I collected Sue for her 10th NEWT safari and we headed north in weather that didn’t seem to be quite certain of what it was…

Along the causeway, with the tide only just receding from the road, Curlews, Knot, Bar-tailed Godwits, Grey Plovers, Redshanks and Oystercatchers were probing the freshly exposed mud as Pale-Bellied Brent Geese, Wigeon, Mute Swans and Shelducks were grazing along the water’s edge and Little Egrets were dotted around the saltmarsh.

Soon we had one of the best sights you can hope for when arriving on the island…Andy M on the main road staring intently into a tree 🙂 Among a scattering of Goldcrests a Yellow-browed Warbler was exploring the canopy and we watched it for a few minutes before exploring around the village. With Eiders and Red-breasted Mergansers just offshore, as dense wader flocks wheeled over the mudflats, Fieldfares, Redwings, Blackbirds, Song Thrushes and an unseasonal Spotted Flycatcher were searching for food as a stiff northerly brought repeated stinging rain showers. What we thought was a tree covered in dead brown leaves suddenly burst into life as a dense flock of Starlings left the bare branches behind and a Kestrel flushed from the hedge top before hanging motionless in the wind.

As we watched the transition from a rapidly falling tide to slack water, Turnstones, Oystercatchers and a lone Purple Sandpiper were probing through piles of seaweed with impressively breaking surf just a few feet beyond them, Cormorants and Shags battled into the wind, Roe Deer were on the sheltered side of a hedge and an unexpected Long-tailed Duck on a freshwater pool was followed as dusk approached by a Fox trotting across the road in front of us before slowly making it’s way along a field margin.

Another great day out with Sue. See you next year!