Arctic Bound

This last week has seen me make a couple of visits to a favourite wader roost near Southport.I hadn't visited since March and obviously lots of birds present then had departed for the breeding grounds.Most of the knots had gone with only a couple of small groups present and there were only a very few godwits and grey plovers left.There were however still good numbers of sanderlings and dunlin with a scattering of ringed plovers.

For this post I have concentrated on the sanderlings.A large percentage of the birds were well advanced in obtaining their summer breeding plumage.It is always a delight to see the rich chesnut colours of the sanderlings after the very pale white colours of their winter plumage.The birds were intent on feeding and scurried about the beach in the usual clockwork mouse manner.They were not bothered by my close and careful approach and allowed me to take many images before they moved further away to follow the falling tide.

It had been a wonderful experience to be close to these wonderful little waders.Very soon now they will be heading north for their breeding grounds in Greenland and Siberia which I think is where most of our sanderlings are heading.I wish them well on their long journey and in a couple of months or so they will be heading south again to spend the winter months back on the Lancashire coastline. Thanks for looking in and hope you enjoy my images of these lovely little waders.