Sand Bay Thursday

Took a different day off today than normal, long story. Anyway after everything I had been through in the morning a pleasant 2 hour stroll along the whole of Sand Bay, each side of high tide at 6.30pm was what the Doctor ordered. Didn't really expect to see much wildlife, as loads of dog walkers and joggers out and a couple of people having BBQ in the drift wood. Really just a relaxing walk to empty my mind of the day's stuff (If any of you say why did this take as long as 2 hours, there'll be trouble !!!)

Then lo and behold, 2 Ring Plover and 3 Dunlin flew off from the tide line. Quite unusual to get Ring Plover at all in the Bay, not that suitable, not much for them to flick over. But in passage, can get some good numbers. Which explains why on the way back, I disturbed another 8 Ring Plover and 5 Dunlin from some shingle, 4 of the latter with their black tummies. Before I disturbed these, I'd spied a Wheatear flying onto a rock. In the space of 5 minutes another 8 were flying about the driftwood, right next to a family who were having the BBQ. The family never once noticed these.

Good numbers too of Goldfinch, one flock of 18 and another seperate one of 11 flitted and jingle-twittered their "charming"way past. Nice numbers of Linnet too which are now in full finery. Other than that dozen or so Curlew, few more Shelduck, and a Swallow flew over the carpark.

Just a lovely way to end a stressful day....... (think I was drunk, the horizon is skew wiff)