The wader scrapes, in the main, had really low water levels....................................
However, one of the scrapes looked to be its normal self and it proved to host most of the waders - Lapwing, Dunlin, Redshank, Snipe and a solitary summer plumaged Black-tailed Godwit.......
We left the scrapes/hides and ventured off towards the sea wall encountering a family of Swallows being fed on the path!
When we reached the sea wall we saw numerous moulting Eiders, one Common Scoter and one Red-throated Diver plus small groups of Guillemots. Gannets and Common Terns were actively feeding whilst a few Sandwich Terns flew by. As we reached the River Esk mouth it was clear that the tide was out!
Thanks to our 'scopes, we added Bar-tailed Godwits, Golden Plover, Turnstone, Oystercatcher and Curlew to our wader list whilst we were also surprised to find a male Scaup in among the Mute Swans. On the river itself ..............
we found another wader - Common Sandpiper.
On my return to the scrapes, I was lucky enough to see 14 Black-tailed Godwits fly in to join the lone bird that was still actively feeding - a record photo follows.....
It was nice to get out and enjoy some bird watching with friends after the last few days of stifling heat. It was also good to see so many wading birds - a reminder that from a wader's point of view it is already autumn!
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