I planted myself on the south bank of Chowder Flood for 2 and a half hours this morning around the high tide. Vegetation has crept over most of the area now but I still found a good variety of waders.
Snipe seemed everywhere but my best count, when a male marsh harrier flushed them up, was 22 birds although I am sure there was more.
A whimbrel rested, 2 ruff roamed, a red knot turned up, 3 turnstone mixed with redshank, a little stint followed 2 dunlin around, a common sandpiper slalomed through the feet of rush, lapwing, curlew and a ringed plover added to the variety and 100 golden plover chimed overhead on a spectacular descent.
4 yellow wagtail added nearly as much colour as the 800 small tortoiseshell butterflies feasting on the blooming sea aster.
A couple of black tailed godwit on Pursuit Pit increased the wader count. The sun broke, the heat haze rose and i returned to the bosom of my family.
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