Curlew Sandpipers arriving

 The Sanderling and Dunlin arrive first at Seafield and as September rolls in I look forward to a few Curlew Sandpiper coming to join them on  the shoreline. 

This bird being my first of autumn and hopefully not the last.

Sanderling

A handful of Dunlin were in the corner of Seafield harbour this lone spring plumaged Sanderling was with them.
Quite a striking looking bird close up.

The One legged Ringed Sanderling

Ive been following Sanderlings at Seafield now for over a decade and had kept a photo record of the ringed birds till a hard drive collapse this year.
This bird was on Quilty beach today showing the same tag as in a post I published in 2012  but now missing a right foot.,,,did the right leg once have a red/blue rings ??
http://www.alifeattheshoreline.com/2012/02/re-united-at-seafield.html

Sanderlings

Lots of these little Sanderlings turning up on the coast this week

Shorebirds at Seafield

The tide was dropping from high ,and the exposed shoreline was being exploited by the small waders. One Little Stint was feeding with the Dunlin and Sanderling.
They were to busy to take much interest in me.

Little Stint

Dunlin

Sanderling vs Dunlin

Sanderling vs Dunlin

Little Stint

Sanderling

Rock Pipit

Sanderling

Summer Sanderling

We get to see hundreds of Sanderling here in Clare over winter, but its nice to see a few reach summer plumage before or during their departure north to the breeding grounds.
Four birds turned up on Moy beach today..but the cloud cover was thick and light poor.

A few birds on Quilty beach

BTG and Knot

Dunlin

Knot

Mallard

Sanderling
Waders are starting to arrive on our shores. Today at Quilty beach Black-tailed Godwits, Turnstone, Knot, Dunlin, Sanderling, Curlew and large numbers of Ringed Plover were feeding up on the dropping tide. The usual Gulls and Mallard ducks were also present

Back at Seafield

Hundreds of Waders were busy on the incoming tide at Seafield.
An impressive flock of Bar-tailed godwit were approachable .  The North wind was freezing cold which did`nt allow much time for beach birding

Ringed Shorebirds at Seafield

Caught up with a few Purple sandpipers and Sanderling that i photo`d back 3 months earlier in November at Seafield.

The joys of ringed birds

Sanderling

A small flock of Sanderling on the shores of Seafield.....

Red throated Divers

 

A pair of Red-throated Divers fly by between Seafield west beach and Mutton island , while im laying on the wet sand taking pics of Sanderling

Flaggy-shoreline Waders

High tide Flaggyshore , a small few Sanderling & Dunlin make haste in the only piece of sand available