Thurs 30th Nov 23
A frozen marsh and scrape meant very few birds around this morning. A walk to French Point returned 3 Purple Sands, 3 Turnstone, a pair of Stonechat, a Pied Wag and a Mipit. A short look out to sea added 11 Brent and a distant Diver sp south, 1 Common Scoter and a Cormorant north.
At the end of November the number of species recorded at the Haven this year stands at 186.
Wed 29th Nov 23
All much the same today bright sunshine but very cold, c150 Greylags on the approach road marsh with 20+ Canada Geese and lots of gulls, a Goldcrest for BH by the 6 bar gate and one for me at the sewage works gate. Along the front were 3 Pairs of Stonechats, 2 Purple Sands, a Rock Pipit & a Pied Wag.
On and around the scrape: c200 Teal, 20 Wigeon, 2 Shelduck, Lots of Lapwing on the arable, 1 Avocet, 1 Redshank, 1 Curlew, 1 Buzzard, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 1 Reed Bunting and a few Blackbirds. Plus 2 Lt. Grebes on the brook behind the sluice.
Tues 28th Nov 23
Bright but very cold this morning, nice when you were in the sunshine.
150+ Greylag, 20+ Canada Geese were on the marsh below the carpark first thing with lots of gulls and 2 Curlew. Offshore was very quiet again with just 12 Brent sitting on the sea off French Point and a further 60+ off the raised tee. Purple Sandpiper numbers had increased to 6 south of French Point, being chased up the seawall by the swells from a big tide just before high water.
Around the scrape: c200 Teal, c30 Wigeon, 4 Shoveler, 2 Shelduck, 2 Avocet, 1 Blk. T Godwit, 4 Snipe (over), 1 Cetti's Warbler, 2 Buzzard, 1 Peregrine (juv. on arable), 1 Kestrel. MR et.al. Plus 1 Chinese Water Deer.
Mon 27th Nov 23
Very quiet offshore this morning, even the boat load of fishermen anchored off the front weren't catching anything. Three Purple Sands were on the rocks south of French Point as the tide dropped away.
Around the scrape: c200 Greylags, 100+ Teal, 18 Wigeon, 6 Shoveler, 4 Gadwall, 4 Mallard, 2 Shelduck, 3 Avocet, c300 Lapwing (on the arable), 2 Buzzard, 1 Kestrel.
Sun 26th Nov 23
A short visit for me today included lots of Greylag and Canada Geese on the approach road marsh, Teal, Wigeon and Shoveler below the raised platform, 2 Buzzards, c350 Lapwing and lots of Starlings up on the arable. Very quiet offshore just a few Cormorant, 2 Med Gulls and 1 Oystercatcher (s). PL/MR
Around the bushes 14 Blackbirds, 5 Song Thrush, 2 Redwing all feeding on sloes, and a single Chiffchaff. MR.
Report from today:
Matt Lonsdale
08:20 Woodcock south.
Sat 25th Nov 23
Reports from today:
Matt Lonsdale
08:07 Barnacle Goose on marsh to right of hide.
08:10 At least 2 Waxwings heard pillbox.
Pete Loud
14:01 Haven this morning, 5 Purple Sand along the front, 1 Ringed Plover on the rocks. Redwing by the hide and imm. Peregrine up on the arable. Green Sandpiper on the Scrape.
