Pictures From The Coast

As mentioned in my last blog this week's very warm weather meant I spent a few days out with the camera. The super weather coincided with some big tides and the coast was my choice of destination to look for waders at high tide. I decided on a couple of visits to Marshside RSPB and adjoining coastline as I had previously enjoyed some excellent days there with plenty of variety in birds seen.
Both visits produced similar results as I firstly concentrated on finding and photographing waders as they roosted at high tide, followed by visits to Nel's hide at Marshside where the excellent afternoon light would be good to photograph the action in front of the hide. On my second visit I enjoyed the company of Brian Wilby, a friend who lives nearby, who I had not seen for sometime . Brian was keen to see the wader spectacular at high tide and I don't think he was disappointed and we enjoyed an interesting afternoon together. Also there were photographers, Dave Cookson, Steve Dolan and John Power and we all enjoyed the ideal conditions from Nel's hide.
I have selected a few images from many that were taken and hope the selection gives my readers an idea what a great variety of birds can be seen along the Lancashire coastline at this time of the year. The images from the roosts show some of the impressive numbers of knot present and an image I was pleased with of hundreds of oystercatchers dropping into the roost. Some nice close ups of feeding dunlin were obtained as the birds allowed a very close approach as they fed along the end of the old sand road out from Marshside. I was lucky to photograph three bar tailed godwits,one still in breeding plumage,as they paused briefly before departing for their roosting spot.The images from Nel's hide show black tailed godwits about to take off and a close up flight shot of one bird close to the hide. Finally a couple of wing stretching shots of lapwing and wigeon as they bathed and preened in the wonderful very warm and sunny weather. Hope you enjoy this selection and I look forward to more suitable weather next week when I can once more get out to capture tge action.