Sanderlings in the Sunrise at Newton Point

 

I recently returned to Newton Point at Trecco Bay, Porthcawl, a place that has become one of my favourite locations for watching and photographing waders.

It was an early start and, although there was plenty of cloud around, the sun managed to find a gap as it rose above the horizon. For a few wonderful minutes everything along the coast was illuminated in a fiery golden glow.

The tide was already on its way in and I was hoping that, as the remaining areas of sand gradually disappeared beneath the water, some of the waders would be pushed closer towards their high-tide roost around Newton Point.

Walking around onto Trecco Beach, on the other side of the point, I soon spotted exactly the birds I had hoped to find.

Sanderlings.

A small group was racing backwards and forwards along the water's edge, following the retreating waves down the beach before scampering back up the sand as the next one rolled in.

They are endlessly entertaining little birds to watch.

I slowly crept closer before eventually kneeling down on the wet sand with my camera. Every now and again a slightly enthusiastic wave travelled further up the beach than expected and splashed over my boots, leaving me a little wetter than I had planned!

But it was worth it.

As the sun climbed above Newton Point, the Sanderlings were suddenly bathed in some lovely warm morning light.

They looked absolutely fabulous.

I have always described the winter plumage of Sanderlings as looking as though it has been washed in Bold Ultra Bright washing powder. Against the darker wet sand their almost dazzling white plumage can really stand out, particularly when illuminated by low morning sunlight.

Watching them feeding is equally entertaining.

Sanderlings remind me of tiny clockwork toys that someone has wound up and released onto the beach. Their little legs seem to be moving at an impossible speed as they chase the waves backwards and forwards.

Every few seconds one would stop, push its short black bill into the wet sand and probe for something edible before immediately racing off again.

They were searching amongst the sand for the small invertebrates that make up much of their diet—tiny crustaceans, marine worms and other creatures exposed by the movement of the waves.

And then leap out of the way of the next wave.

It is such a simple thing to watch, but incredibly enjoyable.

Eventually, of course, the tide won.

The last remaining areas of exposed sand disappeared beneath the incoming water and the Sanderlings abandoned the beach.

Fortunately, they didn't go very far.

They flew across to the rocks where a mixed gathering of waders had already begun to form.

Turnstones, Dunlin and Ringed Plovers were amongst the birds settling down around Newton Point, and the Sanderlings soon joined them.

It is one of the things I really enjoy about visiting Newton Point around high tide. As the sea gradually takes away the feeding areas, the different species begin gathering together on the rocks and you can sometimes find yourself watching a wonderful mixed wader roost.

Once again, patience and a little bit of fieldcraft had paid off.

Rather than chasing the birds around the beach, I had simply found a suitable position, stayed low and allowed the incoming tide and the birds themselves to dictate what happened.

And for a short while everything came together perfectly.

The tide, the Sanderlings and, most importantly for photography, that lovely early morning light.

I ended the morning slightly damp around the boots but extremely happy with the photographs I had managed to take.

Newton Point had delivered once again.

But on this particular morning it was undoubtedly the little Sanderlings, racing around the shoreline like miniature clockwork toys in the early morning sun.