My First Spring Visit To Gunners Park

29th April 2021

I have been to Gunners Park several times before but normally during autumn migration, but thought I would give it a try today for some spring migrants. The bushes were full of bird song, particularly Blackcaps, Chiffchaffs and Whitethroats, and on the way round several Lesser Whitethroats were heard but all kept deep in cover. The first bird to present itself was a Blackcap.

Chiffchaffs were probably the most numerous warbler and this one was quite happy sitting amongst the fresh leaves of an Oak tree, whereas the Whitethroat preferred a Hawthorn.

We were now near the sea wall so is it worth a look at the beach? We normally come in the autumn and have always remarked on how few waders are ever seen on the beach, with just a few Turnstone at high tide. Anyway might as well have a look while we are here. So we slowly popped out heads over the wall and.....................WOW!!!!!

Although it was still three hours to high tide there was a massive flock of waders on the jetty, already in place for a high tide roost. An estimate of numbers using blocks of 10 indicated that there was a conservative estimate of 1000 birds present, made up of approximately 80% Sanderling, 20% Dunlin and 20-30 Turnstone. There was a lot of restlessness with the flock being spooked for no apparent reason.

 How on earth do they fly like that without colliding?

I have seen several flocks of Sanderling on the Essex beaches but normally with a maximum of 50 birds, but here was 800!!!

Although with the lowest numbers, the Turnstones were particularly photogenic with many of them moulting into their summer plumage.

Dunlin were the second highest numbers with 200 birds and most already in summer plumage. Like all the others they were very confiding and most didn't even wake up when 10 people were peering over the sea wall, taking photos of them with their phone.

But the stars of the show today were the Sanderling, one of my favourite waders. As Emyr Wyn Jones kindly points out they are the only Calidris species to have only the forward-pointing toes with no back-ward pointing toe. These are called tridactyl feet and are possibly an adaption to improve their sprinting ability as they rum from incoming waves.

Some of the birds were starting to get their summer plumage.

Even Sanderling need to have a scratch.

Well , how amazing is that?. Came here to try and find a few migrant warblers and spent most of the day photographing a 1000 waders. I've definitely had worse days!!!!