Mudflats, which can be found at sheltered bays and inlets of river estuaries and the coast, appear dull and desolate. However these vast expanses of mud or sand are home to a rich community of invertebrates like worms and molluscs that spend much of their life hidden in the sediment. These worms and molluscs are an important food source for birds and this, together with the sheltered location of most mudflats, attracts waders and wildfowl, sometimes in their thousands.
But I wasn't after the birds. On New Year's Eve and New Year's Day I set out equipped with a new camera and macro lens to explore the details of the glorious mudscape along the Shannon Estuary.
Periwinkle Shells & Stones
Sand Mason
Heron Footprints
Cockle Shells
Mudflat & Seaweed
Cockle Shell & Sand Ripples
Carsten Krieger, January 2020