waders on the patch

a small area of inter-tidal not covered by the falling tides today produced the following; 340 Dunlin, 200 Lapwing, 230 Golden Plover, 3 Ringed PLover, 7 Redshank, 2 Grey Plover, 3 summer plumaged Knot, an adult summer Curlew Sandpiper, 1 summer Bar-tailed Godwit, 7 Avocet, Common Sandpiper, Curlew and 2 Oystercatchers -- but not a hoped for goody; it seems strange that we used to find the odd Pacific and American Goldy when they were genuinely rare but since they became common we don't seem to be getting any? or maybe its just failing eyesight

Alkborough morning

rain, thunder, lightning, wind just what the summer needed -- why they ring Ruff on the tarsus I have no idea -- two birds here spend all their time in sloppy mud -- after 3 weeks of trying I think I got both combinations this morning but colours were muted in the dull weather; quite a few Yellow Wags moving in to feed up before departure and 2 shanks

Sooty Tern (its been a wet day)

and its still raining -- sat looking through a few old images I see this was one of the first birds I had on the blog back in July 2005 -- one of the advantages of RAW's is that you can go back and hopefully make a better job of converting them second of 15th time around -- not amazing images but a great bird -- my images of the Bridled Tern at the same spot, Cemlyn, are on dust gathering slides

Grey Heron and light

Common Terns

about 20 birds feeding around the eastern pits at the moment --- most are catching fish by dip feeding rather than plunge diving

waders

the upper Humber waders were typical today; distant, flighty, in rain or heat haze, on inaccessible fields at high tide and 3 miles off at low tide -- photographically the mind wandered to areas of the world where shorebirds are 100% tamer, approachable and in places where you can approach them -- a nostalgic selection from across the pond

Sand Martin on the road

seemed to be good numbers of juveniles in this post roost flock -- I missed the shots of the bird chasing this feather in flight which was rather comical

Sand Martins 2

a second visit this time after a few minutes 2 cats and a dog intervened -- rifle needed

Brown Hawker

a pretty worn individual -- all the butts and dragons in recent posts with 300 2.8 and extension tubes

butterflies

standard and different perspectives

flying Black-tails

had a session with the godwits this -- no sign of any Lesser Yellowlegs and only 700 godwits a poor showing

islandica 2

the upper bird had an elongated upper mandible