Duckling in samphire sounds like a dish you might get in a posh restaurant. But it is also something you might see near Battery Point.
At this time of year both ducklings and samphire are in abundance here. Many ducklings keep to the relative safety of the man-made lake the other side of the sea wall. However the more adventurous downy bundles head off across the mud to get their first taste of the sea.
These three were out wave riding with their mallard Mum.
Marsh Samphire (Salicornia europaea), the asparagus of the sea, grows in the thick mud at the marsh edge. This is a precarious spot as twice a day the incoming tide buffets these bright green, succulent shoots.
Another name for marsh samphire is Common Glasswort. This gives a clue to its industrial past. When burnt glasswort produces soda rich ash which was once used to make both glass and soap.
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