The wader identification session was a qualified success today, with a good turn-out of 12 observers, half decent weather (couldn't believe our luck) and virtually all of the species that we could expect to see on the falling tide in winter putting in an appearance. The only notable absentee was the Bar-tailed Godwit - which has been unusually scarce in Angle Bay this winter. It was particularly nice, and useful, to see a mixed flock of Dunlin, Knot and Grey Plovers feeding on the shoreline at Bentlass, and a small number of Black-tailed Godwits at Cosheston Pill. Even the Greenshank at Quoit's Mill finally gave itself up to at least one of the group. The full list of waders seen was Oystercatcher, Ringed Plover, Grey Plover, Turnstone, Knot, Dunlin, Knot, Curlew, Back-tailed Godwit, Redshank, Greenshank and Snipe.
The highlight of the session, however, wasn't a wader at all, it was the two immaculate winter-plumage Slavonian Grebes that swam past us in Angle Bay.
