The last few days had seen strong westerly winds with some heavy showers, the forecast was pretty much the same for today and as I pulled up to the sea wall at Hill Head I could see this had also had an impact on the sea too. Pebbles were strewn across the road and I decided to be very careful in choosing a parking spot. I also arrived during a very heavy squally shower so I sat this out in the car, the wind rocking the car about.
When the rain passed through I was able to venture out and look out across the beach. The tide was low and the usual Brent Geese could be seen along the tide line, still present in good numbers but soon they will be making the journey north once again. After the Brent, what caught my eye was the number of Sanderling on the beach, foraging amongst the tide line detritus. looking to the east the sun was just starting to break through as the clouds moved away and very soon there was going to be some lovely golden light across the beach. It was time to grab the camera, put on the wellies and head down on to the beach.
I wanted to get low, which is not that easy for me these days. Getting low produced some great shots of the Bar-tailed Godwits earlier in the year. The best approach is to find a suitable spot and just wait, the Sanderling will come to you, which is what they did.
There was a group feeding higher up the beach and I was below them which made for a nice perspective.
There was also a few Ringed Plover, this one sitting at the top of the beach too.
But it was the Sanderling I was here for and the sun was just starting to send the light across the sand and as expected the Sanderling started to head my way.
In order to get the best light it meant I had to face into the wind which was whipping up the sand and blowing it into my face. It was also playing havoc with the Sanderling feathers.
The Sanderling have been very difficult to resist so I was looking for some different views, this is definitely one.
This one shows the benefit of using the lovely early morning sun light. The beach and pebbles take on a glow.
There were so many Sanderling about it was difficult to count them, but I would estimate well over a hundred, maybe pushing 150 plus. Away from the beach there was a group foraging on the sea weed that was being tossed around by the waves rolling onto the beach.
The Sanderling were shadowed by Black-headed Gulls that were looking to take any morsels the waders my find, but the sheer number of Sanderling seemed to confuse the gulls and while they remained close I never saw the gulls make any effort to challenge them.
With the tide rolling in sometimes the Sanderling were caught in the water!
It was becoming quite clear that I was going to take a lot of photographs of the Sanderling today. A lot of images produced a lovely selection of various poses.
The classic head on approach which is improved by getting down low.
While this set shows how adept they are at getting into the cockle and extracting the meat.
The remainder of the time I just kept following the Sanderling as they moved around, taking the knee to get closer to the ground and watching them as they foraged amongst the tide line detritus and shells
They are wonderful to photograph and I make no apologies about the quantity, but as I walked off the beach after tearing myself away I had the feeling that I may be back later.
From the beach I walked around to the harbour bridge. Above the calls of Mediterranean Gulls could be heard over the raucous calls of the smaller Black-headed Gulls. I could look across to the south scrape of the reserve and could see many gulls occupying the islands and all over the bank. Mediterraneans stood out, they have a more upright stance that shows off the jet black hood.
As well as the gulls there were Wigeon feeding on the bank and sheltering behind one of the islands, six Avocet, my first on the reserve this year. The reserve, of course, is closed due to the Covid restrictions but hopefully as these are lifted the reserve will open too, just in time for the spring migrant wader passage.
Showers were still around the area but thankfully missing where I was. A brilliant rainbow formed away to the west.
I walked back to the bridge in hope of the Kingfisher appearing which it didn't. A Little Grebe dived alongside the reeds and out over the reed bed a male Marsh Harrier glided over
From the harbour I walked up the cliffs to the first viewpoint. Getting out of the wind was a challenge, but unfortunately the wind was producing any good birds. All I could find were two groups of Eider and a couple of Great Crested Grebes. I stuck it out, but when it became clear the task was hopeless I went back to the car, dumped the 'scope and headed to the canal path.
At the bottom end of the path there was a single Chiffchaff and several calling Stock Dove, about halfway the male Marsh Harrier appeared over the reeds while a Curlew was the only bird of note in the horse field by the thatched cottage.
Approaching Posbrook Floods the calls of Mediterranean Gulls increased and again there were several on the floods along with Black-headed Gulls. I counted 28 Tufted Duck and feeding around the edge were Teal and Wigeon. I could only find 5 Pintail and these were more to the northern end of the flood.
A little further along in the flooded meadow Black-tailed Godwits were feeding amongst Wigeon, one or two were beginning to show some brick red summer plumage.
I walked a little further to see if the Barn Owl was in the split tree. It was and showing well.
Cropping in a little closer.
Then through another gap in the willows by the canal but with a few branches in front of the owl.
A Stock Dove also seemed to be hole prospecting around the tree.
I headed back and as I passed, something upset the Black-tailed Godwits.
A pair of Wigeon on the floods.
Where the path opens out a red Kite drifted over. While common at home and over my garden, they still remain a bit of a rarity around here, unfortunately, though, not the bird of prey I wanted to see today.
A Kestrel replaced the kite, hovering over the meadow and then heading south before I could get close.
On reaching the horse field I could find the Curlew present earlier, but did finally manage to find three Water Pipits feeding in the cropped grass. This is a common spot for this species and while distant it was possible to make out the very pale underparts and the wing bars. Here a very poor record shot.
As I reached the beach it started to rain. It looked like we were on the edge of a shower that was passing east to west. It wasn't too bad so I decided to head onto the beach. While it was now high tide there was still plenty of beach available and rather head off to roost the Sanderling were still feeding along the beach. I knew I wasn't going to be able to resist it, but this time I found a piece of drift wood which allowed me to get down onto the beach.
The rain was starting to get heavier now and with it the wind. I decided to wait it out and kept on taking the shots.
Here you can see the rain drops on the back of this Sanderling
And this one looks just like I felt as we were both pelted by rain, hail and sand!
It finally became too much and I retreated to the car for shelter. I had lunch as the shower passed through, although it would promise a break, only for it to start up again. Finally blue skies and sunshine returned, but away to the north of the reserve there were still plenty of showers moving through.
A Buzzard was making difficult progress into the strong westerly wind as Ian joined me for an hour and of course we had to return to the Sanderling with even more different light.
The surf made for some interesting shots.
With not much beach to work with there was a lot of disturbance and off they would fly to another spot only to return shortly after.
Finally they became fed up with the disturbance and flew off in the direction of the beach behind the harbour. Ian and I followed but they were too flighty. We scanned the reserve reed bed where the male Marsh Harrier could be seen once again, but there was very little else about.
I was taken by these two Black-headed Gulls sitting on the wall of the harbour bridge.
We walked back to the cars where we stood scanning the reserve. A flock of what I thought were smaller birds, maybe Sand Martin were heading across the reeds. There didn't seem any panic as I realised they were in fact were Starlings, then from nowhere a Peregrine appeared and took one of the Starlings and we watched as it carried away. Then it dropped towards the scrape and as it came back up it didn't have the Starling any more. The Peregrine had either dropped its prey or the Starling had managed to escape. The Peregrine then headed away to the west and out of sight. So I had seen five species of raptor in the day, but not the hoped for Eagle, maybe another day!
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