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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Essex Birding (5 Viewers)

Just to add to Stewart's comments - food seems to be in good supply towards the back of the golf course, but the weather has also been less inviting for the bird to e.g. sit on the seawall over the past few days so that may also be a factor. Originally it spent a fair bit of time around the scrape hide but now seems to be preferring the golf course area. I keep enjoying this bird (sometimes not having to stray far from the house to get a distant view) and it is fantastic. Worth also keeping an eye on the Holland Haven Birding website which is generally updated daily around other commitments but happy to provide updates over the next few days as to "closeness"

Regards

Paul
 
Frinton BO said:
Just to add to Stewart's comments - food seems to be in good supply towards the back of the golf course, but the weather has also been less inviting for the bird to e.g. sit on the seawall over the past few days so that may also be a factor. Originally it spent a fair bit of time around the scrape hide but now seems to be preferring the golf course area. I keep enjoying this bird (sometimes not having to stray far from the house to get a distant view) and it is fantastic. Worth also keeping an eye on the Holland Haven Birding website which is generally updated daily around other commitments but happy to provide updates over the next few days as to "closeness"

Regards

Paul
Click to expand...
Cheers Paul.
 
Fantastic day sea watching - six short eared and one long eared either in off or south. Second only to the 13 a few years back when 50+ in off at north Norfolk sites. Reasonable duck movement too - unusual in that the scoter were all at good range, a whooper swan and a bonxie - incredibly scarce this autumn. Will be interesting to see the totals when I get round to it as sea passage feels like it has been v poor but passerines have been exceptional...
 
No restrictions on access to Holland Haven - options are either via the council car park from the southern end or parking at the southern end of Frinton-on-Sea by the golf course. Depending on where the bird is you would have maximum 1.5 mile walk from either end.
 
RLB showing at good range today - photographers getting good shots from the northern/eastern end of the grazing marsh by walking up from the boardwalk (on the north of Kirkby Brook) to view on the boundary of the GC and grazing marsh - I expect some good pictures to be posted later. Bonus for me heading home through the site was relocating the red-backed shrike before it appeared to go to roost on the golf course close to the grazing marsh boundary. This will be looked for first thing tomorrow.

Offshore, steady passage of Brent and at least one (probably two) Shorelarks south calling just after midday.
 
Couldn't find the RLB at Holland Haven this afternoon in the fog, but I'm sure it was there somewhere. 2+ short-eared owls hunting around my head at times were some consolation.
 
Bewick's Swan at Abberton Reservoir

For anyone interested in viewing the Bewick's Swans at Abberton Reservoir, here"s some information on their location today. Eight birds were reported this morning, and this afternoon they could all be seen from the observation point near Abberton Church. (That's the awkwardly placed and awkward to use cane blind that is situation about 150 metres from the church car park. Note: not the church on the road between Layer-de-laHaye and the visitors centre.)

Four adults birds were feeding in the bay close by, with a group of Mallards. These could be viewed from the left-hand-side blind. Another family group, of two adults and two cygnets, could be seen from the right-hand-side blind, much more distantly across the bay.

Stewart
 

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I will hopefully have another opportunity to try for the RLB at Holland Haven on Wednesday so I'd be very grateful if anyone could post an update on whether its present tomorrow please? It seems to be getting reported less frequently on birdguides. I will of course keep an eye on the HH birding site. Thanks.
 
A quick lunchtime look over Frinton Golf CLub confirmed the RLB was showing very well - in the air 75% of the hour from c1.15pm over the southern/western end of the golf course - at one time <5m directly above me from the footpath running across the gold course. it then returned to sit on its favoured spot close to the larger trees between the GC and the grazing marsh behind the green hut… Also on view were 2 Kestrel, Common Buzzard, Marsh Harrier, ringtail Hen Harrier and SEO, plus a late Swallow, so not a bad lunchtime for me! Good luck tomorrow Stuart - if not one or around the golf course then check the posts on the adjacent grazing marsh.

Paul
 
Got the very obliging Redstart at Two Tree Island this morning then went down to look for the Glossy Ibis. I found that the path to the burnt out hide has been blocked off - there was a small pile of brush there on Sunday but this is now a HUGE pile of brush making it clear that there is no access - well if you have longer legs then me you could probablt climb it...
When we were there on Sunday not seeing the bird two women with kids and dogs decided to walk onto the marsh - upon being told not to they said "well there's no signs". We reported it to the office and were told that any signs they put up were promptly ripped up and slung onto the marsh - hence no signs. Presumably this blockage is a reaction to that - yet another example of the minority spoiling things for the majority.
Being a shrimp I can't get a clear view of the creek along the main path - anyone know where to look from Vange Marsh for it?
 
Viv Connett said:
Being a shrimp I can't get a clear view of the creek along the main path - anyone know where to look from Vange Marsh for it?
Click to expand...

The ibis has only been seen a couple of times at Vange Marsh, so probably not worth bothering to look from there. When it was seen a couple of months back it was often seen feeding from the two viewings screens which are a few hundred yards north of the one which is now blocked off.

Alternatively when walking west from the car park at the end, the first path on the right past the boatyard goes uphill to a pill box where you can see a bit of the saltmarsh - it has been seen from here.

On another note, anyone on the Essex Birders Yahoo! Group may have been feeling a little discombobulated by the discussions on the redstart(s) on Two Tree Island the past week.

Well... there's only ever been the one, a typical Common Redstart. If people bothered to look at the photo / photographer / caption properly it might help..:-O
 

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