Wed 25th Feb 26

Reports from today

Pete Loud

11:48  Brimstone along entrance road, maybe Spring is just round the corner.

12:10  Whitefront in with 6 Greylags just landed behind raised platform.

 

Tues 24th Feb 26

At last this morning it felt a bit like spring, and just to make the point we had our first butterfly of the year a Peacock in the feeding station.

The water levels across the mashes were very much lower today as was the number of birds, 2 Mute Swans, 15+ Greylag, 4 Canada Geese, c100 Teal, c50 Wigeon, 20+ Shoveler, 8 Gadwall, 4 Grey Heron, lots of corvids was about it over the road.

Around the site a lot more birds were singing including Song Thrush and Blackbird, plus 4 Greenfinch around the Badger Sett.

From the hide: 2 Mute Swans, 50+ Greylags, 1 W F Goose, 6 Canada Geese, c100 Teal, 80 Shoveler, c30 Wigeon, 15 Shelduck, 8 Mallard, 2 Gadwall, c40 Lapwing, 34 Curlew, 17 Avocet, 3 Snipe, 2 Oystercatcher, 1 Blk. T Godwit, 81 Blk H Gulls, 2 Com. Gulls, 1 Med Gull, 1 Reed Bunting, 1 Buzzard, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Kestrel, 1 Muntjac Deer.  RJ/MO'H/TR/MR et.al.

 

Mon 23rd Feb 26

The sighting of the day was not a bird this morning but an Otter, a brief viewing in front of the hide, firstly it's back was seen in the open water, then it popped it's head out to investigate the apple on the raft put out for the Water Vole before dropping back under the water not to be seen again. Brilliant !!!

From the hide: 3 Mute Swans, 40+ Greylag, c600 Teal, c250 Wigeon, 108 Shoveler, 10+ Mallard, 5 Shelduck, 2 Gadwall, c150 Lapwing, 2 Oystercatcher, 1 Curlew, 1 Snipe, 1 Peregrine, 1 Buzzard 1 Kestrel. RJ/MO'H/TR/MR.

 

Sun 22nd Feb 26

Reports from today

Richard Jeffree

14:01 It's as you were today at the haven with 30+ Pintail and 6 Gadwall over the road, from the hide there was the usual 300+ each of Teal and Widgeon, + 50 Shoveller, 8 Shelduck and a Little Egret, 2 Oystercatcher, 23 Curlew. On the raptor front there was 1 each of Peregrine, Buzzard, Red kite, Kestrel and a new young male Marsh Harrier.

 

Sat 21st Feb 26

Still lots of ducks & geese over the road that included 30+ Canada Geese, 30+ Greylags, hundreds of Teal & Wigeon, 60+ Pintail, 40+ Shoveler, and a few Mallard & Gadwall.

From the hide: 3 Mute Swans, 70+ Greylag, 1 W F Goose, c500 Teal, c200 Wigeon, 8 Mallard, 2 Shelduck, c200 Lapwing, 13 Curlew, 4+ Snipe, 2 Oystercatcher, 2 Peregrine, 1 Red Kite, 1 Marsh Harrier, 1 Buzzard. PL/RJ/MR et.al.

Reports from today

Matt Lonsdale

14:07 2 Egyptian Geese in Greylags behind scrape. 4 Purp Sands on boating club rocks. 2 Peregrine and 2 Mute Swan on arable. R T Diver offshore.

 

Fri 20th Feb 26

One White-f-Goose was with c100 Greylags on the marsh below the raised platform.

From the hide: 3 Mute Swans, 30+ Greylags, 10+ Canada Geese, 1 Egyptian Goose, c500 Teal, c250 Wigeon, c60 Shoveler, 10 Mallard, 6 Shelduck, 3 Gadwall, c30 Lapwing, 7 Snipe, 2 Oystercatcher, 2 Buzzards, 2 Peregrine, 1 Red Kite, 1 Kestrel. RJ/MO'H/MR

Both the Peregrine and the Red Kite managed to find a meal this morning

 

Thurs 19th Feb 26

The site year list hit 100 today with Goosander and Bar T Godwit during Graham's second seawatch of the week.

