Mon 7th Dec 20

Didn't see much this morning, lots of frost and fog, but it did show that the spiders had been hard at work. A walk along the approach road and down to the sluice showed there were still lots of Blackbirds about but not much else, we could hear the Greylags somewhere out on the marsh and a single Stonechat on the mounds. At the sluice were 6 Purple Sands, 3+ Turnstone, 3 Cormorants were with the gull flock and a Mallard was looking lost swimming around the end of the rocks. Time for an early lunch I think. DC/MR

 

Sun 6th Dec 20

Great start to the day today, while in the carpark checking through the Greylag flock in the approach road sheep field and having found two Whitefronts amongst them I was aware of the sound of geese from behind me, I turned to see a flock of 100+ Whitefronts coming in off the sea, flying directly over head and all calling they dropped onto the marsh with the Greylags. Not quite North Norfolk but about as good as it gets at the Haven. Almost immediately I was joined by Matt Turner who had been at the top of the carpark and Pete Loud who had just arrived on site.

Photo Matt Turner©

After spending some time with the geese we moved on, Pete walking the bottom hedge and noting lots of Blackbirds and several Song Thrush & Redwings, at the sluice we had 4 Purple Sands, 2 Turnstone and 30+ Wigeon sitting on the sea offshore.

From the hide: 7 Mute Swans (on the arable), 144 Teal, 20 Wigeon, 7 Shelduck, 2 Stonechat, 1 Lt. Owl (along back hedge), 1 Buzzard, 1 Kestrel, 1 Lt. Egret.

While at the hide the geese were flushed from the marsh by the shepherd coming to check the sheep with 117 Greylag, 1 Canada goose (+7 hybrids) landing on the scrape. The Whitefronts flew out over Gt. Holland and were lost to view, some considerable time later they returned and after several aborted attempts they finally landed on the marsh to the right of the hide many behind the reeds. Fortunately Matt had taken a photo of the birds in flight and was able to count 111 in this flock. PL/MT/MR 

Photo Matt Turner©

Reports from today:

Richard Jeffree

14:02 7 Purple Sands still near sluice early afternoon +White fronts still present.

Matt Lonsdale

15:53 110 Whitefronts (26 1cy) still present and flew across road and landed c3:30pm. 1 Purple Sand and a couple of Goldcrest best of rest for me.

  

 

Sat 5th Dec 20

After heavy rain and hail first thing it turned out to be a nice morning, Max and I arrived at the sluice area at the same time to find 5 Turnstone, 4 Purple Sands and 2 Sanderling along the seawall and beach.

From the hide: 174 Teal, c60 Wigeon, 7 Shelduck, 4 Mallard, 3 Curlew, 1 Buzzard, 1 Kestrel.

6 Mute swans were up on the arable and the Greylags were on the marsh north of the approach road with 1 Lt. Egret. ML/MM/MR.

Fri 4th Dec 20

 No sign of any geese this morning apart from the Greylags on the arable from the lay-by, with c300 Lapwings and lots of Starlings. A big increase in the number of ducks on the scape was good to see.

From the hide: 5 Mute Swans, 400+ Teal, c150 Wigeon, 9 Shelduck, 1 Peregrine (on the arable), 2 Buzzards, 2 Kestrels, 1 S E Owl, and a few Lapwing & Gulls.

Around the Sluice were 3 Purple Sands & 2 Stonechat were on the mounds. DC/MR

 

Thurs 3rd Dec 20

Reports from today:

Matt Lonsdale

07:46 13 Tundra Beans still on arable with Greylags. No sign of any Whitefronts but compensation when appearing from the chippings lay-by was a Merlin flying across and over the road + Grey Wag.

 

Wed 2nd Dec 20

Lots of White-fronted Geese around again this morning. For me viewing from the chippings lay-by on the B1032 around 09:30 a group of 41 were on the marsh to the west of the road and a second group of 67 Whitefronts and 12 Bean Geese were on the arable to the east between the road and the hide. The 12 Bean Geese flew out high over Gorse Lane Ind. Est. at 10:00

Moving on to the main site I met up with Max & Mick at the pillbox who had a single Bean Goose with the Greylags and some of the Whitefronts on the scrape.

From the hide: 6 Mute Swans, 170 Greylags, c60 Teal, 26 Wigeon, 12 Shelduck, c60 Lapwing, 1 Lt. Egret, 1 Buzzard, 2 Kestrels + a large group of Brent were again on the field behind the golf course.

3 Purple Sands were on the sluice + a stop at the lay-by on the way home gave 63 Whitefronts and a single Bean Goose back on the arable.

Reports from today:

Max Martin

07:47 2 Whitefronts on southern end of golf course.

07:50 5 Bean Geese just come in off the sea with one Brent, currently going over the marsh towards raised platform. Just dropped in with all the other geese on the arable.

09:38 5 Egyptian Geese South appear to have dropped in, but lost to view.

10:13 White fronts on scrape with at least 1 Tundra Bean. Looked as if there could have been two when in flight.

Matt Lonsdale

08:20 On arable- 13 Bean Geese (8+ 5 that dropped in this morning. 62 Whitefronts (14 juvs) but seem to be more than 62 now but no time to count again work beckons, and no sign of other group ‘over the road in extremely brief check.

 

Tues 1st Dec 20

Once again this morning it was record numbers of White-fronts that were birds of the day along with 7 Tundra Bean Geese. Matt Lonsdale's counts before work were echoed by Simon and myself between 09:00 & 09:30. My counts for the arable on both sides of the B1032 were 119 White-fronts, 7 Bean Geese and 3 Brent with a large group of  Greylags, sadly before I could get to the raised platform to check the marsh on the other side of the hedge the farmer turned up with his fireworks and everything was flushed. Later in the morning the Greylags were on the scrape and the marsh below the raised platform, c500 Brent on the field behind the golf course and a large group of White-fronts were up on the arable near the dung heap along side the bridleway between the farm and the golf club workshops.

From the hide: 6 Mute Swans, c170 Greylag, c150 Teal, 20 Wigeon, 15 Shelduck, 66 Lapwing, 14 Curlew, 1 Grey Heron, 1 Kestrel.

Still lots of Blackbirds + Song Thrush & Redwing around the bushes.

Reports from today:

Matt Lonsdale

07:25 6 Tundra Beans and 65 Whitefronts from lay-by on arable. Please stay in vehicle if coming to view to avoid disturbance.

07:52 An additional 55 euro Whitefronts ‘over the road’ from bridge. Making 110 and breaking the haven record!

08:04 67 Whitefronts on arable and another Tundra Bean just dropped in making score on the doors 122 Whitefronts and 7 tundra beans (my maths earlier was poor😂).

Simon Cox

10:00 Both flocks of geese flushed but some have landed on marshes further back from chippings lay-by. Lapwing count 360.

Photo's Matt Lonsdale©