A cloud of Dunlins

We visited Steart Marshes today with the local birdwatching group.  It was very windy and grey but we saw a wide variety of birds, most through other peoples scopes as they tended to be located on the far side of the lagoon or river area.  

Steart Marshes have been created by WWT and the Environment Agency and is one of the UK’s largest new wetland reserves. Hundreds of hectares of saltmarsh and freshwater wetlands have been developed to buffer homes and businesses from rising sea levels, and provide habitat for a rich mix of wetland wildlife including otters, egrets, owls waders and wildfowl.

On this visit we saw several birds of prey including a Peregrine Falcon devouring a Dunlin, a juvenile Merlin, a Sparrowhawk and a Kestrel.  There were large flocks of Dunlins and Lapwings.  Also seen were Golden Plover, Teal, Avocets, Goldcrest, Redwing, Little Egret and probably lots more that I have forgotten.

Its a pity I bent down to do my boots up and did my back in.  The journey back was not very comfortable, hopefully it will have eased by tomorrow.