Today’s photo shows three curlew feeding with their long down-curving beaks in the muddy foreshore of the Humber Estuary on a flow tide. These the largest of the mudflat waders of the Estuary, winter numbers can be inflated by migratory birds from Scandinavia. Their beaks probe for invertebrates living in the mud revealed at low tide. Their call seems to be mostly a single cry held for a second or two, mournful and evocative particularly in frosty, foggy weather.
Recently did the usual walk from the headland car park at Paull, alongside the Fort with the Humber bank on the right, up to the two redundant lighthouse (although both were showing an intermittent light??), up the track beside the area of managed retreat to the road from Paull to Camerton, a while spent in Paull churchyard and then back along the track passing the semi-derelict gatehouse. Such a fine afternoon, overcast but no wind in contrast to the scene here three days ago when storm Debi drove waves form the upper and middle Humber, driven on at high tide by the westerly wind, crashing over the retaining wall as evidenced by considerable quantities of seaweed strewn across the path. It must have been quite a sight.
The quiet allowing small flocks of geese flying high overhead to be clearly heard, these heading for a Lincolnshire coast roost at early dusk.
Inaudible but contrasting was the south bank viewed across the Estuary with so many lights and some flames coming form Killingholme jetties, Killingholme refineries, Immingham Docks and Grimsby’s lights in the far distance.
An afternoon to cherish.