Just how many weather types can we cram into one day? Glorious start with blue skies, almost no clouds and mercifully no wind to be replaced by a howling tempest at about 2pm that shook the building and visibly rose the Purfleet Scrape water level to be capped off with a sunny if somewhat breezy end to the day!
Birdwise the tides meant that most waders were out on the mud for most of the day and there was a good flock of Golden Plover, Lapwing and Dunlin to be seen and just before we left a few Redshank and eight Black-tailed Godwits dropped in and sought shelter from the wind amongst the pre-roosting large gulls.
Speaking of which, at least there is now enough light at the end of the day to check these gulls for anything interesting... alas tonight there was not but there is still plenty of winter left.
There were some goodies seen today including a winter plumage male Lapland Bunting foraging on the Tudor seawall this morning by Joe Edwards as it fed with some Rock Pipits. Hopefully it will still be around as it sounded like a striking bird. Bob Cooper and Tony Orwell had a female Bullfinch in the cordite feeding on dried up Blackberries.
Bully - Bob Cooper
The Great Spotted Woodpecker obliged at the feeders several times for Tony and I saw the Green one on the way in this morning
Another Tony, Mr Houston, had a Jack Snipe bobbing in front of the Purfleet Hide this morning and also saw two Bearded Tits on the Dragonfly Pools so good to know that they are still around.
The Water Rail showed incredibly well once again and the female Marsh Harrier with the missing secondaries is backing confirming that we do indeed have eight birds currently using the marsh!
Water Rail - Brenna Boyle
We finished up with another cracking sunset where our third Tony ofthe day, Mr O'Brien excelled himself as usual....
ok ok.... and one from me too....
13-1-15