Key: Blue = Uncommon. Amber = Scarce. Red = Rare. Green = Mega for site
Archive: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Oct 08
1st - With very strong westerly winds this morning into early afternoon, visits were made to the hide. Viewed on and across a very quiet scrape were 3 Blk T Godwits, 1 Snipe, 2 Barn Owls and 1 Little Owl. Noted on the mounds was a single Wheatear while 3 Yellow and 2+ White Wagtails were seen in the carpark. 2 Siskins flew over S. SC/PC/KA/BB A short seawatch provided a distant Skua sp. SC
2nd - Some seawatching along with a visit to the scrape early today, included sightings of 1 Blk T Godwit, 4 Stonechats, 2 Barn Owls, 1-2 Little Owls, 1 Yellow and 2 Grey Wagtails, 2 Goldcrests and behind the mounds 45+ Goldfinch. KA
3rd - An hour seawatch this evening produced only 7 Gannets, 2 House Martins and 1 Oystercatcher. KA Also reported for the site today was 1 Garganey. LS
4th - The Garganey was again viewable on the scrape today, along with 4 Blk T Godwits and 1 Snipe. 1 Little Owl, 2 Stonechats, 10+ Goldfinch and 1 Sandwich Tern were also noted. 1 of each Goldcrest, Yellow and Grey Wagtails were seen in the carpark/approach road. PNs/KA/JK
5th - A seawatching session started - then the RBA pager went off!! and so did we to a very wet Wallasea.
6th - A late afternoon visit proved very quiet with 2 Blk T Godwits and 39 Wigeon on the scrape, 4 Stonechats by the sluice and 3 Blackcaps near the brook. Off-shore 59+ Brent Geese were seen heading S. KA
7th - A short evening seawatch gave 2 Goosander 1m/1fem , 1 Common Gull and 5 Brent Geese all moving S. AD
8th - A good southward movement this morning with the following noted, 240 Goldfinch, 60+ Greenfinch, 40+ Chaffinch, 22 Lesser Redpolls, 55 Siskins, 40+ Linnets, 1 Skylark, 5 House Martins, 21 Swallows and 1 Grey Wagtail. Other birds of note were 1 Wheatear, 14 Stonechats, 3 Chiffchaff, 8 Blackcaps, 1 Lesser Whitethroat and 20+ Goldcrests. The scrape held 1 Ruff and 2 Blk T Godwits. GG
9th - A later start this morning so missed the early movement, but birds of note were, 100+ Goldfinch, 20+ Greenfinch, 8 Chaffinch, 2 Lesser Redpolls, 23 Siskins, 11 Linnets, 7 Skylarks, 11 Swallows all heading S. 3 Brambling flew N. A single Grey Wagtail was at the Sewage Farm. Stonechats were down to 5, 3 Chiffchaff, 3 Blackcaps and 30+ Goldcrests were in the bushes and a Pink footed Goose was on the scrape. 2 Med Gulls were on the golf course, 1 adult and a 1w. KA/GG.
10th - Early start today but not any substantial increase in southbound numbers from yesterday apart from Greenfinch at a count of 73. Other totals for flyovers S were 121 Goldfinch, 18 Chaffinch, 4 Linnets, 16 Siskins, 3 Lesser Redpoll, 7 Skylarks and 33 Swallows. 1 Grey Wagtail was seen over the carpark and 23 Brent Geese and 2 Grey Herons, all S, were noted over the sea. KA/GG Viewed from the hide late morning were 1 Dunlin, 1 Blk T Godwit, 13 Curlews, 1 Little Owl, 2 Barn Owls, 3 Stonechats and 1 Wheatear. GG
11th - Birds of note throughout the day included 3 Blk T Godwits, 1 Snipe and 4 Golden Plovers viewed from the hide. 3 Stonechats were seen near the sluice. The bushes and trees provided 5 Lesser Redpolls, 1 Blackcap, 4 Chiffchaff and 5+ Goldcrests. 26+ Swallows headed S and 1 Common Buzzard was viewed from the carpark. AD/MR/KA/PB
12th - A heavy rolling sea-mist across the site this morning failed to clear until early afternoon. The approach road trees held 3 Goldcrests amongst a good sized tit flock and a further 9+ Goldcrests and 1 Firecrest were near to the sewage farm. On the scrape were 5 Blk T Godwits, 2 Snipe and 1 Curlew. 4 Stonechats and 2 Grey Wagtails were also noted. KA/AD 21 Brent Geese S were reported mid-afternoon.
13th - A clear bright morning but not too many birds of note. 41 Goldfinch, 25+ Greenfinch and 30+ Swallows were flyovers S. Trees and thistles provided 2 Goldcrests, 3 Stonechats, and 1 Whinchat. On the scrape, numbers were at 12 Blk T Godwits and 1 of each Dunlin, Snipe and Curlew. 2 Redwings were also seen. KA/PB
14th - A brief visit gave sightings of 42 Goldfinch S, 9 Stonechats, 1 Curlew and again 2 Barn Owls. KA 30 Siskins feeding near the golf course were reported for this morning.
