Flock of knot on the turn
A huge flock of knot, consisting of tens of thousands of birds, takes to the air. The birds feed on marine worms and other food contained in the mud flats consisting of many square miles of the Wash in England. As the tide floods the birds are herded by the incoming water into large groups near the shore line: they are then hunted by peregrine falcons, at which point the flock will take off to confuse the predators. In winter the knot have dark plumage on their backs and light plumage on their abdomens and as the flock swirls, part of it appears black and part appears white. As the tide reaches high water the birds are washed off the mud flats and take refuge on fresh water lagoons along side the beach. Here they rest until the tide turns and their feeding grounds are again uncovered by the ebbing tide. The movement of the birds as form flocks, swirl and then pass between the mud flats and lagoons is an amazing sight and provides a spectacular wild life experience for those able to observe it.
Size: 5616px × 3744px
Location: Norfolk England UK
Photo credit: © Thomas Hanahoe / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
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