The real reason I came out to this area of the country was to take advantage of the Spring tides that were occurring on the Wash. Spring tides are the highest tides of the year which results in more mud being covered by water leading to the huge numbers of birds present being pushed closer to land. And boy were there a lot of birds.
We arrived here from Holme at about half three, with high tide not due until eight passed seven, which we hoped would give us plenty time to appreciate the forces at work here. The tide was well out, with only small numbers of waders on the vast area of mud. There was a small flock of SANDWHICH TERNS and COMMON TERNS on the mud and there was also a SPOONBILL which would later relocate to the gravel pits.
The wader spectacular is the rock concert of the birding world with lots of people truning up to view the natural wonder, with much more people than you would expect at a nature reserve. Everyone was expecting a big show.
The tide gradually came in and we noticed sights like a boat stuck on the mud becoming floating on water and other areas becoming submerged. The main bird flocks were always on the water's edge and they were gradually coming closer and closer. We were able to start identifying birds. KNOTS in massive flocks, some still slightly pink from their summer plumage. Loads of OYSTERCATCHERS, forming a great black mass, a few GREY PLOVERS, RINGED PLOVERS, GODWITS. The birds would form huge murmarations twisting about as if trying to create giant knots from rope in the sky. Offshore there was a flotilla of SHELDUCK with a few AVOCET amongst them.
We positioned ourselves by the last hides, and then gradually the tide met the start of the reserve and along the way the jetty where we were standing before became submereged. The mud turned into a mass of bird, different flocks formed of single species creating a strata of different colours.
In the end the sea didn't quite cover the entire mudflats leaving a small amount of bird covered dry mud. When it became obvious the tide had reached its peak and the birds had stopped flying and had gone to sleep it was time to leave whilst there was still some light left.
So even though it was an amazing spectacle and a wonder of the natural world we were slightly short changed. What was supposed to happen was the tide was to cover up all the mud and the remaining waders were to fly inland and roost on the gravel pits positioned behind the sea wall. This didn't happen, even on this the highest of tides, so it seems a rare event even though it is advertised as something that happens a lot by the RSPB.
Out on the gravel pits some young COMMON TERNS were present with adults flying in to feed them from the sea. There were a few SPOTTED REDSHANK and GREENSHANK present preferring here to the mudflats.
So a good day of sorts. I was able to witness a great wildlife experience, probably the greatest in lowland England, and another tick from my bucket list, I came away thinking I kind of missed the full experience, that if only the sea had come in a fraction higher I would have witnessed something truly spectacular. Oh well, such is life.
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