A mild, overcast day with light southernly wind. I get to Fraistorpe beach just after low tide. Auburn Beck runs gingerly across the beach. Where it reaches the tideline a flock of Sanderling is bathing, with a few gulls, two Dunlin and an Oystercatcher. Sanderlings are very common today, in groups and singles all along the beach. Even some passers by, who note my binoculars, ask me what are the little birds running on the beach. The round walk is 11 km.
A flock of 22 Great Crested Grebes sits on the waves. It always surprise me to see them on the sea.
Beach Pied Wagtail.
Red-throated Diver (honest!).
The dunes off the Park & Ride.
Yorkshire Belle and Cormorants.
I make it to Bridlington Harbour in time to walk up the ramp before the tide comes in. A flock of Turnstones and Purple Sandpipers are feeding on the harbour wall. There are still 42 Redshank and 4 Dunlin feeding on the harbour itself, although 35 Redshank have already assembled at their usual roost.
Turnstone.
Purple Sandpiper.
Turnstones on South Beach.
Turnstone.
Redshank Roost.
A begging adult Herring Gull. A pair lands near me as I have my lunch and they make a duet of juvenile begging calls.
Black-headed Gull and lobster pots.
Cormorants and Great Black-backed Gulls roosting on the harbour roof.
Juvenile and adult Great Black-backed Gull.
After lunch, it's time to head back. There is a large flock of Sanderlings on the south beach, I count 84. Occasionally flushed by dogs chasing gulls, they keep running along the beach, and flying back and forth along the beach to avoid dogs and people.
Sanderling flock in flight.
As I get back to Fraisthorpe, I spot a flock of Oystercatchers, roosting on the beach with a Curlew. Their attempt is short lived as they are promptly chased by a dog. Some of them fly over to the fields, and the rest settle a bit further away.
Oystercatchers about to be chased by the dog.
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