We had to rely on yesterday's sun for any colour today

Very low cloud all day. When it wasn't actually raining, it looked like it should be! A very light variable breeze.

Middleton Nature Reserve 

Peter and Rosemary managed another visit while the sun shone yesterday.

There were far fewer dragonflies around than there have been lately but those that were there put on a show for us.

We were fortunate to see a pair of Migrant Hawkers mating and they waited long enough for us to get some good pictures before they separated - something we didn't realise they were going to do. 

Migrant Hawkers on the southern pond

Common Darters

Common Blue Damselfly (electric blue in this shot)

Noon Fly

Mute Swans on the main pond

Algae forming an "algae-mite"

South shore 

I checked the shore out from the saltmarsh this morning 09:00 - 10:45. I was hoping to do this walk yesterday but I didn't have time. Shame, it would have been better with the better light and the lower tide. Today's inrushing tide didn't allow the waders to settle for long. At least it more or less stayed dry.

Linnet 200+ on the saltmarsh 

Linnet, plus a view of the shore where I was heading

There was nothing along the foreshore except more Linnet and a couple of Robins.

Shelduck very mobile, but at least 60

Shelduck 

Mallard 3 flew south from Red Nab

Mallard

Little Egret 7

Grey Heron 1 flew north

There were 3000+ waders. 

Bar-Tailed Godwit 14

Grey Plover 8

Knot c2500

Dunlin c500

Sanderling 2

Knot and Dunlin and a Godwit. The visibility was terrible and the birds mobile. 
I failed to see any colour coded birds, in fact I failed to see any colour!

Grey Plover and Knot

Sanderling and Knot. The Sanderling on the right is a juvenile 

I thought I took a video of both Sanderlings, but if I did I misplaced it! It was that sort of day. Just one Sanderling with Knot and Dunlin in this clip.

These are Knot and Dunlin frantically trying to feed ahead of the tide. Although one bird just looked as if it was settling an old score.

 Redshank 120 around the saltmarsh 

Redshank. 

Common Snipe 4 lifted from the saltmarsh.

Lapwing 3 on the saltmarsh 

Lapwing amongst the Samphire 

Stonechat 1 female type on the eastern edge of the saltmarsh.

Stonechat 

Clouded Yellow 1 flew past me heading south at 10:30

Janet checked later

Redshank its legs were a lovely splash of colour on a drab day.

Turnstone 

Little Egret

One of two Rock Pipits on the small pebble beach between the foreshore and Red Nab

Wheatear 1 female type near the lighthouse - Kevin