My First Visit of the Birding Autumn to Two Tree Island

13th September 2023

Still a few hours to high tide and therefore time to see what was around the slipway. There were several Ringed Plovers and a single Curlew but all keeping there distance and the only birds close enough for a photo were about eight Dunlin on the water's edge. I walked slowly down the slipway and eventually got within about 10 yards and grabbed a few shots. 

At that point a couple of Turnstone flew in obviously not wanting to miss the action.

The tide was now rising fast so on to the hide to see what the high tide roost brings. How sites change during the year. On my last visit to Two Tree Island there were 1000-1500 Knot and just a sprinkling of Black-tailed Godwit on the scrape and today there were 1000+Black-tailed Godwit and about five Knot!!! Also a lot more small waders than usual, mainly Dunlin and Ringed Plovers, and using some of the islands nearer the hide.

There seems to be a lot of Ruff around everywhere this year but just one on the scrape here, mainly keeping with the Dunlin.

The shanks were well represented with one or two Redshanks feeding nearby..............

......................some holding their own high tide roost................

......................and up to 20 Greenshank, more than I have ever seen here before.

But from the 1000-1500 Knot seen on my last visit there were only five birds, three of which are shown here.

Probably about 50 Avocets present and these two were sparring quite a bit. Not sure whether it was aggression or courtship, but I suspect the latter.

And then of course there were the Black-tailed Godwits which were back to there high numbers as in previous years.

Theye were flying in continuously from the estuary to join the roost, often mixing with the Redshank.

Then a male Sparrowhawk flew through panicking everything on the scrape. I always love Avocets against a sky background.

And this is what a flock of 1000+ Black-tailed Godwits look like as they swirl around just outside the hide!!!

After a few laps of the scrape and when the danger had passed, they gradually returned to the roost.

A scan round after they all had landed revealed a single Golden Plover.

Then as if by magic a Grey Plover appeared alongside and showed the amazing size difference that I have never noticed before, mainly because you don't normally get them side-by-side.

But the biggest surprise today was when an adult Sandwich Tern dropped in with its chick which followed it round begging for food, with an Avocet as referee.

Then a couple of laps and they were off.

Well today Two Tree Island exceeded all expectations. I have been visiting the island since March 2014 and this is the best day by far with the highest numbers and the highest wader diversity with twelve species of wader, and that is without an Oystercatcher which are normally present. I am certainly looking forward to more visits during the winter.