Digging for Worms

I took a short trip out to Riverside Country Park near Gillingham, Kent today.  The tide in the adjacent River Medway estuary was fully out exposing the mud flaps and marshland; for most of my walk I was actually wondering where all the water had gone!

Unusually there weren't too many birds to be seen - the tide was probably too low for good pickings and it was a bit windy. However, as I wandered slowly back I spotted this lone bird, with its vicious looking long bill, digging up worms from the mud. This appears to be a black-tailed godwit, and is currently Red on the UK Conservation Status scale as its numbers are reducing. It is a resident in this area, and nice to see.