Wed 1st July 26

Another warm morning and all much the same, the Curlew flock using the marsh each side of the scrape seems to be building in numbers, a few Lapwing and gulls and a Lesser whitethroat was singing from behind the ringing compound. 

4+ Marbled Whites were seen today along with Meadow Brown, Small & Essex Skippers, 6+ Painted Ladies, Small Heath, Small & Green-veined White plus 5 spot Burnet, Cinnabar, Latticed Heath & Shaded Broad-bar moths. PL/RJ/MO'H/MR

 

Tues 30th June 26

Another nice morning with some cloud cover but at least 3 possibly 5 Marbled White butterflies were seen over the meadow this morning also noted were Gatekeeper, Meadow Browns, Small & Essex Skippers, Small White, Green-veined White, Small Heath, Painted Lady.

From the hide: 31 Blk H Gulls, 1 Med Gull, 1 Common Gull, 2 Cormorants, 1 Grey Heron, 11 Lapwing, 1 Oystercatcher, 2 Mallard (with 6 ducklings). 2 Pied Wags, 1 Cetti's Warbler. RJ/MR

Reports from today

Brian Combes

16:15 Walk from Frinton to Haven and back via the farm this morning included: 1 house martin (feeding over Frinton Greensward with swallows; no birds at the colony on Esplanade, which was still being used last year - as with the colony on Old Hall Lane at The Naze (sadly this reflects the state of the UK population which has halved since the turn of the millennium, with even more severe declines in the S and SE), 9 swift (1 south, 8 over farm drifting south), 1 corn bunting (singing, bridleway), 1 cuckoo (singing), 40 swallow, 21 pied wag (mainly juvs), 70+ starling, 10 linnet, 3 oystercatcher (south), 5 reed warbler (singing), 2 reed bunting (singing), 2 sedge warbler (singing), 9 whitethroat (singing), 5 chiff (singing), 3 blackcap (singing), 1 Cetti’s (singing), 1 song thrush (singing), 2 med gull (1 south, 1 north), 1 curlew, 1 buzzard.

At the end of June the number of species recorded at the Haven this year stands at 142.

 

Mon 29th June 26

No water on the scrape again today, and just the few birds in Pete's report below. 

Most of the morning was spent trying to re-find Mike's Marbled White (without success for me) but as the well known law dictates Mike & Richard had a second on the way back from the Frinton end later in the morning. 

Reports from today

Mike O'Hanlon

10:02 Marbled White on path to the hide from sluice

Photo Mike O'Hanlon©

Pete Loud

11:20 From the hide this morning 1 Curlew, 17 Lapwing plus large chick, lots of of Butterflies about, my first Gatekeeper couple of Painted Lady’s and all the other common species.

Photo Pete Loud©

 

Sun 28th June 26

Not much water today with the lack of wind over the last couple of days but still a few birds around

From the hide: 30+ Blk H Gulls, 2 Herring Gulls, 1 Med Gull, 1 LBB, 15 Curlew, 14 Lapwing, 1 Oystercatcher, 1 Grey Heron, 6+ Pied Wags, 2 Mallard (+ 6 ducklings on the pond), a few Swallows and a steady movement of Swifts south. PL/RJ/MO'H/TR/MR

 

Sat 27th June 26

Reports from today

Pete Loud

10:49 Very pleasant out this morning nice and cool, but by 10 o’clock the sun was coming out and with the heat and humidity rising it was time to go home. From the hide,18 Black-headed Gull, including 2 juveniles, unfortunately not fledged from the Haven, but wouldn’t have come from far away, possibly the backwaters or the Colne.10 Lapwing on the marsh including 1 large chick, 1 Oystercatcher also, 16 Curlew flew in to join one other on the marsh behind the pond disturbed from behind the raised platform by the Stockman checking on his Cows, the Mallard on the pond  has 7 ducklings, down from 10 a week or so ago. The light Swift passage continues this morning with about 25 passing through, on the brook behind the sluice was a Canada Goose family with about 8 fully grown juveniles, presumably the ones fledged earlier in the spring, having sought out sanctuary in the brook after the scrape dried up. just a tiny amount of water on the scrape, but with no wind today the wind pump is not turning although that should soon change, you don’t get many days at the Haven with no wind. On the Butterfly front, lots of Small Whites,and quite a lot of Meadow Brown, but a real abundance of Small Skippers, one each of Red  Admiral, Holly Blue & Small Heath.

 

Fri 26th June 26

Very, very warm out this morning, amazingly even more water on the scrape than yesterday but as there was not enough wind to turn the pump this morning that could change.

From the hide: 21 Blk H Gulls, 2 Herring Gulls, 2 Med Gulls (1 colour ringed), 1 Grey Heron, 5 Lapwing, 2 Curlew, 1 Oystercatcher, 3 Shelduck, 1 Mallard, 9+ Pied Wags.

 

Thurs 25th June 26

Great news this morning, there was water on the scrape, not a lot but it's a start, work has been carried out on the windpump and it is now up and running and managing to make a difference even in the current weather conditions, fingers crossed for a steady improvement.

From the hide: 11 Blk H Gulls, 9 Lapwing, 1 Oystercatcher, 6 Med Gulls (over), 7 Pied Wags, 1 Buzzard, 5+ Swallows, Linnet, Reed Bunting, Skylark, Reed Warbler.