High Tide at Fingringhoe Wick

24th February 2017

Started the day at the Layer Breton causeway at Abberton Reservoir. There were a couple of distant red-head Smew, but this female Goldeneye was diving quite close to the causeway allowing a few shots to be taken.

At the Layer-de-la-Haye end the only bird close enough for a shot to the east of the causeway was this Great Crested Grebe. The last time I popped my head over the wall on the western side of the causeway I startled a male Goldeneye that was almost sitting on the bank. So this time I approached very slowly and gently peered over  and saw that there was indeed a male Goldeneye there, albeit a little further out. After a while it got used to me being there and came in close to the bank giving some great close-up shots.

Now on to Fingringhoe Wick and as we approached the hide by The Retreat we were met but this male Pheasant demanding to see our permits.

It was still half an hour to high tide and so there was a great deal of flight activity like this flock of Avocets flying over a knot of Knot and these Shelduck flying into The Retreat to roost.

Today high tide was only about 4 metres so the lower islands were still uncovered providing a roosting spot for thes Golden Plovers.

High tide came and went and as soon as the mud started to re-appear the first birds to return were the Ringed Plovers, Redshanks and Oystercatchers. A flock of Grey Plovers had joined the Golden Plovers on the spit, but soon came on to the mud to feed.

But the star of the show today was this Greenshank which suddenly flew in and strutted around right in front of the hide, certainly the closest I have ever been for a photograph. What a super day!!!