Summer has gone, but no-one seems to have told September. It felt more like spring than autumn on this sunny equinox day, as I headed down to the banks of the Avon at low tide to see what the waders were up to. Too soon for many winter arrivals, or at least there were no surprises at the water’s edge today, but there were clusters of redshanks, mooching on the mud banks and stabbing the silt for molluscs.
Redshanks are really pretty with their red/orange stockings, mottled breast, and flashes of white on the wings. They are captivating to watch as they are busy; feeding, flapping, and calling frequently. Today they had competition from the numerous black headed gulls which soared and screeched above them like eye-lined patrol guards, or stood imperiously on the banks among and around them.
One more adventurous redshank had mosied up the Trym a little way, only to startle a band of feral pigeons which had been gossiping under the railway bridge, with a reaction to an oncoming dog walker. The harsh, piping alarm call of the redshank is unmissable, and certainly had more effect on the pigeons than an entire train passing through a few minutes later.
It struck me as I looked across the mouth of the Trym from the station side, how the grassy, marshy meadows that line the Avon here must be ideal nesting places for these and other waders. Next spring I will think of baby birds, hidden in the vegetation, out of our sight and safe from disturbance, as I watch the wild Avon ceaselessly carry on its way, nurturing redshank, dunlin, oystercatchers, mallards and many more, in its rippling ebbs and flow.
Where to go to spot Redshanks locally: Redshanks gather on the exposed tidal banks of the Avon here in Sea MIlls. You’ll need binoculars as you can’t get too close. Try crossing under or over the train line at the station for a good view. Aim to avoid high tide.
What to look out for now: You might see redshanks and dunlin gathered together to feed. Listen for the alarm call of the redshank if disturbed or its fluid ‘tew-ew-ew’ call at other times.
Fun Fact: The redshank is also know as ‘The Sentinel of the Marsh’ as it is very alert and shouts its hysterical warning at any disturbance.
Leave a Reply