South shore
I did the walk I had hoped to do yesterday (Malcolm). I walked the tide in, on the shore out from Ocean Edge. Yesterday very heavy rain stopped me going, out. Today it waited till I was as far out as I could get, then the heavens opened! Still there was more of interest than it originally looked like there was going to be.
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| Walking out there was nothing except the occasional call of a Curlew, and an oncoming shower |
Waders began arriving
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| Knot, Dunlin and Grey Plover (middle) While most of the waders are busily scurrying around after food, Grey Plovers always seem laid back. |
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| Knot, Dunlin, Bar-Tailed Godwit and a Grey Plover. |
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| In the foreground, Bar-Tailed Godwit, Grey Plover and Oystercatcher |
Curlew 6
Bar-Tailed Godwit 130
Oystercatcher 30
Grey Plover 6
Knot 1200
Turnstone 1 (flew past)
Dunlin 300
Sanderling 2, possibly 3
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| Dunlin, 2 Sanderling and a Grey Plover (actually moving!) |
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| Then something spooked all the waders along the waterline, this group headed further to the south. Dunlin, Sanderling (middle) and the unmistakable underwing pattern of a Grey Plover |
Then the heavy rain arrived! Fortunately it didn't last long, both me and the remaining waders waited it out.
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| Knot and Bar-Tailed Godwit |
Then something spooked them all again and the small waders moved south
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| The Godwit moved closer to the sea wall. This is 10:00, but dark enough for lights in the Power Station to show |
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| The rain had moved on but it was black to the south and quite dark to the north. The sun was trying to break through in the middle, making for some interesting shading |
By the time I was almost back to the saltmarsh the sun was shining (briefly). A single Sanderling was feeding with a few Dunlin and 3 Grey Plover. This clip shows the location.
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| Grey Plover and a Sanderling |
Redshank 23 near the saltmarsh
Jack Snipe 1 accidentally flushed from the ribbon of marsh grass that extends from the saltmarsh
Common Snipe 37 flushed from the saltmarsh by the rising tide
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| Common Snipe |
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| Some of the Snipe heading towards Middleton Nature Reserve |
Reed Bunting 4 on the saltmarsh
Rock Pipit 1 on the foreshore
Pale-Bellied Bent goose 27 - 23 and 4 flew from Red Nab towards Potts Corner.
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| Pale-bellied Brent geese |
Pink-Footed goose 47 flew SE, a solitary bird, just after the rain, north.
Wigeon 180
Janet had a walk along the sea wall:
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| Curlew (and Blackpool Tower) |
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| Oystercatcher heading off, Wigeon coming in |
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| Wigeon heading off |
In the Nature Park:
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| Great Tit |
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| Blue Tit in the newt pond |
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| Grey Squirrel |
