Curlew Sandpipers

Mainly overcast with sunny spells, showers started mid afternoon and consolidated by evening. A very light east wind early on freshened as it swung to the west.

South shore (Malcolm)

I only had time for one short walk out from the saltmarsh this morning, but it turned out to be time well spent.

Chiffchaff 2 in Nature Park 

Kestrel 1 patrolling the foreshore 

Shelduck 63

These tiny snails are what the Shelduck are feeding on

You can see the footprints of the duck and the marks left by its
scything bill as it cleared a swathe through the snail population.

Wheatear 8 

Rock Pipit 1

There were small waders feeding on the mud, close inshore on the opposite side to the slipway.

Dunlin 200

Ringed Plover 28

Curlew Sandpiper 2 juvenile - at first there was only one about

A nice comparison shot of a juvenile Curlew Sandpiper (left) with a Dunnock 

Curlew Sandpiper in classic juvenile plumage 

Then it was joined by a much paler bird.

Also a juvenile Curlew Sandpiper, after quite an early moult.
Thanks to Ian Hartley for confirming this

There were a number of Harlequin Ladybirds emerging along the fence to Ocean Edge.

Harlequin Ladybirds - even more variable than juvenile Curlew Sandpipers