While Leslie was dancing a marathon Zumba set I took a four mile walk to the Rocks on Whitby Beach and back. I had seen signs listing the varied species found on this beach but I had not seen any of them on my walks. So I did a fast walk to where the rocks start and then headed north along the beach. The tide was out and so the North Sea was very far out from the walking path. I stayed close to the dunes and saw some Meadow Pipits and sparrows. I continued and saw flocks of Oystercatchers with their distinctive bright red beaks (see above). Finally I got to Whitburn Bay and there was an open stretch of mud flats and several different types of wading birds. They were wary and it was difficult to get closer. I went out onto the rocks being very careful to keep my footing secure. This helped and the 40X zoom camera really helped. All told there were 12 species identified, six of them new to my list. The new ones were Dunlin, Bar Tailed Godwit, Bank Martins, Eurasian Curlew, Common Ringed Plover and Eurasian Linnet.
Some beach clean up after the last big storm
Low tide give some interesting views
Swirling water draining into the receding tide
the path through the dunes
An old WW2 defensive structure with sniper holes
Many large bunches of thorned berry bushes
Flowers and fruit
The rocks ahead are covered in seaweed
Do not open this portal to the underworld
A Eurasian Linnet Female
A Meadow Pipet
Rocks and debris scattered
Oystercatcher
An immature Starling with spots on the belly
Oystercatcher landing
Two i=unidentified birds to the right of the oystercatcher
Took a long time to identify
.JPG)
Finally the Merlin app identified it as a parasitic Jeager
The mud and rocks stretch out far into the distance
Different birds flying together
Oyster catcher in front and mystery birds behind
So much seaweed
A Eurasian Curlew with a large curved beak visible in front of the right wing
With Ringed Plovers in the mud
Plovers and Redshanks
Three species, Common Redshank on the rocks with Dunlin and Ringed Plover on the wing
The Redshanks
Ringed Plovers
Dunlin
Eurasian Curlew landing
It almost looked like a hark
Time to eat
Time to reflect
Bar Tailed Godwit
Tracks in the mud
Limpts on the rocks
Bank Martins
Chattering and swooping all around
Perhaps there is a stairway up
Right around these rocks?
Just a bit further
It is a long way back
Nope, no stairs
Making mu way back among the rocks I saw this rock pigeon just sitting there. I was a foot away and it did not move. I noticed a band on its leg.
Two Red Linnets
The Roker lighthouse is barely visible on the far left
Another Red Linnet to cap off the day!
