Sat 16th. Feb

First stop today was the chippings lay-by and within a short while 5 observers were watching a single Barn Owl sat on a post over toward the bungalows, also noted were c30 Greylags and lots of corvids out on the marsh
.
Moving on to the hide our numbers increased to 7 and it was becoming quite a social event. 
The chatter stopped abruptly when someone called 2 Bearded Tits moving through the reeds just outside the hide, but sadly within seconds they were lost to view.
From the hide :-  1 Mute Swan, 17 Canada Geese, 2 Greylags, c500 Teal, c200 Wigeon, 23 Shelduck, 8 Gadwall, c500 Lapwing, 25 Curlew, 8 Blk. T Godwits, 1 Oystercatcher, 3 Cormorants, c100 Stock Doves,1 Kestrel, 3 Buzzard, 3 Reed Bunting.  PL/MR/IM/JH/TS/ML/MM

.
On a walk to the Frinton end of the site we were joined by Emyr but the search for the elusive Beardies was again fruitless, just a few Mippits & Reed Buntings, 2 Stonechat and a Rock Pipit were added to the day list. + on the return to the car park a Goldcrest was seen over the 5 bar gate PL/MM/ML

Mid-afternoon the Beardies had met their match when a Female was ringed by Simon & Pat Cox

Late afternoon 2 Barn Owls were again reported from the chippings lay-by. PBr