On the way back from Weymouth this morning, I dropped into Ferrybridge for a look across the mudflats. Having parked up at Billy Winters and walked across the main road, I could see a Bar-tailed Godwit feeding in the shallows, plus a dozen or more waders.
Unfortunately as I came down the steps to the beach, a dog put all the waders up and they shot off down the Fleet. At least the Bar-tailed Godwit remained.
Waders are not my speciality but evidently this Bar-tailed Godwit is a non-breeder, but as to where it flies off to now is anybodies guess.
I watched the godwit and Little Terns out on the Fleet for a good 10 minutes or so, and then the small waders came back and landed in front of me. The first count of birds revealed 14 Dunlin in different states of plumage and a lone Sanderling. The latter a new bird for my 2019 records. As I watched them another party of Dunlin joined them and my next count was around 30 birds.
Also here were a dozen or so Herring Gulls, 2 Black-headed Gulls, 2 Oystercatchers, several Little Terns, a Pied Wagtail and 2 Skylarks.
Here are a few images and videos from this morning:
A lone Bar-tailed Godwit feeding in the shallows.
Here you can see its grey plumage indicating that this is a non-breeder and possibly a returning bird.
This a Bar-tailed Godwit in non-breeding plumage and is most likely a returning bird.
After waiting patiently for about 10 minutes the waders flew back and........
..........landed on the mud flats in front of me.
In the the end there were about 30 Dunlin and this lone Sanderling in the centre.
14 Dunlin feeding along the shoreline and in the shallows a Bar-tailed Godwit. Also 2 Herring Gulls looking on.
A Little Tern takes a rest on the edge of The Fleet.
An Oystercatcher makes its way down the Fleet.
Birds Recorded: 2 Oystercatcher, 30+ Dunlin, 1 Sanderling, 1 Bar-tailed Godwit, 2 Black-headed Gull, Herring Gull, 6+ Little Tern, 2 Skylark, 1 Pied Wagtail and 2 Carrion Crow.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On this day..........
2018Today's Sightings Here.
2017
Today's Sightings Here.