Flock of Knot visit Nairn again

My goodness - is it really nearly three months since my last posting!  And with so much going on out there you'd have thought I would had overloaded the blog!  Time........

Anyway, anybody walking the East Beach or the harbour could've failed to have seen the 1,500 - 2,000 little waders sitting in a huddle on the sand bars and shuffling along further in-land as the tide comes in.  This is a familiar sight on our beach at this time of year as the wintering waders choose Nairn to hang around in until it's time to head north again in the spring.

The ones that are here at the moment are Knot.  Here's a couple of pics.

Two groups of Knot, with the smaller group at the front among the gulls.  There is also a Sanderling and a Turnstone.

A wider angled view to see they have split into three groups, all in view from the east wall.

Below is a better pic from last year, showing them in flight.  They perform wonderful displays, starling like, as they swoosh from beach to beach, flashing their bright underparts against the low sun in unison.  One of Nairn's great wildlife shows.

The best time to see them is as the tide is coming in.

Also around are a few Sanderlings v(as well as the usual Turnstones and Redshanks and a few Widgeon).  The Sanderlings (small and predominantly white waders) run along the tide line, back and forward, apparently scared of getting their feet wet!

The Sanderling are the small birds out from the flock at the front of the photo.