Not a bad day yesterday with plenty of waders out over the marsh including over 1500 Lapwin, 100 Golden plover, Ruff, Spotted Redshank and Black-tailed Godwits while best part of a 1000 Dunlin were along the river. A pair of Red-breasted Mergansers were on the river before flying over to Aveley Pools and two immature female Common Scoter (note the pale bellies) were on the river for most of the day and Russ Sherriff managed some shots.
At least five Bearded Tits have still been showing and a first-winter Caspian Gull was seen in Aveley Bay. No sign of the Marsh Harrier today but both Peregrines were terrorising everything on site!
Very flexible birds! (another Russ image)
Howard Vaughan, Information Officer