I had the time to do a few hours birding so where to go? High tide was around noon so with one eye on the pager, I popped over to Canvey Point to get a bit more sea watching experience. Nothing more than gulls fighting for scraps from a Leigh trawler but as the tide rose, I saw Wheatear, Ringed Plover, Dunlin an Common Tern.
As the tide fell, I went for lunch in my favourite Canvey cafe and then thought I'd dodge the rain over at West Canvey Marshes. Lots of warblers and finches, a lone Avocet and some hirundines present so after waiting in a hide for a thunderstorm to pass over, I began the trudge back to the car.
Passing through a gate, I saw something flying towards a fence about 400 yds away. It settled on a post behind a fat black cow so I set up the scope to see what it was. Boing, a male Whinchat was in full view. I quickly put the news out on this early passage bird hoping that others would defy the rain to see this beauty.
As the tide fell, I went for lunch in my favourite Canvey cafe and then thought I'd dodge the rain over at West Canvey Marshes. Lots of warblers and finches, a lone Avocet and some hirundines present so after waiting in a hide for a thunderstorm to pass over, I began the trudge back to the car.
Passing through a gate, I saw something flying towards a fence about 400 yds away. It settled on a post behind a fat black cow so I set up the scope to see what it was. Boing, a male Whinchat was in full view. I quickly put the news out on this early passage bird hoping that others would defy the rain to see this beauty.