East Mersea at High Tide

9th January 2024

Time for a New Year visit to one of our favourite birding spots East Mersea. Fairly quiet along the sea wall except for a lone Sky Lark which was somehow managing to find something to eat there.

Now on to Stone Point. The tide was just on the turn and waders were starting to return to the mud as it was uncovered. First up was a quartet of Turnstones, followed by a lone Redshank and a couple of Grey Plovers and a Knot.

The ebbing tide was now accelerating and attracting large numbers of Knot, which seem to be more numerous recently.

Three Bar-tailed Godwits were a nice surprise, and one was in summer plumage!!! There used to be around 300 Black-tailed Godwits at East Mersea and the Colne area but these seem to be down to just about 20 birds these days whilst Knot seem to be on the increase.

Here is a nice comparison of the sexes with a female on the left and males centre and right. The average length of the female bill is 100mm whereas the average male bill length is just 80mm.

Also a nice size comparison of Dunlin, Knot, Turnstone and Grey Plover.

Now back on the beach by the sea wall and a chance for some close-ups of Dunlin and Sanderling. First there were a few rather confiding Dunlin.

And also a rather confiding single Sanderling, in my opinion the jewel in the crown on the beach.

East Mersea never disappoints.