Thu 7th Nov 19

I spent most of my morning looking out to sea, first from the shelter with Pete Davis then a bit later from the sluice area. 
Totals for the morning were :- 279 Brent (274 S - 5 N), 22 Gannet  (19 S - 3 N), 17 Com. Scoter, 14 Sanderling, 1 Curlew, 1 G. C. Grebe (all S), 250+ Starling in off, 1 Arctic Skua sitting on the sea late morning then flew N. Three Purple Sandpipers flew in from the north and landed on the sluice rocks.

The Dell was busy again today with Blackbird, Song Thrush, Redwing, House Sparrow, Goldfinch and some very smart Greenfinch.

The Scrape was much the same as of late with 1 BlkWit, 1 Redshank, Snipe, Lapwing and the normal ducks & geese CB.

Wed 6th Nov 19

I had a walk round the site with Dave Cummings today, he had walked the approach road before we met up and had a large flock of L.T. Tits but nothing of note with them. The Dell was quite busy with the normal stuff, a large group of House Sparrows, Dunnock, Robins, Goldfinch and some nice Greenfinch. 
The carpark bushes were much the same with lots of Blackbirds, a few Redwing, Song Thrush and 2 Cracking Fieldfare + 2 Green Woodpecker, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 1 Grey Heron and 14 Curlew on the marsh below the raised platform, and 70+ Brent on the arable.

  

The walk to the Frinton end added 1 Oystercatcher (S), 1 Cormorant (N), 10 Brent (sitting on the sea), 3+ Rock Pipit, 3 Stonechat, 10+ Mippits, 10+ Pied Wagtails, 1 Kingfisher (in front of wooden hide), 2 Kestrel, 2 Buzzard. DC/MR



Simon Cox

c80 Brent came in over the seawall & headed toward the scrape, unsure if they landed, 30+ Mippits seen during a ringing session otherwise nothing of note.


John Hall

10:09 Ringed Rock Pipit on top of sea wall by sluice.

From Hide 15:00-16:00 c130 Lapwing, 70+ Teal,  c25 Wigeon, 5 Snipe, 1 Blackwit, 1 Common Buzzard,  1 Kestrel, 1 Kingfisher, 3 Moorhen, 1 Cock Pheasant, Water Rail (heard only). 
Little Grebe in Brook. Sluice Rocks 7 GBB Gulls with B H & Herring 1 Turnstone. c35 Brent on grazing marsh large flock ( 200+) Greylag circled but didn’t land. 
Nearly 16.00 and no sign of SEO or Barn Owl my target birds. Getting cold so going home grrr.

Tue 5th Nov 19

The bushes were quiet this morning, a walk from the dipping pond to the cottages and back gave 3+ Goldcrest, 20+ blackbirds, a few L.T. Tits, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, 1 Gt. Spotted & 1 Green Woodpecker, 1 Lt. Owl, 6 Curlew on the marsh below the raised platform and on the brook in that area were 1 Lt. Grebe and 2 Water Voles.

On route to the hide 1 Purple Sandpiper & 3 Turnstone were on the front where the outfall pipe leaves the seawall and on the seawall near the sluice was an old friend Rock Pipit "Z66"
This bird has been seen at the Haven in the winters of the last 3 years, it was ringed on the 30th March 2017 at Maletangen Orinithology Stn. Fraena, More & Romsdal, Norway.

From the hide :- c75 Brent on the arable, 157 Teal, 31 Wigeon, 2 Shoveler, 40 Lapwing (lots more on the arable), 6 Snipe, 2 BlkWits, 1 Redshank, 1 Cetti's Warbler (heard only), 1 Grey Heron, 2 Buzzards, 2 Kestrel.

Mon 4th Nov 19

Matt Turner

08:57 Ringtail Hen Harrier hunting behind scrape - worth getting soaked for! 4 Snipe and 2 Rock Pipit plus Sparrowhawk mobbed by crows best of rest so far.
11:20 7 Swallows south.
12:27 Firecrest and 2 Redwing in compound behind 6 bar gate.

