Andy Millar has sent me this report:
I walked from the car park, over the top of Flamingo, and round passed Black Barn then along the bottom back to the car from 10.30 til 3.15 today. Fairly quiete on the wader front as the tide was out for the best part of the day. However, I saw the following (of interest):Black-necked Grebe - 1 on FlamingoBlack-tailed Godwit - 54 on FlamingoYellow-legged Gull - 1 on the foreshore by the creek mouthAvocet - Hundreds on the Essex side and only a couple over the reserve (a few in flight on Flamingo and one on 1st BB)Marsh Harrier - 1 over the fields to the East of the BB pools.Sparrowhawk - 1 through the BB pools areaRuff - 8 on 1st BB poolGreen Sandpiper - 1 on 1st BB poolSpotted Redshank - 2 on Radar Greenshank - 2 on RadarPlenty of the more common birds as well - Redshank, Teal, Coot (masses!), Wigeon (5), Stonechat, Green Woodpecker, Great-spotted Woodpecker etc. My total species count was 56 for the day. Not sure if it's noteworthy, but there was a flock of 22 Collared Doves on the wires behind the Black Barn.I also found a young Grass Snake along the edge of the path between the top of Flamingo and the watchpoint over the Thames at the creek mouth (photo attached). Butterflies included Red Admiral, Peacock, Speckled Wood, Small Heath, Large White and Common Blue.
thanks Andy!