Wed 6th May 26

Much the same over the road this morning just a lot more wind and chilly.

From the hide: 3 Pairs of Canada Geese, 1 Pair Greylags, 21 Shelduck, 8+ Mallard, 22+ Avocet, 12+ Lapwing (2 chicks seen), 2 Oystercatcher, 2 Common Sands, c130 Blk H Gulls, 2 Med Gulls, 3 Grey Heron, 1 Lt. Egret. 6+ Swallows, 2 House Martins, 1 Swift, 1 Cuckoo, Sedge Warbler, Reed Bunting, Whitethroat, Cetti's Warbler, 1 Red Kite, 1 Marsh Harrier, 1 Kestrel. PL/MO'H/MR/LH et.al.

Reports from today

Liz Huxley

11:21 Wheatear on track by GC dump.

Pete Loud

13:02 Pretty quiet over the Haven this morning and chilly in a north wind. Paid the farm a visit first thing, nothing of interest except 3 Barnacle Geese flying over the paddocks heading south, presumably from the Hamford feral birds, but a new bird for the Haven year list nevertheless. From the Scrape hide, both Cuckoo and Swift seen at long last plus 2 House Martin, 2 Med Gull & 2 Common Sandpiper.

Brian Combes

17:24 Brief early morning visit to Haven: 4 fledged starling (two sets of two - first of the year and early, most first clutches fledge late May/early June), 1 cuckoo (singing), 1 goldcrest (singing), 2 swallow (south), 25 avocet, 1 marsh harrier, 2 common sandpiper, 1 turnstone, 1 greenfinch.

 

Tues 5th May 26

The small area of flood still hanging on over the road is still holding the same group of birds with 15 Herring Gulls, 2 Shelduck, 1 Avocet and a Lapwing, in the same area were Reed & Sedge Warbler, 3+ Cetti's Warbler, Linnets, L. T. Tits, Whitethroat, Chaffinch, 2 Red-legged Partridge, and 6+ Swallows around the humped-back bridge.

From the hide: 3 Pairs of Canada Geese (1 with 8 Goslings), 4 Greylag, 20+ Avocet, 10 Lapwing, 2 Oystercatcher, 120+ Blk H Gulls,  2 Med Gulls, 2 Grey Heron, 1 Lt. Egret, 1 Cuckoo, 8+ Swallows, Reed & Sedge Warbler, 2 Pied Wags, 2 Yellow Wags. MO'H/MR

 

Mon 4th May 26

I started over the road this morning where there is still a little water in the flood, holding 36 Herring Gulls 2 Shelduck and an Avocet. Lots of Sedge and Reed Warblers, Cetti's Warblers, 4+ Swallows hawking the brook, plus Whitethroats, Linnets, Blackcap and Chiffchaff.

Quite quiet around the bushes, a Fox was wandering around in the Dell and 2 Goldcrests by the sewage works gate.

From the hide: 3 Pairs of Canada Geese, 1 Pair Greylag, 1 Hybrid pair, 10 Mallard, 8 Shelduck, 2 Gadwall (over), 22+ Avocet, 10 Lapwing, 2 Oystercatcher, 1 Whimbrel, 1 Common Sand, c130 Blk H Gulls, 6 Herring Gulls, 2 Med Gulls, 2 Grey Heron, 1 Cuckoo, 6+ Swallows, Reed & Sedge Warbler, Cetti's Warbler, Reed Bunting, Whitethroat, linnets, 1 Stonechat, 2 Pied Wags, 1 Muntjac Deer. MO'H/TR/MR et.al.

Reports from today

Matt Lonsdale

19:57 Quiet around the scrape this evening- Stonechat singing at moth sanctuary the highlight. 1 common sand on scrape and a cuckoo calling. First cuckoo heard around Slade road garden today also

  

 

Sun 3rd May 26

Reports from today

Matt Lonsdale

08:22 No sign of B-W-Stilt on scrape- 2 Common Sand, Whimbrel, 2 Common Gulls.  5 Blackwit north otherwise very quiet..

Pete Loud

10:16 From the hide this morning, 2 Redshank, 20 Avocet, 2 Common Sand, large flock of 40+Whimbrel in flight over Golf Course, 1 Marsh Harrier. Red Admiral and Holly Blue added to my Butterfly year list.(MR,PL).

