Tues 17th Feb 26

Amazingly two Site Year Ticks this morning, as we drove along Manor Way at the top of the carpark a male Yellowhammer dropped onto the road ahead and then worked it's way up the grass bank before flying off toward the orchard (RJ/MR), then after spending an hour in the hide a Spoonbill appeared from nowhere on the marsh below the raised platform.

A single Purple Sand was on the seawall south of French Point.

From the hide: 1 Mute Swan, 130 Greylag, 8 Canada Geese, 1 White-fronted Goose, 500+ Teal, c100 Wigeon, 123 Shoveler, 8 Mallard, 6 Shelduck, c 20 Curlew, 18 Lapwing, 2 Oystercatcher, 1 Avocet, 1 Snipe, 1 Spoonbill,  2 Buzzard, 1 Marsh Harrier. SC/RJ/MO'H/TR/MR.

Reports from today

Richard Jeffree

10:20 Male Yellowhammer carpark approach

11:29 Spoonbill back of raised platform

 

Mon 16th Feb 26

One Purple Sand south of French Pt., a pair of Stonechat and a few Wigeon offshore was the best of a walk to French Pt. and back to the hide.

From the hide: Wigeon & Teal numbers down a bit today, Shovelers up to 120+, 8 Mallard, 5 Shelduck, 3 Pintail (over), 1 Avocet, 1 Oystercatcher, 2 Buzzards, 1 Red Kite, PL/RJ/MO'H/TR/MR.

Reports from today

Matt Lonsdale

09:29 Haven this morning- 122 Shoveler on scrape with an Avocet and an Oyk. 2 Peregrine on arable, Rock Pipit on seawall. Med Gull and Linnet flew south.

Pete Loud

13:20 Haven late morning,1 White-fronted Goose in with Greylags on entrance marsh, Red Kite over arable behind Scrape.

 

Sun 15th Feb 26

Lovely weather for ducks, not so good for duck watchers !!

No reports received so far.

 

Sat 14th Feb 26

One White-fronted Goose was with 80+ Greylags and 10+ Canada Geese over the road this morning plus 3 Mute Swans, c200 Lapwing, 18 Blk T Godwits & 2 Curlew, still lots of Teal, Wigeon & Shoveler, 30+ Pintail, 16 Gadwall, 7 Grey Heron & 1 Lt Grebe.

Reports from today

Brian Combes

16:22 Walk from Frinton to Haven and back via sea wall first thing this morning included: 2 Med Gull (golf course first thing), 3 Reed Bunting (1 singing which is rather early), 1 Cetti’s (singing, 1 of 10 species in song), 80+ Starling, 1 Sparrowhawk, 10 Pied Wag, 2 Snipe, 150+ Wigeon (100+ sitting on the sea), 19 Linnet, 3 Mute Swan, 200+ Teal, 120+ Lapwing, 90+ Shoveler, 1 Peregrine, 4 Hare (2 boxing), 1 Buzzard, 1 Avocet, 2 Song Thrush (singing), 5 Purple Sand, 3 Stonechat.

Photo Brian Combes©

 

Fri 13th Feb 26

A Gannet was added to the site year list during this mornings seawatch otherwise just the usual Red-t-Divers, Cormorants, a G C Grebe and gulls PL/RJ/MO'H/DC

Just 84 Greylag, 4 Canada Geese (+ the hybrid) and 2 Mute Swans on the arable from the lay-by plus the 2 Peregrines in their usual place on the track.

Over the road was much the same still lots of Teal, Wigeon & Shoveler but just a few Pintail Gadwall & Mallard and 6+ Curlew.

From the hide: 5 Greylag, several hundred Wigeon & Teal, 80+ Shoveler, 6 Mallard, 150+ Lapwing, 4 Curlew, 2 Oystercatcher, 1 Avocet, 2 Buzzard, 2 Peregrine (still up on the track), 1 Kestrel. PL/RJ/MO'H/DC/MR

Reports from today

Pete Loud

16:29 Joined Dave & Richard  for a seawatch this morning, for about 1 hour, still a few Red throated Divers offshore mainly heading north, although less than of late,1 adult Gannet north was new for the year list ,good numbers of Cormorant offshore,1 Gt C Grebe north and 4 Brent.

 

Thurs 12th Feb 26

A much nicer day for birding if a bit chilly first thing, from the lay-by 2 Mute Swans, 135 Greylags and 4 Canada Geese were on the arable in front of the hide but no sign of any White-fronts

Far fewer ducks on the flood on the other side of the road but still mainly Teal, Wigeon and Shoveler with a few Pintail, Shelduck, Mallard & Gadwall a few hundred Lapwing, 13 Blk T Godwits, 5+ Grey Heron, 2 Buzzard and lots of gulls.

A short seawatch noted c40 Red-throated Divers, c15 Cormorant, 1 Gt C Grebe, 4 Brent, 2 Oystercatcher, 2 Curlew RJ/MO'H/SE/MR

From the hide: Same as of late but numbers down, Teal, Wigeon, & Shoveler, 8+ Pintail, 8+ Mallard, 4 Shelduck, a Few Lapwing, 2 Oystercatcher, 1 Red-legged Partridge, 2 Buzzard, 1 Peregrine. RJ/MO'H/MR.

 

 

Wed 11th Feb 26

From the lay-by 1 Mute Swan, 150 Greylag and 5 Canada Geese were on the arable east of the B1032

All much the same over the road viewed from the Chippings lay-by, lots and lots of Wigeon, Teal & Shoveler 70+ Pintail, 38 Blk t Godwits, 5 Grey Heron and lots of gulls.

From the hide: 1 Mute Swan, c30 Greylags, 10 Canada Geese, c400 Teal, c100 Wigeon, 93 Shoveler, 10+ Mallard, 6 Shelduck, 2 Gadwall, c20 Curlew, 8 Lapwing, 6 Snipe, Blk H Gulls, 1 LBB, 1 Med Gull, 3 Buzzard, 1 Peregrine, 1 Kestrel, RJ/MO'H/MR.

Reports from today

Pete Loud

10:58 Jack Snipe again this morning over the road  flushed from the same place that Richard saw it yesterday, also 30 Black t Godwits, 20 Pintail, Marsh Harrier and still plenty of Wigeon, Shoveler & Teal.

12:53 Seawatch from the shelter for 1 Hour, 14 Great crested Grebes, all south apart from 1 feeding just offshore, at least 40 Red throated Divers, mainly south, some north and a few sitting offshore, 25 Brent, 1 Dunlin, 3 Oystercatcher, 1 Pintail, a few Cormorant and a flock of 100 Wigeon sitting on the sea just offshore.