The hot period has come to an end but there’s still lots of moisture about so it’s cloudy with patches of

drizzle. It’s also just about high tide, although it’s neaps so only reaching 3.8m at East head where we set off. With travel restrictions and France just being put on the no go list there are lots of people at Wittering despite the weather. One conversation between some girls sums it all up. One said “isn’t it great being British, still going to the beach despite the weather” another relied “this is why I go to Ibiza for my holidays”

The surprise in store today was the return of some wildfowl, in particular waders that have been absent for so long. At Ellen

Nore there were a line of birds on the edge of the harbour but it was difficult to make out what they were as I’d forgotten my glasses. They seemed to look like Oyster catchers but there were too many about so probably Redshanks. Certainly there was an Oyster Catcher about as we heard a particularly vocal one. Opposite the ponds, right in the channel which was starting to empty on the way back we saw these small waders and a collection of ducks. The waders might have been ringed plovers, we’d seen some yesterday at Selsey, they were about that size. Not sure about the ducks, probably mallard that have come out again with new feathers.

Bikes and footpaths dont make good bedfellows and all too often selfish riders upset walkers. However here a group, a family perhaps, were observing the rules at the end of Ellen Nore lane. Well, I hope they’s only cycled down the lane and not come from Itchenor!