Sanderlings, Redshank and Turnstone from Saturday. At this time of the year, the light is directional all day and shows off the plumage of the waders beautifully. Fulmers pair up and set up their territories in December and then disappear out to sea until returning to lay eggs etc later in the year.
Fulmars are one of the British birds that have steadily increased in recent years and Hunstanton cliffs certainly support this with many more birds there this visit than previous. Adults spend a large portion of their lives at sea, returning in November to set up territories. Eggs are laid in May. In July, the parents depart to resume their oceanic wandering, leaving the chick to fend for itself. By early September, the youngster will be ready to follow in the wake of its parents. Young birds spend the first four or five years of their lives at sea, and do not reach maturity until they are eight or nine years old but they may live for up to forty years. Here a few shots from Saturday's visit.
Some shoreline birds from my visit on July 8th on a mostly overcast afternoon. I was trying to capture movement and flight as flocks of waders etc moved through when the tide receded and exposed the mussel-bed-feeding grounds. I also attempted to capture the Fulmars and Swifts that nest in the cliffs - not a great success rate!!
