South shore (Malcolm)
I exercised my daughter's dog along the sea wall late morning, it was raining just before I started and a heavy shower as I returned to my car, but dry and sunny while I was out.
Shame there was little to see!
Lots of Black-Headed gulls on the outfalls
Mediterranean gulls 6 on the beach by the wooden jetty.
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| Gulls feeding on No.1 outfall with a few on the beach beyond |
The Mediterranean gulls were easily catching sandmason worms.
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| The white ringed bird is a Dutch bird that has been with us all summer |
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| This Med was catching sandmason worms in the normally not favoured rocky area below the sea wall |
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| One of five Little Egret |
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| This Curlew was out from the foreshore. It stuck me as odd that there were no footprints. Even when they land from flying in they take a couple of steps. |
Wheatear 2 on Ocean Edge grass.
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| Wheatear |
I returned late afternoon to check the waterline for waders out from the saltmarsh. As soon as I got on the shore, I knew why the Curlew had left no footprints. The heavy overnight rain and strong wind had completely flattened and compacted the mud. It was like walking on the surface in a kiddies play area, flat and firm with just a hint of "give".
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| The shore out from the saltmarsh, completely smooth, not a single Lugworm cast or mollusc mound. Made for easy walking |
Two lots of small waders, Knot I think, had already flown south and the small group that remained soon joined them.
Knot 180
Dunlin 20
Oystercatcher 16
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| There are fresh Lugworm casts here where the neap tides still cover the mud |
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| And then they were off. Nothing spooked them, it was just time to leave. |
The birds had flown and there was obviously heavy rain already falling to the south and north. Still sunny here, but it was time to leave!
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| Rain to the south |
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| Rain to the north |
There was nothing feeding on the barren upper shore, but a group of 11 Ringed Plover were feeding around the saltmarsh creek.
I just got back to my car, when the rain hit again. Two walks and missed the rain both times.....not like me!
Kevin Eaves checked the sea wall early evening.
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| A particularly chunky Devil's coach horse beetle |
