Fri 20th Jan 23

It was good to see that the 3 Whooper Swans were still in the same field this morning although not viewable from the chippings lay-by, 2 Mute Swans were close to them and a further 7 in the field to the north. 

Brian had seen the Firecrest along the approach road so I headed to the sluice. Nothing much offshore 2 or 3 R T Divers sitting on the sea, the tide was a bit high for the Purple Sands to be at that end of the site and 4 Curlew and 6 Lapwing were out on the marsh, on the walk from French Point to the hide a female Bearded Tit flew past calling and dropped into the inner reedbed just north of the wooden hide, that made the morning a bit special (see Brian's picture below).

Reports from today:

Brian Combes

08:12 4 Purple Sand east of golf course dump.

08:43 1 Purple Sand just north of sluice.

09:05 Firecrest in ivy 20m east of telegraph pole with red wire, though elusive.

12:42 Bearded Tit still north of wooden hide, calling and eventually showing well.

17:01 Frinton to The Haven along seawall and back via the farm, this morning, included: 5 Purple Sandpiper, 1 Firecrest, 1 Bearded Tit (female in reeds north of wooden hide), 5 Mipit, 2 Pied Wag, Song Thrush (singing, approach Road), 8 Blackbird, 1 Buzzard, 1 Green Woodpecker, 3 Stonechat (pair where footpath leaves the golf course, male golf course dump), 30+ Skylark (feeding in fields towards farm), 2 Rock Pipit, 1 Turnstone, 27 Lapwing (14 in fields behind scrape, 13 in off in small groups), 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Buzzard, 33 Golden Plover (31 in fields south of golf course, 2 south), 15+ Chaffinch (feeding in cleared pumpkin field), 80+ Linnet (feeding in fields east of paddocks), 5 Red-throated Diver (north), 1 Fieldfare.

Photo Brian Combes©

17:03 This Fieldfare dropped out of the sky landing on a bush by the seawall before flying inland - possibly in off.

Photo Brian Combes©