Sunset, mudflats and saltmarsh

Our walk over the Knott this morning was under the familiar dirty cotton wool sky that we have been so used to lately. Then after breakfast the sky began to clear and it became the warmest and sunniest day of the year so far.

This wasn't my intended blip. We went to the snowdrop site near Beetham mid-morning, and found they are not yet at their seasonal best there. Gus began to elope in the opposite direction with M from down the road from us who was heading in the opposite direction, and Wifie had to retrieve him. We then had a good lunch in the refurbished cafe at the garden centre, comfortably sitting outside in the sunshine with a robin boldly trying to snatch some crumbs of our pizzas while still on the plates.

Back at home, I was thinking we might be in for a sunset this evening, so I ventured back out to Sandside. Here is the view back across the viaduct to the setting sun and Grange in the distance. The salt marsh on the left is quite cliffed at the moment as it erodes as the Kent channel shifts. There is a runner and dog on the marsh, which strictly is not permitted because of bird disturbance, but people do it all the time.  It becomes more critical as we come into the breeding season. The marsh has the potential to support a lot more breeding waders than it typically does. Just a little more consideration is needed. Lecture over.