Cockle Spit Knot Flock

I took Ollie dog to the Bradwell Cockle Shell beach as the weather was so glorious. As we approached the beach on the sea wall it was empty apart from a family having a picnic. I was looking at the little girl, who was wearing an admiral's hat, and took my eye off Ollie. She bounded down and stole the little boy's cheese and chorizo sarnie. Unsurprisingly he was shocked and started crying. I felt awful but the people were very good about it. We made friends with them and we all played on the beach together. Last time we were there Ollie was scared of the waves but this time they were tiny and I threw a cluster of whelk egg cases into the water for her to retrieve. (Extras) She soon got into it. A lovely couple arrived with their two dogs and Ollie played ball with them. I was so happy that she was happy in this beautiful place in the sunshine that it made me feel quite emotional. It's the sort of feeling one gets when one's children are happy.

Ollie didn't want to leave the beach. We walked to Walter Linnet's cottage and I sat on a bench watching the beach in the distance fill up with waders as the tide came in. Suddenly a huge flock of knot took to the air. What a sight! Then I spotted the reason they had been spooked - a peregrine falcon. I got record shots of this lightning-quick bird of prey.