Down at the estuary.....

......the sea was rolling in glistening in the sun, blue as blue and ever so calm. Birds were gathering and calling, a few squabbles were observed, terns being terns and young spotted shags learning the ropes of whose boss! 

It was lovely to feel the sun after many weeks of cloudy grey days with some rain, blipper mpp26 and I lapped it up. We chatted as we ambled, stopping for many shots as blippers do. The tide was coming in, groups of terns were on the water's edge feeling quite safe but little did they know they would soon be flying to safer ground. Spotted shags were in a similar position but they were comfortable to waddle into the sea, some paddling before swimming, others just simply plunging in, they did remind me of children excited to be at the beach.

We left the sea and made our way back via the estuary. We saw what looked like stones moving, it could only be wrybills, they camoflage so well it was hard to see them. And further on there were godwits, a lone spoonbill, some pied stilts and the only resident black stilt. 

My shots weren't the best today, but I'm happy enough with this black-billed gull coming in to land and just loved the tern looking a bit anxious, he didn't want to be flattened by a gull! No extra's today as like many others I've run out.

This morning was a 'spur of the moment' kind of thing and it was great! Thanks M for your company, I'm looking forward to our next amble at the Ashley.

Great start to my week - Happy Monday everyone :)