Sun 26th Apr 26

Another good start to the morning with Richard finding 2 Spotted Redshanks & a Wood Sand on the flood over the road first thing. All areas of the site seem to have migrants settling in now and with a light wind and lots of birdsong it was very pleasant. Plus more waders on the scrape with a Common Sand and a LRP.

Photo Richard Jeffree©

From the Hide: 1 Mute Swan, 4 Canada Geese (2 pairs), 2 Greylag (pair), and the hybrid Can/Greylag are still together, 10+ Mallard, 8 Shelduck, 10 Avocet, 10 Lapwing (plus 4 chicks FFY), 9 Blk T Godwits, 2 Oystercatcher, 1 Curlew, 1 Whimbrel, 1 Common Sand, 1 LRP, 1 Grey Heron, c60 Blk H Gulls, 2 Med Gulls, 1 Common Gull, Sedge Warbler, Corn Bunting, Linnets, Lesser & Common Whitethroat, Chiffchaff, Blackcap and 2 Green Hairstreaks. RJ/MO'H/MR

A walk to French Point added lots more Sedge Warblers and for me on the way back, 9 Whimbrel, 2 Purple Sands, 2 Oystercatcher and a winter plumage Bar-T-Godwit on French Pt. rocks.

Reports from today

Richard Jeffree

08:33 2 Spotted Redshank and a Wood Sand on pool over rd.

17:42 15 Whimbrel and 1 w p Bar-tailed Godwit on GC from bridle path.

17:45 +another 25 behind me 40 in total.

Steve Entwistle

11:46 2 Spotted Redshank still here (1 full summer), only 14 gulls here now .

2 Avocets just dropped in.

 

Sat 25th Apr 26

Reports from today

Matt Lonsdale

06:22 Swift south over dell

07:28 Common Sand on scrape, 6 Sandwich Terns circled and headed north. + another 2 S T and a Gannet north. Rest of reserve fairly quiet with many breeding birds now in-situ

16:12 Whinchat still present

Brian Combes

09:33 Haven: White Wag golf course.

10:24 Haven: Whinchat farm, easternmost paddock.

17:37 Walk from Frinton to Haven and back via the farm this morning included: 1 whinchat, 1 white wag (back of golf course), 27 whimbrel (on golf course first thing), 1 common sandpiper (scrape), 8 sandwich tern, 1 gannet (north), 8 Med gull, 1 swift (over sewage works, first of year for me), 2 house martin (over arable, first of year for me), 1 cuckoo (singing), 3 sand martin, 29 swallow, 3 goldcrest (1 singing), 2 corn bunting (singing on farm arable), 6 blackcap (singing), 7 lesser whitethroat (singing), 8 chiff (singing), 12 whitethroat (singing), 2 song thrush (singing), 12 Cetti’s (singing), 6 reed warbler (singing), 7 sedge warbler (singing), 2 greenfinch, 2 turnstone, 2 buzzard, 2 sparrowhawk, 11 linnet, 4 oystercatcher, 13 avocet, 1 brent goose, 4 hare.

Pete Loud

10:57 Wood Sandpiper on pool from the hide, pair of Pochard briefly landed on scrape.

12:36 2 Hobby over southern end of Golf Course

 

Fri 24th Apr 26

Reports from today

Richard Jeffree

10:01 Greenshank on pond.

10:08 2nd bird both flew north

11:01 2 Green Hairstreaks behind hide.

11:20 Fulmar high towards Frinton.

Mike O'Hanlon

10:11 1 bird back on front edge of scrape.

12:31 This morning from the hide (10 - 11am with RJ)  2 Greenshanks, 3 Whimbrel, 1 Corn Bunting, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, Sedge Warbler, 1 Common Whitethroat, 1 Marsh Harrier, 1 Yellow Wagtail, 1 Buzzard, 1 Kestrel, 6+ Med gulls, 16 Avocets, 2 Oystercatchers, 2 Cormorants, 4 Canada geese, 7 Shelducks, 4 Greylag, 5 Mallard, 8 Lapwing, 55 B H Gulls,  + 2 Green Hairstreaks on compound bushes

Walk across the marsh to Frinton beach huts) 8 Corn buntings. 1 Fulmar, usual Reed and Sedge Warblers, as well as several Reed Buntings, 11 Whimbrel (4 on golf course), 4 Oystercatchers, 3 Purple sandpipers (French Point)

Paul Gildersleve

16:49 4, Whimbrel to the right of the hide.

