Nigel's Nature

  Cloudy, showers, light south-easterly, high tide 13.30. I arrived about an hour after high tide. Luce Sands, south of the river, were almost completely inundated, which only happens on the highest of tides. As I made my way upriver to view the saltmarsh roost, my attention was diverted by a group of passerines flitting along the tops of the dune scrub through which I walked. It was a family of Stonechats with 3 or 4 juveniles, presumably the ones that bred by the entrance track in a  gorse bush. Single Whitethroat and Sedge Warbler were also present, although showing only briefly before disappearing into tangled vegetation. At the roost on the far side of the creek, a nice variety of waders were gathered with the gulls. Apart from numerous Curlews (110 the total visit count), I spotted a Whimbrel, two Greenshank, three Bar-tailed Godwits and at least four Redshank. One of the latter was engaged in a rather demented bathing technique that I have seen adopted by various ...

  Mostly overcast, medium westerly, high tide 16.35. I arrived about an hour before high tide and noticed that the creek was almost devoid of birds near the car-park. No doubt there had been recent dog-walking and this suspicion was confirmed when a greyhound appeared. As I headed downstream where there seemed to be more avian activity, a dozen or so Greenfinch flew up from the tideline, presumably the remnants of last week’s flock. Linnets were also feeding along the upper shore, primarily among the developing saltmarsh hummocks; I counted 32. A single Rock Pipit was noted, a much scarcer species here away from its usual rocky haunts. Whimbrels were present again: one feeding along the edge of the creek as the water level rose and a second out at the sea-ward edge of Luce Sands where 30 or so Curlew stood among the advancing waves. Rounding the corner to view the coast east, there was a high-tide roost of 180 Oystercatchers on the nearest spit with a small flock of Turnstone f...