Only time for a quick walk today, around Dell Quay to Copperas and back. It’s overcast with the odd

patch of drizzle, the temperature may have climbed up to 8 degrees but it doesn’t feel like it. It’s damp and muddy, Bonnie is delighted to run free when we leave the road and head into the lane leading to the farm.

The croaking is loud by the farm gate even though there’s no Brent Geese in sight. We soon see them though, spread out over there field munching on the short grass. There are hundreds spread out across the full width of the field and just as deep. If that’s not enough there are

others flying in, skein after skein, some are especially large, at least fifty, maybe a hundred at a time. They have difficulty finding a spot to land in, they have to circle round again before heading into the wind and dropping by the edge of the flock.

Why there are so many today is unclear, it’s soon after high tide but there are plenty of them on the water too. They dont seem to be hungry, just social. There are no bird scarers in the field this year which is unusual, no signs of shooting either. Perhaps a deal has been done with the farmer to compensate him for the damage and encourage them to stay on his field.

Elsewhere there were a cloud of small birds seen rising from the cover crop, not at all sure what they

were, apparently Linets act like this. Further on by the harbour path were some duck just offshore, half a dozen Shelduck and plenty of wigeon. 

Midway between Coperas and Dell Quay was another enormous gathering of Brent, just sitting on the water arguing amongst themselves. Above us skein after skein of more Brent came flying in, quite a Brent Fest.