First Sanderling of the season

On Hornsea beach this morning was the first returning Sanderling of the season. Looked like a juvenile to me...but it was an adult moulting.

Sanderling standing on its own foot!!!

Interestingly these birds have no rear toe, which may be an evolutionary development to help them run along the sand as quickly as they do.

At Kirkholme Point there were 7 Common Terns hunting in the pouring rain along with 2 Common Sandpipers on the very narrow shore line. About 200 Swift were noisily feeding high overhead with Sand Martins, House Martins and Swallows lower down skimming the water's surface.

A juvenile Great Crested Grebe was an interesting find as we don't believe they have successfully bred on the Mere this year, so it has probably flown in from elsewhere.

27 Little Gulls were feeding to the south of KP and 3 were on the jetty.

2 of the 3 Little Gulls on the jetty

Over at Wassand a small family group of Goldcrests were feeding in the tree tops with Blue Tits and Long-tailed Tits, and 2 cream crown Marsh Harriers were drifting alongover the Mere.