Wed 7th April 21

Very quiet all round this morning and bitterly cold in the wind.

On the scrape: 4 Canada Geese, c40 Teal, 12 Shelduck, 14 Avocet, 10+ Snipe, 2 Oystercatcher & a few Lapwing, offshore 6 Cormorant were milling about & 5 R T Diver headed south.

2 Purple Sandpipers were on the French Point rocks (LH).

Reports from today:

Matt Lonsdale

18:12 Yellowhammer on hedge between paddock and stubble fields showing well atm. Also Mistle Thrush on paddocks, c75 Linnet and a Corn Bunting.

Photo Matt Lonsdale©

Tues 6th April 21

From the pillbox: 4 Canada Geese, 2 Greylag, c30 Teal, 12 Shelduck, 24 Avocet, 12 Snipe, 5 Redshank, 2 Oystercatcher, 1 Ruff, 1 BlkWit, 1 Curlew & a few Lapwing, 3 Cormorant, 1 Lt. Egret, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Kestrel. PL/PNt/MR

A walk as far as French Point and back to the car park added 2 Oystercatchers & 2 Turnstone on French point rocks, a pair of Stonechat along the front & 3 Purple Sands on Sluice Rocks.

Reports from today:

Matt Lonsdale

20:37 Haven today - Early am 2 Lt Egret, 2 Med Gull and few Chiffs. 

This evening - Raised Platform - 13 Wigeon (slight increase in last few days) and 2 Blackwit. 

Seawatch - southbound - 5+ Kitts (s), Gannet (imm), Com Scoter. Northbound - 3 Gannet (ad), 3 Purple Sands, lots of GBB gulls. 

On the sea - 1+ Shag, sum plum G N Diver, lots of R T Divers (inc sp bird) and lots of Cormorants although viewing difficult. (Only just realised my message at time of GND and Shag didn’t send, soz).

Scrape was quiet and difficult viewing in sun/wind.

 

Mon 5th April 21

Reports from today:

Matt Lonsdale

10:19 LRP and Ruff on scrape. Grey Wagtail between sewage work and sluice. Peregrine in/off and possible Shag offshore (brief view, couldn’t be 100%) and somehow managed to miss the Bonxie! Bit weird searching for summer migrants in snow showers.

12:31 Yellowhammer with large numbers of Corn Buntings and few Reed Buntings in stubble field east of first farm paddocks.

15:03 Haven this morning till c2pm. Bushes very quiet (bit bizarre to hear Chiffchaffs singing during snow flurries). 

Offshore - Peregrine (in/off), few Cormorants and Red T Divers. 2 Siskin N and few passerines (prob. Mipits) in/off. 

Scrape + surrounding- LRP, Ruff, 8 Redshank, 10+ Snipe, 2 Blackwit, 2 Gadwall, 5 Wigeon, 2 GBB Gulls. 2 White Wags on back of scrape (on return in afternoon). 2 Stonechat and a Rock Pipit calling (between raised tee and golf course path) but not seen. 

Farm - no sign of Black Red, Yellowhammer, 40+ Corn Bunts (proper figure prob much higher), 60 Linnet, 5 Reed Bunt all in stubble fields.

 

Sun 4th April 21

Reports from today:

Paul Brayshaw

12:29 Black Redstart still at farm paddocks favouring the fence line of the first garden (with the grey shed). Two Chiffs singing in the vicinity of the pond.

12:56 Other bits from Frinton - farm - golf course footpath - seawall loop.  45 Linnet and three Wheatear on arable, single Kestrel, Sparrowhawk and Buzzard.

Pete Loud

13:43 From the Pill box this morning, the Ruff was still on the Scrape with 39 Avocet, 8 Redshank, 1 Curlew and 20 Snipe. A distant Red Kite headed south, several Buzzard on the wing and 2 Sparrowhawk. 2 Wigeon, still about 40 Teal, 2 Adult and a 1st summer Med Gull, 2 Swallows, Little Egret and a pair of Stonechat. A Female Eider was close in drifting north with the tide and several Red throats and cormorants offshore. 36 Brent (North). 4 Chiffchaff in the bushes. Also Matt & I had a Porpoise offshore, slowly moving north.

 

Sat 3rd April 21

A trip up to the farm this afternoon to see the Black Redstart turned out to be well worthwhile, not only did the Blk. Redstart show well but a walk down to the golf course and back with PL & DC added a flock of 20+ Corn Buntings, 30+ Linnets & a Yellowhammer on the arable, plus 2 Reed Buntings & a second Yellowhammer in the paddocks hedge.

  

Reports from today:

Matt Lonsdale

09:10 Full summer plumage Gt. N Diver very distant offshore from shelter. Drifting N for past 30mins or so.

12:39 Black Redstart on farm paddocks, it’s in paddocks behind houses so best viewed with scope from last gate of on path down to Golf course.

13:08 Another or possibly same Black Redstart on roof of white house with skip outside just before church.

13:52 Haven this morning venturing into early afternoon. Highlights- 

Offshore - 1 summer plumage Gt. N Diver (on sea for c1 hour though mainly distant), 2+ Red T Divers (on), drake Eider (s), Barwit N, 2 Brent Geese N and few Cormorants offshore. 

Bushes very quiet with a few Chiffs only birds of note, Grey Wag along sewage farm hedge. 

Scrape - Ruff still, 6+ Redshank, Lt Egret, 10+ Snipe, 2 Grey Heron. 3 Siskin N, small numbers of Chaffinch and Goldfinch also. 

Farm - 1+ Black Redstart, 2 Wheatear.

Max Martin

14:05 Black Redstart still present.

Photo Max Martin©

 

Fri 2nd April 21

A late morning visit for me, from the pillbox: 4 Canada Geese, 46 Teal, 10 Shelduck, 4 Wigeon, 2 Gadwall, 38 Avocet, 12+ Snipe, 8 Redshank, 2 Oystercatcher, 1 Ruff, 1 Lt. Egret, 3 Cormorant.

Nice to see 2 Chaffinch & 2 Greenfinch collecting nesting material along the track near the Feeding Stn. on the way back to the car.

Reports from today:

Pete Loud

13:35 Very cold and very quiet at the Haven this morning. Ruff still on the Scrape with 34 Avocet, 12+ Snipe & 6 Redshank. 1 Chiffchaff in the bushes and a couple of Red-throated Divers offshore.

Thurs 1st April 21

 Reports from today:

Matt Lonsdale

18:00 Haven late afternoon/evening. 

Bushes quiet with just a few Chiffchaffs of note. 

On scrape- Ruff, LRP, 6+ Redshank, 3 Balckwit, c10 Snipe and still double figures of Shoveler.

Paul Brayshaw

19:10 Quiet golf course area this evening with a single Curlew and a total of 23 Linnet along the seawall - following a light movement of the latter this morning.