A little bit of everything

It remained dry with sunny spells until late afternoon when the rain started. The SE wind freshened all day and ended up being strong.

South shore

I checked from the saltmarsh to Red Nab on the rising tide this morning (Malcolm)

Pale-bellied Brent goose 31 flew to Red Nab from the south side.

They happily fly and swim together, but when they start feeding bickering 
breaks out as they split into small, presumably family, groups

Shelduck 8

Shelduck 

Wigeon 160

Wigeon

Little Egret 3

Little Egret

Rock Pipit 1

Rock Pipit

Janet checked this afternoon on the ebb tide

The Pale-bellied Brent geese were back on Red Nab, today's high water would have moved them on. Later they flew back to the south side.

Moorhen 4 in the Nature Park.

Imperial Rd (Malcolm)

There were only a few Carrion Crows flying around. It would seem the interlopers have been seen off.

Water Rail 2 squealing

Stonechat 1 male, again quite a distance from the road

Male Stonechat

1 male Kestrel hunting 

Heliport/Near Naze (Malcolm)

I should have checked here before checking Imperial Rd. When I did arrive at 09:45 there were c700 Knot on the Near Naze. But the tide was already high and rising quickly. It moved them on before I could complete a full check for any flagged birds. I only saw one.

Knot being moved off the Near Naze rocks

The Knot resettled on the Heliport wall and the rocks below, where they mixed with Redshank, Common Snipe, Lapwing, Turnstone, at least one Dunlin and of course Oystercatchers.

A good mix of waders, all of the above in this shot.
But you will have to open the image to see the detail 

Oystercatchers carpeting the bulk of the heliport wall

Heysham skear (Malcolm) 14:00 - 15:00

The forecast rain was approaching quickly and it was already getting murky.

Little Egret 4

Eider 46

Little Egret and Eider

Cormorant and Eider

Shag 2 juveniles 

Juvenile Shag

There had been just 30 Knot around, I was about to leave when another 500 arrived from the north. By this time it was positively gloomy and the strengthening wind making it difficult to remain still. I may as well have left, the Knot settled in rubbly terrain, I glimpsed a couple of flagged birds, but no chance of reading them.

A typical view of this afternoon's (it felt like evening) Knot.
By the time I got back to my car the rain arrived.