A pigeon morning!

Every year in early November we experience 'pigeon mornings' !To-day was such a day. At about 7.30am as I set out for my early morning sortie there were flocks of Wood Pigeons flying westwards along the coast at varying heights...some small flocks , some larger flocks of about 2-300. Some years there are flocks of several thousand and 20 to 3000 birds passing in a morning would not be exceptional. They have come from the continent and are spreading along the south of England for the winter months. In addition this morning there wereSkylarks and Meadow Pipits together with mixed finch flocks feeding on the tideline...a superb crisp, windless morning.
At midday I set out again and found a lone female Eider Duck in the harbour keeping well away from the Brent Geese and Wigeon and then..........my first Purple Sandpiper of the winter, kindly pointed out by a local birder with VERY keen eyes! It spent most the time asleep with its head tucked firmly under its wing but very ocasionally it would look up. I reckon it was resting after its long flight from the Arctic!