A few glimpses though the mists

Quite a fresh south breeze was constantly blowing in banks of mist off the sea. Otherwise it remained a dry day.

South shore (Malcolm)

A walk from the saltmarsh and along the south sea wall.

Reed Bunting 2 on the saltmarsh edge

Reed Bunting - the sun had broken through the mist briefly

Whenever the ground is wet, a small group of Oystercatchers probe for worms on the Ocean Edge grass.

The mist had temporarily cleared from Ocean Edge, but it was still rolling in from the sea.

The pale band on the horizon is the mist. You can see it deflecting
over the Power Stations as it comes in

Pale-bellied Brent goose 19 arrived from the north side, fed a while on Red Nab then moved further south.

Brent geese flying past the roundhead 

Three of the Brent geese on Red Nab

Eider 3 south

Shelduck 3 on Red Nab

Wigeon 220 on Red Nab and saltmarsh 

Wigeon on Red Nab

Grey Seal 1 

As I was walking out, this female Grey Seal was near No.2 outfall

When I returned 20 minutes later she was just finishing off, what looks to be,
a Bass. It is stripped like a cartoon discarded fish, just a head and tail joined
by its bones. In this case with some flesh still between them. The seal let the 
remains sink, but what remains will not be wasted.

A bit of survey work and dredging in the harbour mouth.

North shore

Howard checked the heliport and Near Naze towards high water. Surprisingly there were plenty of Oystercatcher, but no other wader species.

I did three passing checks this afternoon (Malcolm)

Imperial Road

Buzzard calling somewhere but lost in the mist

Roe Deer two backsides seen disappearing into a thicket

Middleton Nature Reserve- main pond

Now largely Ice free. 

Still Mute Swans, Mallard and Gadwall, although more Gadwall had returned, now 12.

Field beside the horse paddock behind Middleton Parish Hall

Also, now mainly Ice free.

Green Sandpiper 1 easily visible from Middleton Rd

Green Sandpiper survived the freeze