6 Purple Sands and a Rock Pipit were along the front first thing (RJ et.al.)

From the hide: 1 Mute Swan, 140+ Greylag, 10+ Canada Geese, 1 W F Goose, (all up on the arable), c500 Teal, c150 Wigeon, 60+ Shoveler, 10+ Mallard, 4 Shelduck, 2 Pintail, 1 Gadwall, c80 Lapwing, 2 Oystercatcher, 2 Snipe. RJ/MR  

Reports from today

Matt Lonsdale

09:56 11 Pintail on site today- Pair on flood right of hide and 9 over the road. 2 Black-wits also over the road. Ad Med Gull raised platform. 

Graham Sutton

10:05 Haven Shelter (0715 - 0915): C Scoter 1 N, Goosander 11N, Cormorant 223N 1S, RT Diver 8N, Bar-tailed Godwit 1N, Oystercatcher 1N, Med Gull 1N (ad).

 

 

Wed 18th Feb 26

Another bird added to the site year list this morning with a Fulmar on Graham's seawatch.

Very rough seas and a strong wind meant we headed to the hide where things were much the same apart from the Peregrine putting on a display and getting everything very agitated a couple of times.

From the hide: 1 Mute Swan, 80+ Greylag, c500 Teal, c100 Wigeon, 60+ Shoveler, 10 Mallard, 1 Shelduck, 21 Golden Plover (over), 13 Lapwing, 2 Snipe, 2 Oystercatcher, 1 Avocet, 1 LBB &1 GBB Gull, 1 Peregrine, 1 Marsh Harrier, 1 Buzzard. PL/RJ/MO'H/MR

Reports from today

Graham Sutton

11:22 Haven Shelter (0720-1010): Wigeon 5S, Teal 1S, C. Scoter 4S, Fulmar 1N, Gannet 3N, Cormorant 114N, GC Grebe 6N, RT Diver 14N 23S, BT Diver 1N.

 

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.

 

Tues 10th Feb 26

Very murky from the chippings lay-by this morning, just about able to ID 20+ Blk T Godwits and the usual Teal, Wigeon, Shoveler and Pintail when the visibility improved for a few minutes, then a walk around the site added nothing of note.

From the hide: 5 Mute Swans, 18 Greylag, 4 Canada Geese (+ the Can/Greylag hybrid), c250 Teal, c80 Wigeon (+ c100 sitting offshore), 50+ Shoveler, 10+ Mallard, 8 Shelduck, 14 Curlew, 10+ Lapwing, 1 Avocet PL/MO'H/MR

Reports from today

Richard Jeffree

13:25 Jack Snipe flushed from across rd., where the woodcock were.

 

Mon 9th Feb 26

No reports received so far

 

Sun 8th Feb 26

There was a lot more water on the marsh over the road this morning and still lots of ducks, loads of Wigeon, Teal & Shoveler good numbers of Pintail, 5+ Grey Heron, lots of Blk-headed & Herring Gulls plus Common Gulls & a Med Gull. The geese were all a long way off towards Fan Bridge and among the Canada's & Greylags were 20+ White-fronted Geese.

From the hide: 5 Mute Swans, Greylags, Canada Geese, Wigeon, Teal, Shoveler, Pintail, Mallard, 7 Curlew, 4 Snipe, 1 Avocet, 1 Oystercatcher, 1 Peregrine, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Kestrel, 1 Buzzard, 3 Meadow Pipit, 1 Reed Bunting, RJ/MO'H/MR et.al.

On the way back 2 Red-throated Divers were sitting on the sea off the sluice MR/TR

 

Sat 7th Feb 26

We started at the Chippings lay-by this morning, just a few geese down towards Fan Bridge, c10 Canada Geese and a couple of Greylags but loads of ducks again today, mostly Teal & Wigeon but 100+ Pintail and Shoveler and a few Gadwall.

