Mon 14th Nov 22

I joined Simon and Dave Cummings at the shelter for a seawatch, but shortly after Simon left the mist rolled in with just a few Brent, 18 Com. Scoter and 2 R T Divers seen heading south. We headed to the hide and had 7 Turnstone & 2 Sanderling on the beach north of the sluice.

From the hide: 109 Greylag, 65 Teal, 60 Wigeon, 15 Shoveler, 3 Shelduck, 137 Lapwing, 7 Snipe, 9 Blk H Gulls, 2 Herring Gulls, 1 Water Rail (heard).

A walk to the Frinton end added just 3 Stonechat and 1 Reed Bunting but on the return 5 Purple Sandpipers & 2 Turnstone were on the sluice rocks with a mixed gull flock. DC/MR

Reports from today:

Simon Cox

17:19  0710-0910 this am: Brent 467S 16N, Eider 1, C Scoter 60, Pintail 8, only a few Teal & Wigeon, Cormorant 80+ mostly N

Graham Sutton

10:43 Light passage restarted/emerging from fog… 27 Scoter 17 Teal 10 Wigeon 25 Brent’s

12:03 Totals 1000-1200 from HH shelter: Brent 450 + 22N, Wigeon 190, Teal 24, C Scoter 70, Eider 9, Duck sp 300 in murk, RTD 4, Cormorant 58.

 

Sun 13th Nov 22

I had a two hour seawatch this morning 09:30-11:30 and was joined by Pete Loud mid-way through, very busy but not good visibility at distance.

Totals: 2149 Brent, 33 Shelduck, 18 Wigeon, 73 Common Scoter, 2 R B Merganser, 1 Blk. T Diver, 1 Red T Diver, 1 Oystercatcher (S), 1 Gt. C Grebe, 2 Brent, 1 Red T Diver (sitting on the sea), 17 Cormorant, 12 Brent (N), plus 2 Wader flocks and lots of ducks at range with no definite ID's PL/MR

Reports from today:

Matt Lonsdale

08:43 Just reached 1000 Brent from shelter. 1 Goldeneye the highlight unfortunately light too poor here when L t Duck came through.

08:49 3 Little Gulls have just gone through.

09:07 Wow, 52 Pintail for me

15:17 Bonxie going N then landed infront of tower. Somehow the 185 pintail not come through!

19:46 I could only cover 8-9 this morning  and 14:45 to 16:15. 

8-9 1.5k Brent, 58 Pintail, 3 Little Gulls, Goldeneye, few groups of Dunlin, Scoter and Shelduck, Grey Plover etc. 

14:45-16:15  Another 1.4K Brent, 1283 Pintail, Bonxie, Red T Diver, few Scoter and Wigeon, 10 Shelduck.

Pete Loud

12:29 Spent an hour or so in the shelter with Mick this morning. No scope with me, couldn’t see most of what Paul was seeing , probably just too far out , did see the 2 Mergansers, and Great Cr Grebe on the sea, hundreds of Brent passing. Walked to the pill box, not much from there but 3 Goosander flew low over my head, seemingly coming from inland and flew south close offshore.

 

Sat 12th Nov 22

A very short visit for me before a Webs count showed that the Firecrests were still showing well, even I managed to get some photo's.

Reports from today:

Paul Brayshaw

09:11 Brief foray into haven recording area along the seawall. Generally v quiet today   Southbound (haven totals) 4 Siskin, 6 Redpoll, 2 Reed Bunting, 5 Mipit plus a few Goldfinch and Chaffinch.  Offshore 7 Brent and a Gannet south.   At least six Stonechat between beach huts and northern pill box.

09:19 Forgot to add the best bird!  Imm kitt close north.

Simon Cox

 10:27 SEO flying now towards hide.

 

Fri 11th Nov 22

Reports from today:

Simon Cox

13:52 This am: Greylag c60, Shelduck 2, Shoveler 12, Wigeon c75, Teal c50, Lapwing 16, O/c 1, Purple Sand 1, Buzzard 2, Swallow 3, Firecrest 2, Goldcrest 1.

 

Thurs 10th Nov 22

A cracking start to the morning, with the two Firecrests showing down to six feet along the approach road for Richard and I, most of the time just a couple of feet apart and calling, brilliant!!. The Blackcap and a large number of Tits were also seen.

A single Turnstone flew along the front near the sluice and a couple of Cormorants were offshore. A walk to the raised tee added just 2 Stonechat and 2 Reed Buntings.

From the hide: Not much change from yesterday Greylag, Teal, Wigeon, Shoveler, Shelduck, 24 Lapwing, Buzzard and Kestrel plus another two Swallows over the scrape. RJ/MR

 

Wed 9th Nov 22

A much nicer day today, a Muntjac Deer was in the Dell, but nothing offshore. A walk along the approach road with Richard was much more rewarding with 1+ Firecrest, 1 male Blackcap, 1 Chiffchaff, and 5+ Goldcrest with a lot of Blue, Great and Long T Tits.

From the hide: 5 Greylag, 160+ Teal, 56 Wigeon, 15 Shoveler, 2 Shelduck, 2 Cormorant, 24 Blk H Gulls, 2 Herring Gulls, 5 Lapwing, 2 Snipe, 1 Marsh Harrier, 1 Buzzard, 1 Kestrel, plus 5 Swallows south over the scrape. RJ/MR.

Reports from today:

Mike O'Hanlon

13:13 2 Firecrest on approach road. Showing well. Just listen for the call.

Photo Mike O'Hanlon©

Photo Mike O'Hanlon©

Brian Combes

15:50 Haven: Short-eared Owl flying west between footpath and bridleway to farm.

16:15 Now high over Frinton.

17:38 Frinton/seawall/farm circuit late afternoon included: 1 Short-eared Owl (probably in off, flew west towards the farm, low over fields between the footpath and bridleway. A bit later flushed from the edge of a field and then quartered fields south of the church before flying back west and drifting high to the north), 5 Stonechat (pair by golf course dump, a pair north of dump, 1 bird between the pairs), 1 Green Woodpecker, 2 Mipit, 5 Linnet, 1 Chiff (by farm), 6 Pied Wag, 1 Buzzard, 1 Barn Owl (hunting over golf course at dusk), 1 Cetti’s Warbler (singing).

 

Tues 8th Nov 22

Another very windy morning at the Haven.

From the hide: 1 Greylag, 100+ Teal, 52 Wigeon, 11 Shoveler, 2 Shelduck, 1 Cormorant, 14 Lapwing, 14 Blk H Gulls, 4 Herring Gulls, 1 GBB Gull, 2 Buzzard, 1 Sparrowhawk, 2 Kestrel, 1 Cetti's Warbler. MR

A single Oystercatcher headed south along the front.