Wed 7th Feb 24

A few more birds offshore this morning with 200+ Cormorants moving north first thing and several R T Divers sitting on the sea. 5 Purple Sands were on the rocks south of French Point again as the tide was quite high.

The overnight rain meant that a lot more marsh was flooded and Geese and Ducks were spread all over, especially nice were 17 Pintail that dropped onto the flood to the right of the hide late morning (5 Drakes, 12 Ducks).

From the hide: c100 Greylag, 80+ Brent, 16 Canada Geese, Wigeon, Teal, 26+ Shoveler, 17 Pintail, 8 Mallard, 3 Shelduck, 160 Lapwing, c50 Curlew, 11 Blkwits, 100+ Blk H Gulls, c20 Common Gulls, 5 Med Gulls, 1 Buzzard, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Kestrel. PL/RJ/MO'H/MR et.al.

Reports from today:

Mike O'Hanlon

11:40 17 Pintails on the marsh and at least 5 Med Gulls on the scrape this morning.

Photo Mike O'Hanlon©

Photo Mike O'Hanlon©

 

Tues 6th Feb 24

A walk along the front this morning showed there were 5 Purple Sands and a Turnstone on the rocks south of French Point.

From the hide: 150 Greylag, 100 Brent, 16 Canada Geese, Wigeon, Teal, 25+ Shoveler, 5 Shelduck, 120 Lapwing, 9 Blkwits, 2 Snipe, Cetti's Warbler (heard only), Reed Bunting, Skylark, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Kestrel. MO'H/BH/MR et.al.

A Common Scoter was sitting on the sea close offshore in front of the pillbox before drifting further out and south around the sluice rocks, (found by a visitor, Thank you).

 

Mon 5th Feb 24

No sign of the Jack Snipe this morning but 2 Com. Snipe were in the area, still a lot of gulls hanging around as still some work going on up on the arable.

From the hide: c200 Brent, 50 Greylag, 16 Canada Geese, Wigeon and Teal, 24 Shoveler, 12 Pintail, 5 Shelduck, 5 Mallard, c80 Lapwing, 30 Curlew, 8+ BlkWits, 2 Snipe, Blk Headed and Herring Gulls, plus several Common Gulls and 1 Med Gull. MR et.al.

 

Sun 4th Feb 24

Had a walk to French Point after a late start, a Lt. Grebe was on the brook behind the sluice, 3 Purple Sands on the rocks south of French Pt. and a seal on the point pondering his next move.

From the hide:  c350 Brent, c50 Greylags, 350 Teal, 150 Wigeon, 30 Shoveler, 6 Mallard, 3 Shelduck, 40 Lapwing, 30 Curlew, 7 Blkwits, 1 Jack Snipe, 100+ Blk H Gulls, 6 Com Gulls, 1 Med Gull, 2 Peregrine, 2 Buzzard, 6 Pied Wags, 4 Skylark, 2 Mippits, MR

 

 

Sat 3rd Feb 24

Apart from the Jack Snipe the the birds of the day were gulls, with the field behind the scrape being ploughed there were hundreds of gulls moving back and forth from the flood to the arable, incl. several hundred Blk H Gulls, 25+ Common Gulls, 40+ Herring Gulls & 1 LBB.

From the hide, 256 Brent, c50 Greylag, Wigeon, Teal, 30+ Shoveler, 8 Mallard, 3 Shelduck, 100+ Lapwing, 42 Curlew, 8 Blk T Godwits, 1 Jack Snipe, 1 Snipe, 1 Lt. Egret, 2 Buzzard, 1 Kestrel.

2 Lt. Grebe were on the brook behind the sluice MR.

 

 

Fri 2nd Feb 24

Two more for the Site Year List this morning with Greenfinch at the Feeding Stn. & Green Sandpiper at the back of the scrape. The Jack Snipe was still in the same area with a Com. Snipe in close attendance.

From the hide: C150 Brent, 50 Greylags, c400 wigeon, c400 Teal, 22 Shoveler, 5 Shelduck, c100 Lapwing, c70 Curlew, 1 Jack Snipe, 1 Com. Snipe, 1 Green Sandpiper, 1 Lt Egret, 1 Peregrine, 1 Marsh Harrier, 2 Buzzard, 1 Kestrel, 1 Cetti's Warbler (heard only). MO'H/MR/BH

2 Purple Sands were on the sluice rocks, a Lt. Grebe on the brook behind the sluice, a Song Thrush singing at the Dipping Pond and a Goldcrest in the tit flock in the chippings lay-by. MR

Reports from today:

Paul Brayshaw

10:16 Seawall run (no bins). At least four Purples and the Rock Pipit by French point. Oyk. on the rocks further north, 2 Stonechat (pair) near gc dump.

Brian Combes

16:51 Walk from Frinton to Haven and back via farm this morning included: 1 green sandpiper, 3 purple sandpiper (granite blocks, Frinton end first thing), 450+ black-headed gulls (on sea/golf course first thing, gradually moving inland), 4 Cetti’s (singing), 17 pied wag, 2 stonechat (pair Frinton end), 3 hare (1 behind scrape, 2 boxing behind the golf course - lovely), 71 curlew (on fields north of scrape, also 41 south), 163 brent (159 north of scrape, 4 south),  1 sparrowhawk, 100+ starling (arable), 35+ skylark (arable), 2 reed bunting, 1 rock pipit, 2 song thrush (1 singing), 1 goldcrest, 50+ linnet (arable), 1 great spotted woodpecker (drumming in wood behind farm), 1 green woodpecker, 150+ lapwing, 28 mipit (mainly on paddocks/arable), 10 black-tailed godwit, 110+ teal, 150+ wigeon, 12 shoveler. (8 species in song).

 

Thurs 1st Feb 24

The Jack Snipe was showing much better this morning, having a couple of wanders out in the open and being much more active in general, not sure if that's a good sign or not.

A Marsh Harrier had a fly through first thing, sending ducks and geese to the air all over the marsh, Blkwits were up to 7, Wigeon, Teal, 30+ Shoveler, 10+ Shelduck, 2 Pairs of Gadwall, lots of Lapwing and Curlew, Cetti's Warbler in front of the hide and 2 Reed Bunting on the back hedge, 2 Buzzard, 2 Kestrel. PNt/LH/MR et.al.

Reports from today:

Matt Turner

15:39 8 Pintail on marsh behind scrape, Jack Snipe still, Rock Pipit French Point, 80 Curlew golf course, 6 Purps French Pt.