High Tide

High tide was at 10.30 this morning yet in Loch Fleet, because it takes time for the flood to work its way through the narrow entrance, it looked more like low. The mass of birds out on the mudflats are....

....greylags and gulls with a few larger waders in the distance. Meanwhile, out on the open beach....

....where the tide had already turned, we watched a flock of sanderlings. We couldn't see what they were feeding on with such excitement but sometimes they were almost swimming in the waves - watched by a pair of worried-looking gulls - at others....

....they concentrated on picking through the seaweed left along the high-tide line.

It's only a week since we were last at Littleferry but two seals have been washed up in that time. They have in common that they are both full-grown and both have lost their heads - I spare you a picture of its front end - but from the clean cuts it may be that they were removed for research.

By the time we came back to the loch entrance the sand and shingle bars were already filling up with waders waiting for the mudflats to become exposed. These are mostly knots with a few ringed plovers. More knots were arriving but....

....instead of joining those waiting they gave a formation flying display to the few humans fortunate enough to be there to watch.