Seasalter and a few Waders. 27/01/13

The poor weather has meant that January has been a very slow month, this being only my 4th posting for the entire month. I have not been out much but did go down to see the incoming tide by the outfall at Seasalter over the weekend. Nothing out of the ordinary but small wader numbers were good with over 1000 Dunlin and Ring Plovers roosting on the shingle bank at high tide. Just a small flock of Brent’s noted, 2 Bar-tailed Godwits, one allowing a photo, a pair of Sanderling seen feeding along the beach and several obliging Turnstones that were flying up and down the tide line. Also a Grey Plover flew by about 30 metres out to sea allowing a few images as it passed.

I called into the woods at Blean on the way home where the usual woodland species were all seen. The "baiting log" was awash with seed, spread across approximately 20 foot. It is a good idea to bait just a small area so that the birds drop into one spot, making it a lot easier to get your camera onto the subject as it lands. Also, by pushing the nuts and seed (although personally I think seed is more trouble than its worth) into the crevices of the log, the birds then spend a few seconds trying to get the nut out giving you a few extra seconds to get your shot. Also your images do not have masses of seed and nuts strewn around the bird’s feet. There's room for a dozen photographers at this site but they have to work together or else it becomes hard work. Here ends my sermon for the day.