My wife and I had a day out at Abberton ... bumped into @simonwood but unsure we met. Noted the absence of GC Grebes ... do they head to the coast during freezes? And did you count the Goosander and Goldeneye?
Digiscoped VTgrabs of distant Arctic Skua observed over the Thames at Canvey Point yesterday #LumixG7 #Swarovski #STS85
Digiscoped VTgrabs ofGreat Skua observed over the Thames at Canvey Point yesterday #LumixG7 #Swarovski #STS85 Good to see South Essex estuary watchers and a vagrant @entwistle5.bsky.social ;-)
Totalled 388 bird species seen globally in 2024. 211 USA (153 TX, 133 FL, 60 SC). 204 UK (England only) mainly Lincs 125; Essex 175, of which 146 were local East Tilbury patch - mainly walked from home. Essex's N Waterthrush, LGShrike; Lincs Snow Geese were new UK Lifers.
Afternoon in the NE of the county Slav +7 BN Grebe Abberton before E Mersea Snow Bunting and Shore Lark (aka 'Horned'). Great light but looking at the lark into it was far from ideal for my record shots. #Essexbirds - Nice to meet @entwistle5.bsky.social thanks for excellent advice
Found a golden nugget 11:20 yesterday when this Bewick's Swan flew a high 180 arc over East Tilbury eventually leaving overhead SW over the Thames. -A Patch Lifer! #EssexBirding
Left P3-4 damage may help ID elsewhere. Possibly 1 of 8 roosting at RSPB Cliffe on 13/12
Drake Pintail looking dapper at the East Tilbury Scrape on Tuesday. #Essexbirds
Two Cattle Egret have roosted for a few weeks at Essex WT Thameside NP Goldengates Lake. It's historical name of Heronry Shaw may be the draw ... But these days more of a Cormorantry with 52 present and 1 Grey Heron. Male and female Goldeneye overwintering too. #essexbirds
East Tilbury scrape observations today began with Little and Large (Great white) egrets. Comedy continued when I spotted 4 unusual quackers. Didn't fit Ruddy Shelduck (tho never seen in eclipse). Finally revealed to be 4 Fulvous Whistling Duck (presumed feral) #Essexbirding #🪶
Fascinating to briefly observe a young Spoonbill feeding at Stanford Wharf this morning, before it flew out of Mucking bay towards East Tilbury. #EssexBirding 🪶
Absolutely ... If you think my posts suitsble
Black-necked Grebe at Deeping Lakes from the 1/2 block enclosed hide. #UKbirding. Last stop in Lincs as we return south.
A morning of Firsts ... 1st Lincolnshire Snow Geese, 2nd An October Cuckoo, 3rd a phonescoped Fly Agaric.
Juv Cuckoo at Messingham Sands from corner of meadow behind metal storage hut. Can't recall seeing a later one. Plus 4 Raven over #lincsbirding #ukbirding
Distant but definitive views of Lincolnshire's 2 Snow Geese this morning off Reads Island. #ukbirding
Phonescoped shots of American Wigeon and Little Owl from Monday 14/10/24 trip to Spurn. Next time I must not forget my camera!
Wood Sandpiper on the scrape at East Tilbury!2pm. Green Sandpiper and Rock Pipit too, otherwise quiet - especially the river. #essexbirding
Counted 2306 Brent south past the Naze since 11:15. And likely missed another 1000+. #VizMig #Essexbirding
Visiting the Naze and from 15minutes viewing well over 200 geese have gone south. Single skein of c130 Brents ripped by at 11:24 and 12-15 unidentified grey geese preceded them. DM me if anyone else is observing. #essexbirding
Had a couple of hours before dark to check the East Tilbury scrape for yesterday's Wood Sandpiper (juv). Thankful it did the decent thing and to become a FOY. Short record clip despite horrid light and muted and stabalized as wind was problematic. #Essexbirding
Informed by @easttilburybirder (Paul Wood) of reports of small movements of bearded tit on the move at Rainham and also leaving Dunge today. Not a sp I associate with VizMig. Ever learning by watching, recording and reporting.
Already shared and reported on Monday on X!. I thought this Osprey at Abberton late Monday would stick around and be reseen. But it now seems like it pressed on south.
3 Bearded Tit, Blackcap, 6 Buzzards the highlights from a TTNP Heronry Shaw (Goldengates) morning patch walk. Surprised to find Beardies pinging from an oak in bramble/thorn scrub tho. A 'fall' of jays was almost certainly the same 4-6 spreading acorns in every direction. #essexbirding
ELO (Mr) Bluesky - if you're of an age you'd know! East Tilbury in clear air, under blusky late afternoon - conditions likely dissuading today's Kent n Canvey seawatch delights to progress further upriver. But 2 Black Tern, 5 Common, 15 Brent (upriver); Greensand on the scrape #Essexbirding
