After the rain of Monday it was a bright morning with some sunshine. I decided to try my luck at the Oyster Beds, high tide was around midday and there would probably be some wader movements as they looked for dry land to roost.
As I left the car and walked towards the Billy Path there were a couple of buck Roe Deer enjoying the morning sunshine too.
On the rocks from the Billy Path, one of the two Whimbrel present was just showing along side a Curlew.
I walked around to the old Oyster Beds where the tide was rising fast and the waders were looking to use any bit of dry land to settle on. Grey Plover on the sea weed that was just sticking out above the water.
Some were using the rocks that were once the oyster bed bunds.
Dunlin, Curlew Grey Plover and a single Knot on the sea weed.
As the water rose the waders become unsettled and finally take to the air looking to find another dry spot.
Its incredible how they manage to not fly into each other as they take off all together.
There is one old wall that is made up of large lumps of white chalk. This Grey Plover was sitting amongst them.
Only a Curlew remains on the sea weed.
There is still some roosting areas of the main outer wall showing and several Grey Plover grimly old on as the tide continues to cover everything.
A single Sandwich Tern fishes around the lagoon.
There were quite a few Little Egrets along the shoreline. With th etide now covering some o the vegetation there were opportunities to catch small fish amongst the grass.
And they were quite happy to come close and the opportunity for close ups.
There were several Rock Pipits also that were coming close as I sat still watching the waders.
They differ from the Meadow Pipit with the less defined streaking on the breast and flanks, dark legs and a more defined bill.
About twenty Cormorants appeared and started to work together in what seemed to be a corralling of fish into the corner where the Cormorants then caught the fish and the Little Egrets too.
There was a single Bar-tailed Godwit amongst the Grey Plover and Dunlin. Later it was seen standing with three Oystercatchers aon a small island.
The chalk rocks were now getting covered and the prime real estate was being snapped up.
Hundreds of Dunlin swirled around the Oyster Beds, it was almost continual with birds coming and going all the time.
The Grey Plover too were moving back and forth coming across the water and close sometimes.
There were also quite a few Knot and these would be in amongst the flocks of Dunlin. Every so often one would appear on its own.
As it reached the time of high tide the activity started to ease off, amazingly so soon after high tide you could see the water levels beginning to retreat. I decided to make my way back to the car, but continued to scan the groups of birds that were still roosting amongst the grass and mounds. Here amongst the Oystercatcher, Grey Plover and Dunlin was one of the Whimbrel.
And on another dry island four Greenshank.
Back at the freshwater lagoon by the Billy path I managed to very briefly catch up with two Water Pipits, but they successfully avoided the camera. Also on the lagoon was a Herring Gull that allowed a close up.
And a very smart adult Common Gull.
It was quite a spectacle this morning, the tide was a high spring tide and this added to the event, pushing the birds all around as they searched for dry land for a couple of hours before returning to feed. I wonder what it is like in the darkness when these tides happen?
No comments:
Post a Comment