Wed 21st Oct 26

Pete and I had another quite productive seawatch this morning (see below) followed by a short walk and visit to the hide, apart from the Firecrest & Goldcrest that gave us some superb views it was very quiet.

From the hide: 24 Teal, 6 Wigeon, 4 Cormorant, 1 Blk T Godwit, 15 Blk H Gulls, 1 Common Gull, 3 Stonechat.

Reports from today

John Sawyer

13:37 2 Firecrest approach road.

Pete Loud

13:52 Seawatch from the shelter (8-11Am) 6 Little Gull, 1 kittiwake, 25+ Gannet, 1 Gt cr. Grebe, 2 Red thr Diver, 20+ Common Scoter and a few Wigeon, Brent & Teal, walk along the approach road late morning revealed, 1 Firecrest & 1 Goldcrest, no sign of Whitefronts, they appear to have moved on.

 

Tues 20th Oct 26

Reports from today

Laurence Drumond

07:23 Eared Owl sp. Haven shelter but blown away!

Matt Lonsdale

07:27 35/40 whitefronts sw over slade road. Holland on sea @ 07:18.

09:10 Shag on sea off sluice. Firecrest sewage farm gate. 5 whitefronts in/off. 3 behind raised platform then other road. 30 grey geese on arable flushed by farmer and landed over the road.

09:22 At least 10 whitefronts from chippings lay-by but obscured + male Merlin.

09:42 Another 15 whitefronts SW Slade road + mistle thrush on deck then flew N towards haven.

20:13 Haven this afternoon- The shelter redstart inspired a brief bush bash at haven late afternoon (only car park and approach road covered) 

A flock of 35 fieldfares in the car park the highlight. 15 goldcrest, 1 chiff, 1 blackcap, 20 cont blackbird, 2 redwing, 5 song thrush, robins all over the place. 6 whitefronts from chippings lay-by

Simon Cox

13:21 Haven Seawatch 0710-1140 Brent 700+, Barnacle Goose 2, Shelduck 21, Pintail 1, Tufted Duck 1, Wigeon 43+, Teal 12+, R-b Merganser 7, Red-t Diver 7, Little Gull 1, Grey Heron 1, eared Owl 1 (distant at sea), Guillemot 1 (close offshore, attacked by GBBG ? Killed), Auk sp 1, Skylark 16, C Scoter 50+, Kittiwake  2 (ad & juv at 1130)  SC, LD, PL,MR.

20:12 Omitted Gannet 10 from earlier report.

Pete Loud

15:39 Leach’s Petrel just passed the shelter half way out north.

15:50 2 1st winter Kittiwake north.

16:10 Redstart on the grass behind the seawatching shelter

16:30 3 more Kittiwake close north.

 

Mon 19th Oct 26

Pete and I started the morning with a sea-watch 08:00 - 10:30 (see below).

4 Cormorant, 20+ Herring Gulls and a Turnstone  were on the sluice rocks and a Med Gull was sitting on the sea just offshore. 

From the hide: 37 Greylags, 8 Teal, 6 Shoveler, 4 Cormorant, 20+ Lapwing, 2 Blk T Godwit, 7 Blk H Gulls, 5+ Stonechat, 2 Song Thrush, Meadow Pipits and lots of Starling. PL/MR

Reports from today

Pete Loud

13:04 Seawatch from the shelter this morning for couple of hours,1 Goldeneye south, 1 Guillemot &1 Red throated Diver north, otherwise fairly quiet, just a few wigeon, teal and Brent. Yesterday’s seawatch before the heavy rain, highlights, 7 Eider, 6 Merganser and Short-eared Owl. See what tomorrow brings, nothing of note, on the scrape or around the bushes.(MR,PL).

Simon Cox

13:08 Minimal passage evident in reedbed area this morning. Water Rail & Bearded Tit still in the area, 3 Swallows N!

Just 5 ringed: Goldcrest, Cetti’s Warbler, Wren, Great Tit & Blue Tit.

 

Sun 18th Oct 26

I joined PL for a seawatch this morning and ended up with a nice selection of birds, 97 Brent Geese (70s 27n), 7 Shelduck (n), 7 Eider (n), 1 Common Scoter (n), 1 R B Merganser (n), 5 Pintail (s), 12 Wigeon, 1 Teal, 7 Gannet, 5 Cormorant plus several groups of duck and a couple of waders too distant for positive id.

Then a quick visit to the hide before a good soaking on the way back, was it really worth it

From the hide: 13 Shoveler, 9 Teal, 3 Blk T Godwit, 1 Lapwing, 20 Blk H Gulls, 1 LBB Gull. PL/MR

 

Sat 17th Oct 26

A bit cooler out today with a brisk northerly wind.

From the Hide: 29 Greylag, 8 Teal, 5 Shoveler, 2 Cormorant, 3 Blk T Godwits, 2 Curlew, 1 Redshank, 23 Blk H Gulls, 5 Herring Gulls, 2 Common Gulls, 1 Marsh Harrier, 3 Swallows, 2 Stonechat, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 2 Pied Wags, Meadow Pipit & Goldfinch. PL/MR et.al. 

Things picked up a bit on the way back with a Water Rail on the brook behind the sluice, 7 Teal sitting on the sea and 2 R B Mergansers heading north offshore PL/MR.

Reports from today

Pete Loud

17:59 Short seawatch from the shelter at 16:45 for 1/2 hour,1 drake Eider north, 2 Arctic skua south & 2 other Skuas south too far out to safely identify.

 

Fri 16th Oct 26

Reports from today

Brian Combes

07:58 Haven: Bearded Tit still present.

18:03 A wet walk from Frinton to The Haven and back via the seawall, this morning, included: 1 bearded tit (showing well), 1 water rail (calling, Frinton end), 1 chiff (approach road), 6 stonechat, 5 redwing, 14 song thrush, 8 blackbird, 25 mipit (17 south), 27 goldfinch (south), 15 pied wag (2 south), 1 rock pipit, 6 reed bunting, 7 chaff, 5 linnet, 8 Cetti’s (singing), 1 oystercatcher, 1 turnstone, 1 Chinese muntjac.

 

Thurs 15th Oct 26

Quiet offshore and around the bushes this morning just a few Greenfinch & Goldfinch around the Dell, 4 Mallard on the brook and a Turnstone on the rocks with the gulls again.

From the hide: 27 Greylag, 12 Teal, 5 Shoveler, 5 Wigeon, 5 Cormorant, 1 Grey Heron, 24 Lapwing (on the arable), 2 Curlew, 1 Water Rail, 21 Blk H Gulls, 2 Buzzard, 1 G S Woodpecker (over), 6+ Stonechat, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 1 Chiffchaff, 2 Swallows, Meadow Pipit Linnet & Reed Bunting, 1 Chinese Water Deer. PL/RJ/MO'H/MR

A walk to French Pt. showed that the Bearded Tit from yesterday was still around.

Reports from today

Mike O'Hanlon

11:28 Bearded Tit (f) in Simon’s ringing area just now.

Photo Mike O'Hanlon©