Sat 31st Oct 20

Very windy and very quiet today, Stonechat on the Mounds on the way to the hide.

From the hide:

Two lots of Mute Swans this morning 14 in all, the usual 7 (4 ads + 3 signets) were on the arable and a second group of 7 (2 ads + 5 signets) flew in from the S/E and dropped onto the marsh west of the B1032 + c200 Greylag, 5 Shelduck, 30 Lapwing, 1 Snipe, Blk. H Gulls, Herring Gulls, 3 GBB's, 1 Grey Heron, 1 Kingfisher, 1 Water Rail (heard only), 1 Buzzard, 1 Kestrel. PRD/MR.

Reports from today:

Matt Lonsdale

08:44 Green Sand flushed out of ditch near scrape, Med Gull along seawall. Few groups of Goldfinch and Siskin early doors before wind really picked up. Pretty quiet really.....

Paul Brayshaw

09:08 Not much to add from the golf course end (seawall to wooden hide and back). 10 Redpoll, 8 Linnet plus small nos of Goldfinch and Siskin.  2 Swallows south.  6 Stonechat along golf course edge and usual two Cetti's singing.

At the end of October the number of species recorded at the Haven this year stands at 180.

 

Fri 30th Oct 20

Lots of agitated Blackbirds and Redwings along the approach road this morning but we were unable to find a reason, hoping for a roosting Owl but no luck, otherwise very quiet just one Chiffchaff near the 5 bar gate and a few Tits and Goldfinch was about it. DC/MR.

Pete Davis had a brief view of a Ring-tail Hen Harrier on his way to the hide at around 10:40.

From the hide:

200+ Greylag, 1 Canada Goose (+ 6 can/greylag hybrids), couple of Teal (a gas gun on the arable is keeping the ducks away), 1 Shoveler, c20 Lapwing, Blk. H Gulls, Herring Gulls, 3 Common Gulls, 1 Water Rail & 1 Kingfisher (heard only). PRD/JH/DC/MR.

Thurs 29th Oct 20

Reports from today:

Steve Piotrowski 

08:32 Great Egret on Scrape.

11:18 One singing Corn Bunting, 67 Skylarks & large (3-figure) finch flock (mostly Linnets) best of a very wet & gloomy farm loop walk.

19:24 Very little vizmig this morning reduced to nil when rain really set in: 8 Curlew, 10 Meadow Pipits, 46 Siskin & single Redpoll.

 

Wed 28th Oct 20

A few Blackbird, Redwing and Song Thrush around the bushes today but nothing special. Two Stonechat on the mounds.

From the hide:

230 Greylag, 7 Canada Geese (1 ad Canada 6 hybrid goslings), 8 Teal, 5 Shelduck, 1 Shoveler, c50 Lapwings (mostly on the arable), 3 Redshank, Herring & Blk. H Gulls, 1 GBB, 1 Caspian Gull (1st W), 2 Buzzard, 2 Kestrel, 6 Swallows, Bearded Tits (heard only). PD/JH/MR.

Reports from today:

Paul Brayshaw

08:26 Very little vismig this am.  Seawall wall from Frinton to wooden hide (haven area totals)  Just 25 Goldfinch, 2 Siskin, 10 Mipit and a Rock Pipit south plus 7 Teal over the sea.  Still 4 Stonechat and 2 singing Cetti's.

Steve Piotrowski

14:55 Great Egret Holland Brook downstream of Fan Bridge.

16:37 Juv. White-front in Greylag flock in meadow back of Scrape.

Tues 27th Oct 20

Reports from today:

Paul Brayshaw

08:39 The wind ha picked up significantly by the time I got into the haven area this am so the initially good vismig had eased. However still small numbers of Goldfinch, Linnet, Redpoll, Siskin (incl flock of 40), Chaffinch, Mipit moving. Also an adult Med south, Scoter north and S E Owl over arable and golf course.

 

Mon 26th Oct 20

Very quiet again this morning, a few Blackbirds and Redwings and 1 Chiffchaff was about it around the bushes, the bird of the day for me was my first autumn Purple Sandpiper on the sluice. 

Grim on the scrape with just a small number of gulls, 1 Shelduck, loads of Greylag/Canada Geese, Pete Davis did manage Water Rail, Cetti's Warbler & Kingfisher but all heard only.

Reports from today:

John Hall

16:20 PM 14.40 Visit to scrape. Very poor. c170 Greylag, 2 Lapwings, 1 Shelduck, 30+ mixed BH and Herring Gulls, Kingfisher (heard only), 1 Moorhen. One redeeming factor S E Owl over grazing marsh, dropped behind reed bed not seen again departed 16.50.

 

Sun 25 Oct 20

Very quiet again today, thankfully Matt was about early to catch the vis-mig but otherwise nothing much of note, a few Stonechat and Mippits along the front, 2 Buzzards, 2 Kestrels & a Sparrowhawk on the raptor front, 9 Turnstone on the sluice rocks was about it PL/DC/RJ/MR.

Reports from today:

Matt Lonsdale

09:55 Vismig totals from shelter, all south 06:45-08:45 

6 Crossbill (1+5), 6 Lt Egret, 29 Siskin, 110 Goldfinch, 3 Reed Bunt, 35 Mipit, 10 Chaffinch, 1 Alba Wag, 3 Redwing, 25 Linnet, 4 Swallow, 4 Skylark. 

Numbers a bit disappointing really....