Liz Huxley

1 Snow Bunting along seawall by golf course then N towards Frinton.


The Snow Bunting was the first of the year. The Hen Harrier didn't show again this morning after Matt's sighting just before 09:00

From the hide :- 60 Greylag, 50 Brent, 7 Canada Geese again on the arable, 100+ Teal, 16 Wigeon, 2 Shelduck, 2 Shoveler, 120 Lapwing, 4 Snipe, 1 Redshank, 1 Blkwit, 8 Curlew (over), 1 Grey Heron, 1 Water Rail (heard only), 2 Buzzard, 2 Kestrel,  the bushes & reeds around the hide held 2 Goldcrest, 3 Stonechat, 5 Reed Bunting,1 Cetti's Warbler, 5+ Blue Tits. JH/DW/BH/MT/LH/MR  

Sun 3rd Nov 19

A much better day today, I met up with Ian at the sailing club and as there was nothing moving offshore we decided to split up, he walked the approach road and found 1 Firecrest & 4+ Goldcrest along with the residents.

I spent an hour around the carpark bushes, there were still lots of Blackbirds and an increase in Redwing to double figures, 2+ Song Thrush, 1 Green Woodpecker a few Chaffinch & Greenfinch, 2 late Swallows and 1 Goldcrest. Also a steady movement of Goldfinch through the site with small groups dropping into the bushes briefly before moving on. On the way to the hide the pair of Stonechat were again on the mounds.

From the hide things looked much the same with c70 Greylag, 7 Canada Geese & c60 Brent on the arable, c100 Teal, 60+ Wigeon, 5 Shoveler, 100+ Lapwing, 2 BlkWits, 1 Redshank, 3 Buzzard, 2 Kestrel, 2 Sparrowhawk 2 Grey Heron.
While watching a Grey Heron a Gt. White Egret appeared out of the ditch at the back of the scrape which flushed 2 Grey Herons, it spent a few minutes in this area before flying to the marsh in front of the back hedge and shortly lifted off again and dropped into the marsh between the approach road and the B1032 and was lost to view.

I was still trying to relocate the Egret when a visitor ask what the bird being mobbed by two Kestrels was, the answer was a Ring-tailed Hen Harrier. The bird showed well at distance 3 or 4 times in the next hour and on a couple of occasions came very close to the hide.

Sat 2nd Nov 19

A bit of a rough sea today, this was 2 hrs before high water: 

Paul Brayshaw had 2 Purple Sandpipers on the seawall by the raised tee at 08:11 before the wind picked up.

Dave Cummins had a close encounter with a ring-tailed Hen Harrier 5 mins. before I arrived at the hide that was lost to view between the wooden hide and the golf course.

From the hide : 60+ Greylag, 50 Brent, 7 Canada Geese on the arable, 150 Teal, 54 Wigeon, 8 Shoveler, 100+ Lapwing, 1 Snipe, 1 Water Rail (while watching the rail a Weasel was seen along the ditch). DC/MR

Fri 1st Nov 19

A very damp start to the morning so headed to the hide. Two Meadow Pipits were sheltering  in the lee of the sluice and 2 Purple Sands were on the sluice rocks.

From the hide :- c70 Greylags, 37 Brent, 7 Canada Geese (up on the arable), 70 Teal, 44 Wigeon, 4 Shoveler, 8 Snipe, 2 BlkWits, 1 Redshank, 1 Water Rail, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 1 Kingfisher (just after John left), 1 Buzzard, 2 Kestrel. JH/MR.

On the return a single Lt. Grebe was on the Brook near the wind pump. Lots of Blackbirds were still around the bushes with a few Redwing, Song Thrush & a Green Woodpecker, but no sign of any Crests (all gone to Frinton & Walton I think).