Wader Roost

As promised in my last posting I am showing a few close ups of the waders that formed the huge flocks at the high tide wader roost at Southport last week. Knot formed the major part of the roost and formed a huge carpet of birds covering a part of the beach. They were joined by a lot of dunlin and nice numbers of grey plovers. There were also a number of bar tailed godwits one of which was resplendent in almost full summer plumage.As I write this many of the birds present will probably have set off for their Arctic breeding grounds in Iceland,Greenland and northern areas of Europe.The weather here is still very wintry and many of the summer arrivals will be struggling to find food unless the temperatures pick up rapidly.My next posting will feature some of these Summer migrants as I have spent time in the Bowland hills and woods this week photographing their arrival on their breeding territories. Thanks for looking in.