Much quieter from the hide, again lots of Wigeon & Teal, 60+ Shoveler, 9 Pintail, 6 Mallard, 2 Shelduck, c40 Lapwing, 1 Avocet, 1 Oystercatcher, 1 Grey Heron, 1 Water Rail, 1 Buzzard, 1 Kestrel, late morning a couple of groups of Greylag dropped onto the arable followed a few minutes later by 36 White-fronted Geese. RJ/MR.

 

Fri 6th Feb 26

I had a quick stop in the lay-by on my way back from Clacton early afternoon and there were still 80+ White-fronts with Canada & Greylag Geese on the field east of the B1032

Reports from today

Matt Lonsdale

08:05 C75 grey geese (presumably GWFG) from lay-by on b1032. Bins only.

Richard Jeffree

09:40 At least 66 White-fronts from layby.

09:51 Re-count min 85.

 

Thurs 5th Feb 26

No reports received so far

 

Wed 4th Feb 26

Reports from today

Mike O'Hanlon

13:18 6 Purple Sandpipers roosting just south of French Point.

Photo Mike O'Hanlon©

16:50 The leading White-fronts circling the scrape in front of the raised platform earlier.

Photo Mike O'Hanlon©

Pete Loud

14:27  For a change as it was calm and sunny today I thought I would start up at the Farm at Gt Holland, added 2 species to the site total, believe it or not House Sparrow and Red legged Partridge both have proved to be very elusive so far this year, sadly a sign of the times, also seen up there both Green and Great Spotted Woodpecker, lots of Skylark, a few Linnets and a Cetti’s Warbler. Later from the Hide, the 2 Peregrine were in their favoured spot on the arable track, still lots of Teal ,Wigeon & Shoveler on the flood and a Dunlin was a year tick for me. A walk to Sandy Point and back with Richard and Mike we noted 2 Stonechat, 1 Rock Pipit, 5 Sanderling & 6 Purple Sands, walking back to the car 37 Whitefronts put on a good show flying about over the entrance marsh & raised platform area loosely associated with a large Grey lag flock before heading off towards the marsh over the road.

 .

 

Tues 3rd Feb 26

It was a first Site Year Tick for February when a Knot dropped into the the marsh to the right of the hide, otherwise it was much the same but no sign of the White-fronts.

From the hide: 1 Mute Swan, c30 Canada Geese, 1 Greylag, c600 Teal, c250 Wigeon, c80 Shoveler, 4 Mallard, 2 Pintail, 2 Gadwall, 50+ Lapwing, 4 Snipe, 3 Golden Plover, 2 Blk T Godwits, 1 Avocet, 1 Knot, 1 GBB Gull, 1 Kestrel. RJ/MO'H/TR/MR/PL

6 R T Divers and a Gt C Grebe were noted offshore on the way back.

Reports from today

Mike O'Hanlon

11:20 Knot on the flood at the Haven.

 

Mon 2nd Feb 26

A quick stop at the Chippings lay-by showed that there were still loads of ducks all over the flooded marsh but the murky conditions made it hard work to pick out anything special.

From the Hide: 1 Mute Swan, Greylag & Canada Geese, 26+ White-fronted Geese, c1000 Teal, c350 Wigeon, 88 Shoveler, 9 Pintail (6f 3m), 8 Mallard, 6 Shelduck, c130 Lapwing, 3 Curlew, 2 Avocet, 2 Snipe, 1 Blk T Godwit, 1 Grey Heron, 1 Water Rail (seen briefly first thing DP/RJ), 1 Marsh Harrier, 1 Buzzard, 1 Kestrel. RJ/DP/MR

 

Sun 1st Feb 26

From the hide: 2 Mute Swans, lots of Greylag and Canada Geese (plus the Canada/Barnacle hybrid), 25 W F Geese, hundreds of Teal, c350 Wigeon (on the marsh & sitting offshore), c70 Shoveler, 6 Mallard, 4 Shelduck, 3 Pintail, 1 Gadwall, c20 Lapwing, 2 Blk T Godwits, 1 Avocet, 3 Pied Wags, 2 Peregrine, 1 Marsh Harrier, 1 Buzzard. PL/RJ/MO'H/TR/MR et.al.