A ride up to the SOLWAY

As usual my timing was slightly out, because when I arrived on the Solway the tide was coming in, but not yet at the stage where it was pushing the waders up the shore. So each time I stopped, there was only the occasional Oystercatcher, or Curlew, I managed to pick up a few Ringed plover at one stop, but all where too far out to photograph. Even when you park up at Campfield Marsh the RSPB reserve where they have created a scrape, it too far out for the lens.
   As it happened the scrape was quite busy, with up to a 100 Teal showing, a couple of Shell Duck, one Little Egret, and a few Mallard. Had I had the scope with me, its possible I could have found Snipe too, as there is usually a few on the edge of the sedge.
    While I was stood there a car pull up, full of what I took to be birders, they asked if there was anything about, and I relayed what I had found. And also mentioned the large flock of geese I could see in the distance, too far out to ID but could guess that they where Barnies. They in turn said there was a large flock of Barnies (Barnacle Geese) further on at Cardurnock with a couple of Snow Geese with them.

This is just a fraction of the whole flock, and another flock beyond the hedge, possibly 5000 or more in total.

 I scanned the whole flock for the Snow Geese but all I could find was 2 leusistic geese. so I could only think the guys I saw earlier had mistakenly thought these where Snow Geese, they would be 5 to 6 hundred yards away.

One of the leusistic geese just showing, the other is below the bank.

I've made this a bit larger, the Barnacle marking still showing through the white, and also a black bill, whereas a Snow Goose has an Orange bill and would be pure white apart from black outer primaries.

They are an awesome sight in flocks so large, I never thought to put the wide angle lens on, (plonker)