Sanderling to Seals with the colour Purple.

A very birdy wildlife day today for Lynda and myself out and about on a half day trip on the Moray coast.

The target birds for the day were Snow Bunting and Sanderling, both usually found on a beautiful sandy beach to the East of my area.  Today however the Buntings refused to play ball and remained hidden from view.  Sanderlings were present and gave brief views as they fed along the strand line and performed a couple of fly-bys.

Lynda sheltering from a biting wind.

Moving around the coast we were lucky to find a larger flock of Sanderling feeding on the receding tide line, they proved to be very difficult to digiscope as they were continually on the move, the first picture is included to show the true dynamic of the feeding group, just as you got a fix on one bird the rest would be dashing around all over the place.  Lighting was not great so I couldn't even push the shutter speed!

Sanderling feeding flock.

Sometimes however a bird could be singled out and at least a record shot obtained.

Further out (WAY further out!) on the recently exposed wet rocks, a small group of Purple Sandpipers landed, once again light not great but a fair representation of the habitat they like best.

Purple Sandpipers.

Final stop was back to yesterdays location at Burghead, don't know if the rumour of the presence of a TV crew had got around, or perhaps loads of people read my facebook/blog, but Burhead harbour was absolutely heaving (or perhaps survivors of the Burning of the Clavie last night!) 

The Long Tailed male and female were both still present, the male looking a lot perkier today, but the stars were the three North Atlantic Grey Seals, watching us watching them in the inner harbour.  Fantastic views.

Sammy the seal.

Cracking trip with some stunning birds, animals and  scenery, pity we missed the Snow Bunts, just means we will just have to go back again!