From late summer to early winter tens of thousands of wading birds gather on the mudflats where they roost overnight. During an incoming tide, these birds are pushed closer to the beach and on a high spring tide vast flocks of knot, dunlin and oystercatchers take to the air in masse as the high tides cover the mudflats. The commotion of thousands of wingbeats, excited calls and swirling flocks creates an exhilarating nature spectacle.
During winter months up to 40,000 pink-footed geese make their way from Iceland and Greenland to gather on the Wash. At first light they take flight in close V-shaped formations of trailing skeins across the pale sky of a Norfolk dawn. The high-pitched 'wink-wink' sound of geese calling to each other resonates across the seascape then slowly diffuses as they head inland to find food for the day.