Brian Combes

17:25 Brief early morning visit to Haven: 1 goldcrest, 2 common sandpiper, 2 marsh harrier, 7 swallow (south), 1 cuckoo (singing), 2 swift.

 

Sat 2nd May 26

Reports from today

Matt Lonsdale

06:29 Tufted Duck flown over dell and out to sea. Drake.

07:00 Black-Winged Stilt on scrape.

07:29 Still present 07:30.

Mike O'Hanlon

07:49 Stilt still feeding on scrape.

08:00 A harrier put all the birds up but the stilt came back but has now moved into the reeds out of view from hide.

16:11 B W Stilt still on scrape, though light is very poor and the evaporation is causing steam to rise off the water, making photos impossible

Pete Loud

08:10 Best I could do through my scope..

Mick Rodwell

08:22 Still on scrape at 08-20

Simon Cox

15:07 Stilt still 1500 viewed from pillbox. Also 2 Whimbrel, 1 Teal.

 

Fri 1st May 26

Reports from today

Brian Combes

07:07 Haven: Firecrest in bushes north of sluice.

19:31 Walk from Frinton to Haven and back via the farm this morning included: 1 firecrest, 1 goldcrest (singing by sewage works gates), 2 pochard (pair), 1 wheatear (by muck heap on bridleway), 5 ruff (at least 5 on tiny pool north of hide first thing), 4 common sand (2 on sluice rocks, 2 on scrape), 1 sanderling (beach), 4 med gull, 1 yellow wag (over), 51 whimbrel (48 on golf course first thing, 3 north), 1 cuckoo (singing), 6 bar-tailed godwit (1 in beach, 1 on scrape, 4 on golf course), 23 swallow (7 south), 11 reed warbler (singing), 7 sedge warbler (singing), 10 whitethroat (singing), 3 lesser whitethroat (singing), 5 chiff (singing), 9 blackcap (singing), 8 Cetti’s (singing), 2 song thrush (singing), 1 sparrowhawk, 2 buzzard, 17 avocet, 4 oystercatcher, 9 linnet, 1 greenfinch, 2 red-legged partridge, 7 hare.

One of the pochard this morning.
Photo Brian Combes©

Matt Lonsdale

08:22 Pair of Pochards on pond right of hide.

08:46 Stunning make Black Redstart on radar tower fence/brambles in sub song!

Pete Loud

08:38 Beautiful morning to be out , we have lost that horrible wind at long last, sadly nothing much to report over the road, just 1 Avocet on the pool ,although it still looks good for waders with there being some decent water there, all the other pools on site have now dried out, which leaves the Scrape as the only significant water on site now, so remain hopeful of something good there soon.

14:09 From the hide this morning, 3 Common Sandpiper, 1 Bar- t-Godwit, 11 whimbrel, 1 Snipe, 1 Ruff, 1 Yellow Wagtail, at least 3 Lapwing Chicks. 3-4 Wall Butterflies were a first for me at the Haven, with easterly winds of late, makes me think they are migrants from the continent. 1 Sandwich Tern south past the cafe early afternoon.

Mike O'Hanlon

11:42 2 Wall butterflies by the sluice bushes.

Photo Mike O'Hanlon©
For more pictures see "Haven Wildlife" page

13:37 White Wagtail in the Dell

17:30 White Wagtail in the Dell this afternoon

Photo Mike O'Hanlon©

 

Thurs 30th Apr 26

Just a short visit to the hide this morning showed that 4 Ruff were still out on the marsh to the right of the hide as were a nice pair of Wheatears otherwise things were much the same as yesterday.

A walk around the bushes added a cracking Black Redstart (male) briefly on the roof of the cottages before being lost to view towards the front PNt/MR

From the hide: 6 Canada Geese (one pair with 8 ducklings), 4 Greylag, (+ the hybrid pair), 12+ Shelduck, 10 Mallard, 11 Avocet, 4 Ruff, 4 Oystercatcher, 3 Whimbrel, 2 Wheatear, Sedge Warbler, Cetti's Warbler, Etc. RJ/MO'H/MR

At the end of April the number of species recorded at the Haven this year stands at 138.