Wednesday 26 August 2009

A Trip To The Seaside.






I hadn't been out and about with the camera as duties at home ( mainly gardening ) had kept me busy for the past week or so. This week I was determined to make the effort and get out there. I had decided on a visit to the Lancashire Coast at Southport as some high tides would mean that it could be good for wader watching as they would be pushed off their feeding grounds out on the Ribble Estuary. This proved to be the case and a couple of afternoon sessions found me waiting for their arrival as the tide rolled in.
There had been some heavy showers but these made way for sunny weather as the afternoons progressed and this of course provided excellent conditions for photography. I found a few small roosts of mainly dunlin and sanderling and a careful approach allowed me to get within forty to fifty yards . I enjoyed myself as there were plenty of birds to photograph and various plumages could be seen as many of the birds were juveniles returning from Arctic breeding grounds and feeding up before heading further south. Eventually most of the waders flew back out towards the fast retreating sea to resume their feeding out on the sands and mud of the estuary. I look forward to my next encounter with these delightful little birds when the next series of high tides brings them within range of the camera lens. The images show a fly past of dunlin and ringed plover and a couple each of sanderling and dunlin, the dunlin showing juvenile and adult plumages.

10 comments:

  1. Lovely shots Brian. That first Sanderling is a beauty.

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  2. Yes Brian, I'm personally well overdue a visit to the Birkdale/Ainsdale sands area at some high tide in the future, many happy and rewarding hours spent there in the past with JL. Nice read and pic's as usual Brian.

    Regards Pete.

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  3. IF I had read this twelve hours ago it would have saved me much searching, Thanks for the Dunlin, dozens up here by Lindisfarne.

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  4. Nice wader shots! I love Sanderling and always look forward to seeing them on the beaches, here in Western Australia. Such a long journey to get here.

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  5. Enjoyed your account at the coast Brian.Must try to get there myself sometime!!

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  6. Hi Brian, I've just awarded you with the Kreativ Blogger Award. Come over to mine and find out the rules. I enjoy reading your blog and admiring your photos.

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  7. lovely lovely photos, waders are never my strong point i have to say. i love the photo of the sanderling with the raised foot...

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  8. Thanks everyone for your kind comments and thanks for looking.

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  9. Beautiful shots! First time to your blog, but I've bookmarked it and will be back again!

    Shelley @ Shutterbug
    http://shelleyslens.blogspot.com

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