Heavy overnight ground frost. Sunshine all day with a light NW breeze
South shore towards high water
Pale-bellied Brent goose 48 arrived at Red Nab at 10:50, all but 1 flew off towards Potts corner at 12:20.
Pink-Footed goose 83 SE at 10:45
Wigeon c150
Shelduck 44
Rock Pipit 2 on Red Nab
Common Snipe 2 flushed from saltmarsh, quite early in the tide
Jack Snipe 3 together amongst a small clump of marsh grass near the southern boundary of the caravan site. Accidentally flushed, but they landed on the saltmarsh.
Grey Plover 1 in the same area
Song Thrush 1 on the saltmarsh
Kingfisher - the female at least was on show on Red Nab today, they are always more likely to be seen c2 hours either side of high water - Keith's picture below and Howard's below that are all high resolution and merit opening to appreciate.
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| Female Kingfisher - thanks Keith |
North shore
Howard was frustrated by works operations on the old Heliport causing too much disturbance for the waders to settle, but he managed these excellent images of Common Snipe and Lapwing on the Near Naze.
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| Common Snipe |
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| Lapwing (Green Plover) |
Middleton Nature Reserve
A late afternoon check to see what the Jackdaw were doing
The "no swimming" pond was partially ice covered
Gadwall 36 (24 on main pond)
Mallard 14
Wigeon 2 (pair)
Tufted Duck 4 male
Shoveler 2 (pair)
Jay 2
Sparrowhawk 2 waiting in trees below Jackdaw roost
Jackdaw 120, but the birds were still coming in to roost as I left. They arrived from all four directions, so no single source, it just appears to be the roosting area for the local birds (MD)
Stock Dove 2. One rested briefly on the power cables before both moved off south. Not obvious at first glance as the setting sun made it look blood red! This is the first record in the area since February last year.
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| Stock Dove looking particularly rosette in the light from the setting sun |
