West Wittering

A lovely day at West Wittering on Sunday.  Sunny, windy and a very high tide and very crowded with dog walkers.  I suppose the attraction is that everywhere else is so waterlogged that WW is an ideal place to bring the dog if you do not want it to get too muddy.   A small flock of Sanderling put in an appearance on the beach as we arrived, but did not stay long as the tide was racing in and it was getting crowded with people and dogs. I spotted one with a blue ring again, but not the red ring. Presumably it was the same bird.
With the tide coming in so high many birds had been squeezed off the foreshore and were taking to the fields.  Besides the usual flocks of Brent Geese, there were Oystercatchers, Dunlin, Curlew, Ringed Plover and Lapwings in the fields.
Water levels were high in Snowshill, too, but I am not sure if this is due to high tide levels, or the new sea defences retaining more water.  There were a few Teal, Wigeon and Lapwing there.  We were amused by a Carrion Crow which flew in with a large white object -a piece of bread? - which it stashed in the tussocky grass.  Having poked it in well, he pulled up tufts of grass and pushed them in on top.  Then stalked away.
Ella Nore was packed out.  Dunlin and Curlew were shoulder to shoulder and a nearby sailing boat was covered in Turnstones and group of eight Great-crested Grebe sailed by
Star turn of the day was, however, a Great Northern Diver out in the harbour.  Glad to get in out of the rough sea, I expect.
Part of the path to Ella Nore is bordered with old Oak trees, some now in danger of collapsing as the shoreline is eroded.  They have probably been here a long time.  A very common plant in the understory is Butcher's Broome, a key ancient woodland indicator plant.  But at one time Elm may well have been dominant; one section is now a sad avenue of dead young Elms.  There are suckers arising, but they too will no doubt succumb to Dutch Elm disease eventually.  On a brighter note, there was some Winter Heliotrope in flower at the end of the path.