Three Stonechats

A lot milder with a SW light wind. Mainly overcast with some light afternoon showers.

I didn't have much time today, but it proved quite productive (MD)

Saltmarsh to Red Nab 08:45 - 09:15

Shelduck 42

Stonechat 2 - this female was in the same area near the slipway as yesterday's bird, but quite elusive.

Female Stonechat 

A male at Red Nab was more obliging, the green blur in the background is the gutweed covered Red Nab.

Male Stonechat 

Imperial Rd  - 09:40 -10:00

Stonechat 1 male - a bit more distant this time

A more typical view of a Stonechat 

Greylag Goose 2 - on the wrong side of the road so, "seen from" the recording area.

Greylag geese

Grey Heron 1 feeding 

Little Egret 1 feeding

Great White Egret 1 flew over to the west

Great White Egret

Sparrowhawk 1 male

Pete and Jean were doing the WeBS (wetlands bird survey) today, including:

Pale-bellied Brent goose 8 flew from the skear towards the south side

Shag 2 immature roosting on the wooden jetty

Details from Jean

Heysham high tide WeBS count today from Ocean Edge saltmarsh to Heysham Head :

Cormorant 42

Shag 2

Wigeon 127

Oystercatcher 3862

Snipe 6

Curlew 8

Knot 180

Redshank 81

Black-headed Gull 7

Lesser Black-backed Gull 4

Herring Gull 35

Wader numbers are lower this count due to several reasons: 

a) some have moved inland towards breeding areas 

b) Sparrowhawk disturbance at the heliport (hence few Knot recorded which are more sensitive to a predator than the Oystercatchers) 

c) a fox prowling about on Near Naze had scared all the waders off there.

Pete's shot of a Fox, having seen off the waders from the Near Naze.