried to land next to juv, but missed and landed on the sea, near to a Pink-footed Goose. 

Female Red-breasted Merganser also in Harbour. 

Mediterranean gull 1 adult - Picked up coming in with the ferry, but it didn't get past jetty and headed back out. 

Kittiwake 1 1st winter also behind the ferry.

Also from Nick Godden in the morning:

35 Pale-bellied Brent plus 1 Dark-bellied Brent goose

11 Kittiwake flying out

I have been struggling a bit with sciatica and for the last two months, the only walks I have been managing have been along the south sea wall. But the sciatica is much improved of late, so I treat myself to a New Year walk out onto the shore beyond the saltmarsh. I learned two things, one that I am still not 100%, but more importantly I reinforced my sense of "this is where I belong". Surrounded by nothing but sea, mud and birds! It made for a happy start of the New Year. (Malcolm)

There were thousands of waders on the waterline, I only attempted to count those closest to Ocean Edge.

Curlew 200

Oystercatcher 150

Bar-Tailed Godwit 180

Grey Plover 20

Knot 2,000

Dunlin 200

In order of abundance: Knot, Dunlin, Grey Plover and Bar-Tailed Godwit

These are some of the Godwits in the water then Knot and Dunlin on the mud. The mud looks blue as the heavy overnight rain had made it wet, flat and smooth (apart from the Lugworm casts) and it was reflecting the blue sky, just as the sea does.

Several Common Gulls were amongst the waders and would chase any that found something that it couldn't immediately swallow. In this instance one pounces on a discarded small crab.

The tide pushed this feeding party of Knot right past me. They are finding tiny molluscs.

Meanwhile, the longer legged Godwit just relaxed as the tide rose around them.

Eventually the Godwits had to move on. That's the saltmarsh behind them

Other waders:

Lapwing 13 on saltmarsh 

Turnstone 5 on saltmarsh 

Redshank 100+ on Red Nab

This shot from the shore shows some of the Brent geese arriving from the north side,  with the wooden jetty and outflows behind.

Shelduck 90

Shelduck 

Linnet 4 and Goldfinch 2 on saltmarsh 

Just out of the recording area. Middleton Parish Hall

Glossy Ibis seen by several observers today, still feeding in the horse paddock behind the hall. Edward Wilkinson took these excellent shots of it, looking a lot happier in today's sunshine.

Have a Happy New Year!