Thu 24th Oct 19

Lots of crests around the local area today and the Haven was no exception with 9 Firecrest & 15 Goldcrest at least, also 3 Chiffchaff, 30+ Blackbirds and a few Song Thrush and Redwing were around the bushes. A Lt. Owl was heard in the same area as yesterday but could not be located. IM/DW/MR

Pete Davis had a quick visit to the hide and things were much the same, of note :- 4 Dunlin, 3 BlkWits, 3 Snipe, 1 Avocet, 1 Water Rail. PRD.

Around mid-day Pete reported a Black Redstart seen by a visitor near the ramp passed the wooden hide, so Ian and I set off to see if we could be lucky in the rain. On arrival at the 2nd pillbox we had not seen a thing until a very noisy motorcycle came along the cycle track and flushed a bird from the seawall to a fence post on the side of the track, now that's lucky!! and yes it was the Black Redstart. Before we left the bird had returned to feed on the inside of the seawall out of the wind and 2 Stonechat were on the fence along the reedbed.

On the way back 2 Purple Sandpipers were on the sluice rocks with the gulls.

Paul Brayshaw

17:50 Male Black Redstart in paddocks Frinton side of Great Holland farm. C15 Goldcrest, two each of Firecrest and Chiffchaff around the pond.

18:33 Interesting bat observations with six single small ones flying determinedly south along the sea wall as we’ve walked back along the golf course and home. Read that they were trapping migrants at Landguard but never seen anything like this.  Little owl calling from golf course also.