Thurs 23rd Apr 26

 Richard started the day with a Green Sandpiper (NFY) over the road, plus 1 Greylag , 2 Shelduck, Herring & Blk H Gulls, 2 LBB's 1 GBB, 1 Whimbrel, 1 Lt. Grebe, 2+ Cetti's Warbler, Reed Warbler, 2 Swallows and some Linnets, but otherwise not much new happening around the site MO'H/MR.

From the hide:  3+ Canada Geese, 15 Shelduck, 10+ Mallard, 12 Avocet, 10+ Lapwing, 5 Whimbrel, 2 Oystercatcher, c60 Blk H Gulls, 2 Med Gulls, 1 Lt. Egret, Chiffchaff, Blackcap, Whitethroat, Cetti's Warbler, Reed Warbler, 1 Buzzard, 1 Kestrel. RJ/MO'H/MR et.al.

Reports from today

Richard Jeffree

08:40 Green Sandpiper on pool over road

Mike O'Hanlon

09:31 Green Sandpiper still on right of pool over the road + 1 Whimbrel.

Matt Turner

14:14 Male Wheatear in pillbox meadow, 3 adult Med Gulls on scrape and Whimbrel on rocks at French point with a single Purple Sand. nearby.

14:30 c20 mixed Whimbrel/Curlew just came in over golf course heading towards back marsh.

 

Wed 22nd Apr 26

An interesting if annoying start for Pete Loud this morning, see below.

Much the same again today with lots of bird song from the carpark bushes with all the usual culprit's, Chiffs, Blackcaps, Common & Lesser Whitethroats, Cetti's Warbler, etc.

From the hide: 3+ Canada Geese, 9 Shelduck, 8 Mallard, 2 Teal, 12 Avocet, 8 Lapwing, 2 Oystercatcher, c40 Blk H Gulls, 2 Med Gulls, 2 Grey Heron, 2 Buzzard, 2 Kestrel. PL/MR

Reports from today

Pete Loud

13:04 9:30,this morning on the shallow pool over the road at the Haven was what i am almost certain was an American Lesser Golden Plover, with no scope with me and no other birders about I decided to walk back to the car and get my telescope, but unfortunately upon my return the bird had obviously flown off and couldn’t be relocated.

 

Tues 21st Apr 26

A short visit for me today, didn't like the chilly wind but nice in the sun. most of the early migrants seem to be settling in with Chiffs, Blackcaps, Whitethroat all over and a nice group of Greenfinch in the Dell.

From the hide: 2 Canada Geese, 14 Shelduck, 8+ Mallard, 14 Avocet, 10 Lapwing, 2 Oystercatcher, 1 Bar T Godwit (earlier SC), c60 Blk H Gulls, 2 Med Gulls, 1 Common Gull, 1 Grey Heron, 1 Lt. Egret, 1 Cetti's Warbler. RJ/MO'H/MR.

Reports from today

Simon Cox

17:12 From the hide this morning: Lt Egret 1, Cormorant 1, Canada G 2, Shelduck 14, Mallard 10, Avocet 15, Lapwing 6, Bar-tail 1 (circled scrape but not seen to land), Oystercatcher pair mating, Med Gull 2, B-h Gull 80, LBBG 2, H Gull 12, Song Thrush 2 in dell, Y Wagtail 1, Linnet 8, Swallow 2, Reed Bunting 1 male, Buzzard 1, usual warblers.

 

Mon 20th Apr 26

Reports from today

Mike O'Hanlon

This morning at the farm - nothing of note other than a Red Kite over and a distant Cuckoo calling, west of the farm woods

From the hide (with RJ) - 8 Avocets, 1 Sedge warbler, 1 Little egret, 3 Black-tailed godwits, 4 Greylag, 2 Canada geese, 1 Yellow wagtail, 46 Black headed gulls, 2 Mediterranean gulls, 1 Grey heron, 10 Shelducks, 10 Lapwings, 1 Kestrel, 1 Snipe, 2 Oystercatchers

Walk across marsh up to Sandy Point and back (with RJ) 2 Corn buntings, numerous Sedge, Reed warblers and buntings, 2 Oystercatchers on the rocks (north of French Point), 2 Wheatears along sea wall.

Photo Mike O'Hanlon©

Photo Mike O'Hanlon©