Sat 27th Feb 21
A great start for Pete this morning with three very early Sand Martins to add to the year list.
Reports from today:
Pete Loud
10:16 Spring is definitely in the air, 3 Sand Martins feeding over the brook on the Holland side of the road.
14:16 Joy to be out enjoying the Spring sunshine today, plenty of people and wildlife doing the same thing. A Peacock Butterfly was flying by the seawall below French point and a Weasel was scurrying along the track. My first Adder, a fine Male was sunning on the mounds. First thing at the farm a Marsh Harrier flew over and Corn Bunting was in the paddocks. The Pumpkin field has been ploughed but still plenty of Chaffinch & Linnet on the disturbed ground. Scrape from the Pillbox 19 Avocet, 1 Redshank, 1 Blackwit, 2 Snipe, 2 Oystercatcher, 50 Lapwing, 8 Gadwall, 20+ Shoveler and plenty of Wigeon & Teal. 30 Curlew on marsh and Peregrine up on arable. Reeds along Golf Course now holding lots of Reed Bunting also 1 Cetti’s heard and a female Stonechat. Another Marsh Harrier heading north offshore.
Simon Cox
Gt. Sp. Woodpecker ‘over the road’ appears to be NFY
Fri 26th Feb 21
A Marsh Harrier was a Haven site year tick this morning and got all the birds on the scrape airborne for a while, good to see another increase in the Avocet numbers with 16 today, otherwise much the same, lots of Wigeon, Teal & Shoveler, a few Shelduck and Gadwall, 2 Canada Geese and a Greylag, Ruff, Redshank & Blk. T Godwit, Oystercatchers & Lapwings. 36 Curlew were on the marsh and 1 Buzzard & 2 Kestrel were on the wing.
The first Adder of the year was seen today (see Haven Wildlife page).
Reports from today:
Pete Davis
10:30 White Wag on flood right of scrape. 16 Avocet scrape
Matt Lonsdale
18:37 Work cancelled so Haven twice today, spring in the air-
This morning- 3 Marsh Harriers (1 gained height and headed out to sea), 2 over raised platform then scrape. Siskin S (unfortunately outside boundary), Blackwit and Redshank and 16 Avocet on scrape, 32 Curlew (marsh right of hide), R T Diver (offshore), Goldcrest (bushes), 5 Oyks, 2 Turnstone. Sparrowhawk, few Buzzards up on thermals and seemingly increase in Jackdaws🤔.
Med Gull added this afternoon and PD had a White Wag from raised platform.
Thurs 25th Feb 21
Reports from today:
Steve Piotrowski
09:17 10 Avocets in pool in front of raised platform.
10:19 10 Avocets now on Scrape plus Ruff, 2 Oyks & 38 Brents. 24 Curlew on floodwaters east of hide.
16:44 Counts from Scrape area of other species not previously mentioned earlier today: 167 Wigeon, 36 Shoveler, 2 Gadwall, 19 Mallard, 13 Shelduck & Snipe. Also single Purple Sand on rocks south of outfall.
Matt Lonsdale
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| Photo Matt Lonsdale© |
18:22 2 hours this afternoon/evening. Absolutely beautiful and still. On/ around scrape- 10 Avocet, Blackwit, 37 Shoveler, 4 Gadwall, 11 Snipe, Barn Owl but the Ruff eluded me again. Stomped up to Frinton beach huts in search of a Black Red (failed) but - 4 Stonechat, 3 Oyk and c500 Brent behind GC. An Unfortunate end for both a Guillemot and Gannet washed up on tideline.
Wed 24th Feb 21
Reports from today:
Steve Piotrowski
13:54 At least 3 Med Gulls in small gull flocks in fields behind Golf Course. Also 252 Brents.
16:33 Scrape: Ruff, Redshank, 2 Oyks, 2 Snipe, 137 Lapwing, Curlew, 167 Teal, 70 Wigeon, 18 Shoveler, 18 Mallard, 2 Gadwall, 8 Shelduck & one lone Brent.
Matt Lonsdale
19:07 Quick visit late pm- Peregrine, 4 Golden Plover and Grey Wag from chippings lay-by. Blackwit and Redshank on scrape + Barn Owl. Barn Owl seen all of last 3 evenings, a Grey Wag on Monday and pair of Gadwall on pond to right of hide yesterday.
Max Martin
19:16 10+ Med Gull feeding on fields behind Golf Course late afternoon, including a white ringed individual which can be seen flying away in the image. Unfortunately I couldn't read the ring as it was always distant.
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| Photo Max Martin© |
Mon 22nd Feb 21
I had a walk at the Haven this morning, and very nice it was too, managed to pick up a Haven year tick or two at the same time.
A Song Thrush was singing from the badger sett on the way in and all was very Spring like.
From the pillbox: Lots of ducks on the scrape incl. Wigeon, Teal, and Shoveler in large numbers plus a few Shelducks & a pair of Gadwall. 27 Greylag & 2 Pink-footed Geese dropped in as I arrived as did a single Snipe to join 1 Blk. T Godwit & 4 Canada Geese, a further 4 Canada Geese were on the marsh to the right of the hide. Also noted around the marsh were 50+ Brent Geese (over), 6 Mute Swans, 6 Curlew, 2 Stonechat, 1 Buzzard, 1 Kestrel, 2 Oystercatchers, several Lapwing and 2 Red T Divers headed south. PRD/MR.
