Surge tide

There's a gate at the start of Horrid Hill, not often used, that I thought might be brought into play today.

Over the years, tidal surges that bring about the need to evacuate the Point have been few. I'd had the fun of seeing it just a couple of time, waves breaking over the causeway, always from the shore. Today my plan was to sit it out at long as possible, only leave when asked, and get as much bird movement noted as I could. As it turned out, the gate wasn't closed but the Rangers simply manned the start and asked people not to venture out. The surge just, just made it over. Ankle deep in places, stretches where it just got damp. I sat at the end, unaware of the soggy situation until the thought hit me that I hadn't had anyone come past me for twenty minutes or so. Woohoo! Marooned on my own Medway Estuary temporary island. The Hill is safe for another two metres of surge, so there was no danger, however much I might spin the tale- even so, I repeat, woo-flippin'-hoo!

As an estuary birder, I take advantage of any forecasting service I can, and check the Environment Agency's Flood Alert webpages at the first sniff of a good tide. As always, the National Oceanography Centre's surge forecast facility over the previous couple of days was bang on the money and I went to bed feeling like it was Christmas eve for a four year old.

Of course, only marooned for twenty minutes or so, but made for some rare photographs:

While at the Point itself, the estuary had never looked wider: 

The tidal pool had never seen fuller to me, and the waters topping the path were feeding it directly, so that it was actually fractionally higher than the bay for a short while.

So, what of the birds? The sea wall at Kingsnorth was its usual Godsend on a spring tide. Not all species take to a concrete revetment (the technical name for any artificial defence designed to absorb wave action, be it sloping brickworks over soil, a drop of rocks and boulders alongside a cliff, or a simple fencework a few metres into the water), and any last piece of island (such as the top of Nor's north wall) held birds today.

Many of the smaller waders headed for Oakham, and beyond:

While some, like the Little Egrets, took to the fields once pushed off by disturbance. 

The photo above shows the Egrets just prior to take-off. A surge doesn't just appeal to a birder and the lovely old historic fishing smack, the Thistle, decided to take on the challenge the South Yantlet run.  Usually best left to small boats and ribs on a normal spring high tide, the extra draught gave a nice challenge. Unfortunately, the remaining waders were also trying to find peace there. They had already left once, but came back after about twenty minutes or so failing to find a suitable roost. At the time these pictures were taken, Thistle was sailing just beyond the stretch of sea wall highlighted in yellow. (Thin yellow line shows where photos taken from).

All very dramatic, with the tracks of those knowing where to head (the in- moult staging Grey Plovers, red line) leading off north-east to Nor and the more recent arrivals (the white-lined Dunlin) not quite sure of the best spot in a spring, heading west to check Hoo before off along Long Reach and lost beyond Bee Ness.

All quite a sight, and a hint of the problems to come as tides continue to rise. Of the two RSPB reserves, Nor was reduced to just a sliver of unsafe land and Motney had gone completely under. We remain reliant on other river users appreciating the problems our birds have.

There were some other interesting movements, one such being the north shore Avocets made the long crossing from Damhead to Milfordhope and beyond, presumably to join the Funton roost. They rarely do this flight of about eight kilometres each way, and when they do, may not return in the same numbers for some days. I tend to think there are three main flocks on the estuary, that temporarily assimilate when needs must. Whether I should think of it as three core areas that the one flock spreads over is another matter. Personally, no, I don't; if a colour-ringed bird is in one core area, it tends to stick with it, give or take a few days away now and then.

All in all,one of the most memorable day's birding of the year.