12th February
Today's hightide at 2.41pm produced the most splendid display of Dunlin, surging and wheeling back and forth across the marsh front - eventually dropping in to feed on the flooded saltmarsh. There must have been in the region of several thousand! The long -staying Avocet could also be seen, as the tide receded, with the roosting Oystercatchers.
Murmuration of Dunlin.
Dunlin landing . . .
. . . on flooded marsh.
Avocet feeding at high tide . . .
. . . and later roosting with the Oystercatchers.
LOGBOOK SIGHTINGS
D Sparker - C20 Tree Sparrows on car park feeder bush.
13th February.
A fine sunny day with a brisk easterly wind. A high water period still, giving good Oystercatcher roosts along the top of the marsh at high tide. A Kestrel, taking advantage of the bounty this affords, was hunting along the driftline. Several small skeins of geese were making their way west.
S W Mott - Pintail, Teal, Mallard, Curlew, Golden Plover on RHS of lane.
14th February.
A beautiful sunny day but a cold easterly wind was blowing. Snow was visible across the estuary on the Scottish hills and also on the Pennines.
Still a good Oystercatcher roosting flock on the saltmarsh edge - with a handful of Curlew amongst them. Aerial displays of Dunlin continued throughout the afternoon and 2 Little Egret were frequenting the Saltmarsh Pool.
On the Lonning: in front of the screen to the 1st Meadow Pool, 120 Wigeon and 110 Teal were feeding; on the grassy bank beyond the 2nd Meadow Pool, counted 129 Golden Plover and 23 Lapwing. A little Grebe was seen diving intermittently in the pool itself.
From the Hide: 67 Pintail were viewed across the water; a Buzzard and a Hen Harrier put in an appearance; a Grey Heron was foraging on the wetland ahead.
Back on the estuary, the Kestrel was hovering periodically above the driftline.
Snow on the Pennines, looking across the flooded meadows.
Wigeon from the 1st Meadow Pool screen.
Teal looking colourful in the sunshine.
Golden Plover, Starlings and Lapwing on the grassy bank beyond the 2nd Meadow Pool.
Little Grebe on 2nd Meadow Pool.
Pintail upending in front of the hide.
Buzzard flying over the wood ahead.
Adult Grey Heron towards the boundary with the Moss.
Kestrel hunting along the driftline.
P Birkett - Saltmarsh Scrape: Snipe, Teal, mallard, Wigeon and Little Egret.
Sands on Estuary: Shelduck, Great Black-backed Gulls, Curlew, Oystercatchers, Little Gull, Black-headed Gulls.
Feeding station: Chaffinch, Yellowhammer, Tree sparrows, House Sparrows, Gold Finches, Reed Bunting, Jackdaws, Blue Tit, Collared Doves, Pheasant.
15th February.
A bright cold day with a moderate easterly wind blowing.
About hightide at 3.12pm, the estuary was full of birds: Dunlin, Oystercatchers, Curlew and flocks of duck: Teal, Wigeon, Pintail, Shoveler, some Shelduck and Grey Plover.
16th February
A dull very cold morning with rain after lunch - a strong SW wind blowing.
The most notable feature today was a flock of 29 Shelduck feeding out on the mudflats with a group of Dunlin.
Shelduck and Dunlin on the mudflats.
17th February.
A hard frost overnight followed by a sunny day. The Estuary looked fine.
18th February.
A fine bright morning but very cold. The sun shone on and off during the day.
A little Egret was seen on the saltmarsh delving in and out of the dubs - apparently unperturbed by the flock of Jackdaws nearby.
A late afternoon walk down the Lonning revealed hundreds of Wigeon and Teal on the wet meadows round the 1st Meadow Pool and new scrape.
Duck on the wet meadows.
Wigeon in front of 1st Meadow Pool screen.
The Golden Plover flock using the grassy bank beyond the 2nd Meadow Pool Screen had increased to C400 today.
Golden Plover on the grassy bank.
Golden Plover.
On the wetlands round the hide, a flock of 20 Curlew were flying too and fro - landing and grazing for a while and then moving on. A Little Egret was just visible on the LHS of the causeway, poking about amongst the rushes. Lapwing were in the habit of landing and roosting on an exposed piece of land out in the middle of the water.
Curlew landing and scavenging in the wet meadows.
Little Egret amongst the rushes.
Lapwing out on a promontory in the water.
On returning back along the Lonning the sun was just starting to set. Skeins of geese were flying over intermittently. Yet another Little Egret could be seen hunting along the margins of the Meadow Pools.
Pinkfeet, catching the rays of the setting sun.
Little Egret fishing on 2nd Meadow Pool . . .
. . . as evening falls . . .
. . . in a blaze of glory.