With rain throughout yesterday evening and night through to about 7am, it looked promising for some wader action today on the reserve and we were not to be disappointed with a staggering 19 species being recorded!
5 Sanderling, Knot, 10 Dunlin, Turnstone, 38 Black-tailed Godwit, 3 Whimbrel, 2 Curlew, 3 Oystercatcher, 5 Snipe, 4 Ruff, 7 Redshank, 7 Greenshank, 3 Green Sandpiper, Wood Sandpiper, 4 Common Sandpiper, Little Ringed Plover, Ringed Plover, Golden Plover and not forgetting 140 Lapwing.
The first four species were all on the foreshore and good flat light meant easy scoping. The tide was slow but big and eventually pushed the waders off including seven Greenshank onto Aveley Pools were they joined the Godwit flock and various Sandpipers.
Black-tailed Godwits (Tony Houston)
All in all a great selection. With more rain forecast over the next two days perhaps we can entice something exciting to drop into the lovely looking Aveley Pools!
Also out on the Thames this evening was another impressive Yellow-legged Gull count with 111 along the muddy edge, There seems to be more Herring and Lesser Black-backed Gulls around now too.
The Kingfishers were seen around MDZ having a fish from the Dragonfly and Joan Burton was also lucky enough to snap the first live juvenile Cuckoo of the year as we found feathers of one that did not make it...
Both by a very smiley Joan....
Too busy to look for much else today but just a quick few messages....
Let's see what tomorrow brings....
12-8-15