Forsaking the dog- ridden sand dunes before high tide yesterday we trekked along the bank towards the pill box and were more impressed by our first Gatekeeper butterflies than the birds until we came across a small group of Whimbrels, active and calling until settling on the posts with 2 Redshank, a Greenshank and a couple of wagtails. Also seen were 2 Turnstone, and a small number of Ringed Plover and Dunlin...oh, and a couple of noisy Oystercatchers.
Too much water at Glandwr pools was expected after the rains but a Kingfisher and good views of Sedge,Whitethroat,Reed Bunting, Linnet and Garden Warbler supplemented by a singing but very hidden Reed Warbler made it a worthwhile diversion.
We had a distant look at the Sandwich Terns and saw an Osprey high and hovering up the estuary.
In the ploughed field on the far side was what looked like an unseasonal Common Gull, unfortunately heat shimmer, distance and angle made it difficult to determine any black band. But at least I didn't think it was an immature eider!