Southend Purple Sandpiper

I have been meaning to get myself down Southend Pier for about a month. The opportunities have been few and far between, as you need decent weather, daylight, and the high tide to all coincide so that you can see an ickle Purple Sandpiper roosting with Turnstones. These all aligned today, so I went for it. Disgusting parking charges at Southend for a cold January weekend, they only let you off on Christmas Day and Good Friday - who do they think they are, Westminster? I harrumphed, paid, and hastened to the Pier, there to miss a train by the minute I spent being all upset about parking charges. That'll learn me. Instead I went and ate some chips and saw a few Med Gulls, of which there are loads in Southend. The Med Gulls also ate some chips, but I couldn't be bothered to unpack the camera.

An Essex tick no less

Plenty of Med Gulls as well, all desperate to be photographed for this blog. How could I refuse?

And of course, lots and lots of these, running all around me and making cute noises.