Dawn at the Gout

 

I was taking deep breaths through my nose. I was not out of breath at all. I was savouring the sweet smell of fresh air and nature. The spot on the sea wall at Peterstone Gout was magical. To my sides and behind me I was cloaked in darkness. Clouds were moving above me eastwards, greedily stretching towards and threatening to snuff out the light fantastic before me. All across the eastern horizon was a band of orange. It glowed brighter by the minute. 

The encroaching clouds edges were highlighted in red. It was like the soon arriving warmth of the sun was pushing back the darkness.

Curlews called hauntingly across the Gout. Redshanks piped and Crows cawed as they seemed to get excited as sunrise neared.

The bird calls added to the peace rather than disturbed it. In that moment everything was tranquil and I enjoyed every second of it. Alone waiting for dawn my mind at rest.

The embers of the sun burned brighter. It was like the god Vulcan was stoking his heavenly furnace. Excitement began to build within me and I had butterflies in my stomach.

I waited in anticipation for one of my great loves in life - Dawn.

My heart jumped a beat in that second the sun rose. Dawn had broken and a new day had began.

The moment of daybreak is so fleeting but that primal feeling of goodness it creates is wonderful and lasts much longer. 

Watching the sunrise always makes me feel energised and happy.

Nature had now had put the light switch on and all of a sudden the stillness of the predawn was now interrupted by movement.

A flock of Canada Geese noisily flew in from the Estuary to land in a nearby field. A Cetti Warbler proclaimed the breaking of day blasting out into its call. A Green Woodpecker laughed and a Little Egret flew past me.

Pintails flew in from behind me and made a splash landing on the water.

Waves were forming and breaking against the salt marsh which was rapidly flooding. The tide was on the way in.

I walked further long the coastal path heading for a section of the seawall near the Gout. I was planning a rendezvous with the wader roost.

The walk to the roost was lovely. The incoming tides waters rose incredibly quick.I only had to turn away from the mirrored surface of the water for a moment and the levels had got even higher.

As I walked around Gout i disturbed a large flock of Redshank which took to the air piping out their alarm calls before they  settled down near the seawall to bask in the warmth of the rising sun.

I peered over the seawall carefully and saw a flock consisting of small black silhouettes that darted back and forth over the surface of the water and then all at once dropped on the rocks of the seawall.The birds were backlit by the sun but I could tell they were Dunlins and Ringed Plover. I had found my quarry.

I settled down with my cameras and watched the wader flock. They were initially quite agitated and called noisily to each other. They squabbled for the best roosting spots on the rocks. I think its amazing how each birds seems to have its own personal space - a comfort zone and all of them shuffle about until it theres just the right distance between each bird. If any bird dares to encroach upon that space they will aggressively warn the invader with a  squeak or a well directed peck.

As the light improved it revealed more and more birds. The flock consisted of Dunlins and Ringed Plovers. There had been reports on previous days of a Little Stint being amongst them. I scanned and scanned the roosting birds but I could not find that Little Stint. I felt like I was looking for a needle in a haystack as Little Stints whilst being smaller than a Dunlin can easily blend in with their larger cousins.

I love waders of any kind and I was overjoyed just to be able to quietly watch the Dunlins and Plovers that were very confiding to me.

The Dunlins were showing in an array of different aspects of plumage. Some were in their grey plumage of winter having moulted others were in various degrees of moulted summer plumage.

I think the feathers of the Dunlins are a real marvel. To some they may look like a little brown job, but when you look closer each feather is so intricately coloured with highlighted edges and shading.

It was a privilege to see these beautiful little  birds close up.

Not as numerous but just as beautiful were the Ringed Plovers. These birds cam be quite feisty and if a Dunlin dared to brush feathers with them they would in no uncertain terms express there anger with a hiss and a peck.

I think the plovers are like little Ninjas. One of them was showing off a round house kick.

I was entranced watching the waders and honestly I think I could have stayed there all day but the tide began to turn again and the flock soon became restless and moved down on the exposed mud of the retreating tide.

The sun was now high in the sky and it was time to move on. The day was still young and I was yet to have even more birding excitement later that afternoon involving a Hoopoe (read more here)

The Technical Bit.

Whilst watching the Dunlins one particular bird stood out because it was ringed.

I will do some follow up about this bird. Upper right leg yellow ring with letters CUA? Lower right leg silver ring. Upper left leg orange ring.

It will be really interesting to find out more about its history.

UPDATE

Ringing Scheme: London Ring Number: BY21024 Species of bird: Dunlin (Calidris alpina)

This bird was ringed by Mid Wales Ringing Group as age definitely hatched during current year, sex unknown on 21-Sept-2024 23:45:00 at Ynyslas National Nature Reserve,Borth, Ceredigion, UK

OS Map reference SN6094 accuracy -, - co-ordinates 52deg 31min N -4deg -3min W accuracy -.

Colour Marks right below knee M

Colour Marks left above knee O

Colour Marks right above knee YN(EUA)

Finding condition: Sight record by non-ringer

Finding circumstances: Identified by Colour Ring(s)

Extra Information: -

It was found 13 days after it was ringed, 132 km from the ringing site, direction SSE.

Info gratefully received from

Tony Cross

Ringing Secretary

Mid Wales Ringing Group

07837 521673