Tuesday 16 May 2017

High tide at Ynyslas

Paul Bennett and I started with a seawatch from the castle in wind and rain before heading to Ynyslas.  Nevertheless, during odd periods of reasonable visibility there was a light passage of Gannets and Manx Shearwaters plus a couple of Fulmars and Sandwich Terns.
We  were by the tern posts for the incoming tide when John turned up with his guests, Jane and Pam and we all enjoyed a pleasant session working through the waders as they were pushed up the beach.
Several hundred small waders; almost all Dunlin and Ringed Plover, but we managed to pick out at least six Turnstones and a Sanderling.  Six Bar-tailed Godwits, a Whimbrel and a Curlew added a little variety.  Two Sandwich terns were feeding well upriver.
Three Cattle Egrets flew down the estuary towards their original site: John later had one of them from the road, as did Paul and I much later.
No sign of the R-b Gull, but there were two Greenland Wheatears in the field.