Wanted: a senior citizen to build an ark and round up two of every animal

Popped down to Goldcliff for high tide, hadn't realised the annual flooding of the lagoons had been carried out this week. The water levels are now right up to the gunwales and the bulk of those pesky passage waders have been successfully persuaded to move on,... phew! For a moment there it was looking suspiciously good for a proper rare.

Anyhoo, notable waterbirds that had survived the tsunami included two Wigeon and 14 Pintail all of which bobbed about with thousand yard stares on their spatulate schnozzed fizzogs. The few traumatized waders strewn around the periphery, dropped upon the upper reaches of the storm surge, included: 35 Ringed Plover, one Knot, 33 Dunlin, eight Snipe, 78 Black-tailed Godwit, four Spotted Redshank and five Greenshank.  The lone Knot, seemed to have taken it particularly hard; wearing camo gear and a bandana, it spent most of the time rocking back and fore, whilst every so often, in between long swigs on a bottle of cheap booze, it would angrily blurt out "I've seen some things man,... and some stuff!"  

Visible migration had picked up a little with lots of Swallow and Meadow Pipit, and smaller numbers of Skylark, Sand Martin, House Martin, Yellow Wagtail, Grey Wagtail, Siskin and Redpoll. Stuff on the deck included a 1st-winter Redstart in the 'new' hedge leading to the sea wall, two Wheatear and a few Blackcap, Chiffchaff and Goldcrest.

This Grey Squirrel was sitting atop the sea wall apparently contemplating the turbulent waters and Albion's happy shore beyond.