shoreline sanderlings

 

27th October. A really enjoyable saunter, part run, part photo-safari from Longniddry to Gullane, with a fair bit time spent on Aberlady Beach taking pics of the Sanderlings.

The forecast looked fine. I should have really done this as a camera-free run - I have been slowly approaching running again - but couldn't abandon my camera, thinking there may be a few jollies along the way. Mostly around Aberlady, potentially for kestrels, owls, eiders, fieldfares and sanderlings and knew the bridge camera wouldn't cut it as they are all reluctant subjects and I'd need the max quality and zoom of the G9. Not ideal for running but doable. I hadn't decided whether the end point was Gullane or North Bewick and bought a return train ticket to NB to allow both.

rock pipit

redshank

I got off the train at Longniddry, 11am. The sun was out and I felt great. I had administered a coffee at home before leaving, rather than the usual station coffee. These days a coffee seems to bring me up to speed rather than give me added boost, the way it used to, even though I rarely have more than one or two a week. I ran down the road to the coast slightly regretting the heavy bag of camera gear on my back and camera in hand. However almost immediately onto the coastal trails there were quite a few birds and I got busy taking their photos, glad of the equipment. There was also a lone brave kite-surfer and I really liked the colourful kite over the choppy waves near Longniddry Bents. (Top of the page photo.)

I noticed a pair of curlews just before the magic forest. Then, while taking their photos I noticed the second was a bar-tailed godwit. I thought they were maybe just near each other but when the curlew saw me taking photos it moved more quickly up the beach and the godwit hurried to catch up. How charming! A pair of buddies from different species even though they look pretty similar. I wondered if they compared bills - straight (with upward tilt) vs curved. Both were prodding them deep into the sand and seaweed looking for treats.

oil on beach!? 😥

different species but beachcombing buddies

Aberlady is 3 miles exactly from the train platform. For a change I didn't buy a sandwich and juice from Margiotta's. I weighed it up and reckoned if I got the bus from Gullane I'd get home before I needed lunch and if I went a bit further to NB I'd get lunch from the NB Coop. Once it gets colder there isn't the same need to carry fluids and it makes for a less heavy pack.

gull in Aberlady Kirk graveyard

good quality old-fashioned sign painting
soon nobody will have the skill to do this and all lettering will be plastic

same hand did these cottage numerals

Rather than walk/run along the front to the bridge and reserve, I went along Postman's Walk to the end of the field. It was cool for butterflies, but I thought just warm enough for a last gasp speckled wood, comma or admiral. Lots of wasps, hundreds of wasps, and a few hovers made me think the chance of a stray butterfly was pretty good but I didn't manage to come across any before I got to the end of the field. I forged on knowing there was a better chance of treats down the beach than wasting time here looking for the ghosts of Summer. 

7 spot ladybird

along the field perimeter to Postman's Walk

Eristalis tenax - drone fly

Syrphus Ribesii

geese
prob greylag or pinkfooted

widgeon and starlings

deer munching near Marl Loch

The tide was very far out - both minisubs were well out the water. I thought I could see some birds at the waterline. I hoped there was more than just gulls. Most of which I am not greatly excited about. I thought I could see some tiny heads zipping back and forth, and halfway out I could see they were defo sanderlings. Tiny forms hopping and sprinting along the shoreline looking for anything they could eat. Okay that was worth the foot-dampening puddles and shallow ponds I had to cross to get there. I had worn goretex trainers in anticipation of long wet grasses and these beach puddles. While goretex is pretty good it is not welly-waterproof. I zigged and zagged around the worst but was prepared to get wet feet if required. Last couple of trips here the sanderlings had been off elsewhere, but today they were almost in abundant numbers all down the beach. (I reckoned about 75 total including a clump of nearly 50 at the East end) I headed West before getting to the water's edge in order to get a large number of birds in the light as I travelled East. The sun was coming from the West and lighting these small high-speed sprinters nicely. Don't mess it up Buchanan!

