A Day on the Beach at Walton-on-the-Naze

14th July 2021

The middle of July is a bit early for a birding visit to the beach but today's quarry was Sandwich Terns. They breed on the saltmarsh and normally go fishing towards Frinton, so plenty of opportunities for some flight shots as they return.

We had only just set off from the car park when a Green Woodpecker was calling and flew on to the Naze Tower. It turned out to be a juvenile which obviously had a lot to learn as it obviously thought that the tower was a huge Oak.

I wasn't expecting too much in the way of waders because of the time of year, but Ringed Plovers breed here so not too surprising to see a couple of pairs.

Redshanks also breed on the saltmarsh and they could be seen and heard giving their alarm calls which gives them their old country name of The Warden of the Marshes. I love the way they splay their tails.

A little more surprising was the presence of a handful of Turnstones, presumably early arrivals back from their breeding grounds and still showing the remnants of their orangey breeding plumage.

But the biggest surprise of all was a flock of eight Sanderlings, still in their breeding plumage. Initially they were posing on the beach..................

..........................but then flew on to a seaweed-covered lump of mud which made posing all the more easier.

I often photograph Sanderlings in the winter in their silvery grey plumage, but rarely get to photograph them in their summer plumage.

But now on to the main quarry, the Sandwich Terns. The first tern to return from the feeding ground came back empty-handed, but most were carrying fish. I was expecting them to be catching Sand Eels but they appear to be small Herring.

The adults are already starting to moult their head feathers.

There were also plenty of juveniles flying around in their beautiful dappled plumage. They were also using the same feeding ground, but no need for them to bring fish back.

Well another superb day on Walton-on-the-Naze beach with a few surprises thrown in, and will almost certainly be coming back during the winter months.