map showing route taken out to and along low tide line on beach

sanderlings! 😍

Mostly the sanderlings were solo or in small groups strung along the water's edge. They watched me carefully but I'd crouch down and kneel on the sand and they'd come up the beach towards me. Always better strategy to let them approach, rather than try to chase them. John, the guy with the long lens and full frame camera sitting for owls last visit here, recommended lying flat out. For best (lowest) camera angle and because the shoreline birds will come and investigate. However the sand was wet and I didn't want a soaking. I was prepared to sacrifice my knees (and shoes) and waited with both knees in the wet sand. When I got up the holes immediately swirled with water and I decided to leave the long ovals of sand on my running tights until they dried before brushing off. Once you get wet sand on gloves it is only one step away from wet sand on camera. I had started the day not wearing gloves but once onto exposed beach and coast line the chill wind chose (thin running) gloves.

I took a spot and hunkered down. I considered getting out my Sainsbury's kneeling mat (carrier bag). However it would just go home salty and sandy. The sanderlings seemed to be opting for an East-to-West peregrination so would get to within a few metres then either fly round me or run at top sprinting speed past the wet kneed dude parked a couple of yards back from the water. Most did the running thing as I was presenting no kind of danger other than aiming my camera at them. Some approached to within 3 metres before sprinting past. I shot a mix of stills and slo-mo video and was really pleased with the results. The decent light made for detailed photos although I had the camera set (as usual) to underexpose as otherwise it would inevitably blow out the highlights which you can't retrieve in post.

I spent about 30mins taking photos and video - I thought it might have been longer but I was feeling the cold. A stiff chilly breeze blew along the beach and got me running to get warm again. I shifted position a couple of times. Thinking I'd carry on with my run and then coming across more of these delightful little birds and kneeling down again.

both subs well out the water

I liked this shot, not because of the bird but the airbubbles
in the wave of water lit by the reflecting light off the bird

Sanderlings are about the same length and wingspan as a starling, although lighter. (In colour and weight.) I think of them as smaller because they are tiny compared to most of the waders and shoreline species. 

There were three other walkers East of me, also heading to the far end of the beach. This was a little irksome as I could see about 50 sanderlings in a group huddle along there, and if I had been alone I could have moved slowly and stealthily forward and maybe got quite close before they flew off. These three chumps would scare them off before I got anywhere near. I ran inland (the red line of the map) and got up on the headland before the flock took off but mostly failed to get decent/sharp group shots. Too far away. However I was unperturbed because I'd already got my best ever sanderling footage and stills. 

Aberldady Beach

large vessel in the forth

Now at this point I came to a crux. Head on down the coast to North Berwick and train home. Possibly about 7 miles depending on route. Or catch a bus home from Gullane High Street. I felt I'd definitely got the best shots of the day and nothing else on the way to NB would come close. It was getting darker and the light would not get any better. I would benefit physically from more running but equally if I went home now, I'd have an extra couple of hours processing the photos. 

sea buckthorn

I decided to compromise: go to the far end of Gullane bay to check for fieldfares in the trees and dunes. Then double back and catch the Gullane to Edinburgh bus. It took the mileage up towards nine at the far end and there was zero sign of redwings and fieldfares, regular migrants around Gullane Bay. They arrive in hundreds so it would likely have been obvious if there were any. I still felt it was a great day and returned with a spring in my step to Gullane. Around Goose Green I did a circuit to try and fluff the mileage into double figures and take some pics in the great light. However I got bored before double figures and wasn't doing a second lap at the behest of Mr. Suunto. 9.85 miles will have to do. And I was only stood at the stop for 5 mins before the Edinburgh bus turned up. Nice! Home James and don't spare the horses! I spent most of the bus-hour chimping the photos and videos I'd taken.
Then, a bit later, edited the best tenth of the sanderling slo-mo into a short video. I even borrowed the crashing waves audio track from a different video (eiders here a while back) and mixed that into the soundtrack of the sanderlings video. (Slo-mo format doesn't record any audio.) I was very pleased with the results!

the correct amount of halloween paraphernalia in my opinion
being scrooge isn't just for christmas

here comes my bus

9.85miles in 3hrs33

slo-mo sanderlings
soundtrack: Bb-Arp by Marius Nitzbon