15th - Not much movement this morning with the following being the highlights. Flying S were 3 Swallows, 19 Greenfinch, 12 Chaffinch, 2 Goldfinch, 5 Siskins and 2 Skylarks. Over the sea 16 Sanderling and a single Gannet moved S. A distant flock of 40+ Golden Plovers were seen when flushed and finally 1 Blk T Godwit and a Snipe were on the scrape. GG. Stonechats along the seawall walk totalled 9. KA.
16th - A good southward movement this morning between 0730-0940 hrs with 398 Goldfinch, 194 Lesser Redpolls, 67 Siskins, 65 Greenfinch, 34 Chaffinch, 12 Linnets, 2 Skylarks, 1 Grey Wagtail, 2 Redwings, 5 Song Thrush and 7 Swallows noted. GG/KA. Viewed from the hide were 2 Curlew, 1 Snipe and 2 Stonechats. KA/SC.
17th - An early but brief visit this morning saw flyovers S of 5 Redpoll and 300+ Woodpigeon. 9 Siskins and 2 Redwings were noted, as were 20+ Goldcrest, 2 Chiffchaff, 3 Stonechat and 1 Blackcap. Beyond a very quiet scrape, both a Little Owl and Barn Owl were on view. KA A fem Brambling was also noted on the board.
18th - Visits from morning into early afternoon showed the scrape area to be just a little more active today with 12 Curlews, 10+ Snipe, 6 Stonechats, 40+ Goldfinch over S and a small tit flock in front of the hide. Also noted were 1 Little Egret, 1 adult Med Gull, 3 Siskins S, 10+ Redwings, 3 Goldcrest and 1 Blackcap. PL/MR/KA
19th - A bright and slightly fresh early morning yielded little in variety to note. Flyovers S included 101+ Goldfinch, 18 Greenfinch and 6 Chaffinch. The bushes and fields provided 8+ Goldcrests, 11 Stonechats and 1 Little Owl. Along the seawall 2 Wheatear followed closely by 2 Grey Wagtails came in/off. A solitary Blk T Godwit flew on to the scrape. KA
20th - With a strong and gusty SW wind playing havoc with the trees and bushes it made finding passerines almost impossible. Nothing was seen in 2 attempts at seawatching. On the scrape were 3 Blk T Godwits, 1 Snipe and 7 Curlew were in the meadow to the right of the main reed bed. KA/PB/PRD/GG.
21st - Better conditions today paid dividends, a walk along the seawall produced 12 Twite briefly (flushed by a jogger) then flew S and lost to view, 3 Bearded Tits in the reedbeds, a total of 10 Stonechats and fly overs heading S were 78 Goldfinch, 23 Lesser Redpolls, 7 Chaffinch, 17 Greenfinch , 15+ Meadow Pipits, 2 Swallows and a single House Martin. A Peregrine gave good views and just 3 Snipe being noteworthy on the scrape. GG/KA.
22nd - During a visit from 0745-0920 hrs, flyovers S included 197 Goldfinch, 2 Lesser Redpoll and 16 each of Chaffinch and Greenfinch. 2 Bearded Tits were calling and showing very well this morning, a brief sighting of a Sedge Warbler represents a late date for this species. Also noted were 3 Stonechats and on the scrape 2 Blk T Godwits. KA. Additional sightings were 2 Red breasted Mergansers flying over the car park and 18 Golden Plovers. AEC.
24th - Extremely quiet this afternoon with only 8 Stonechats and a single Grey Wagtail of note. GG.
25th - Early morning and a southward finch movement gave 171 Goldfinch, 3 Lesser Redpolls, 17 Chaffinch, 5 Greenfinch, 9 Linnet and 53 Siskins, also noted were 350+ Wood Pigeons, 1 Little Egret, 1 Grey Wagtail and a single Curlew. Along the sea wall 7 Stonechats and 20+ Meadow Pipits were seen. Good numbers of Goldcrests are still present with 20+ around the bushes. GG.
26th - A miserable wet and windy start restricted options, so seawatching with shelter from the sailing club was choosen, a ringtail Hen Harrier in off, 10 Brent Geese, 3 Turnstones S and 3 Swallows N being the only birds of note between 0645-1010hrs. As the weather eased a decision to make a move to the hide paid off with a calling Woodlark flying over our heads at the sluice,this is only the 3rd record for the site. The scrape held just 1 Blk T Godwit,14 Curlew a single Snipe.An adult Med Gull was on the sluice. GG/KA.
27th - A cool start to this mornings visit. Finch movements all S were 135 Goldfinch, 4 Greenfinch, 48 Chaffinch, 67 Lesser Redpoll, 7 Linnet and 18 Siskin. A Water Rail was heard near the golf course. GG. The scrape held 1 Snipe, while 43 Curlew and the ringtail Hen Harrier were viewed across the fields. KA.
28th - Bright but icy for this mornings stroll. A Rock Pipit was seen under the seawall but not too much else was about to note. 6 Stonechats, 13 Redwings, 5 Curlew, 1 Little Owl and heading S were 16 Goldfinch. KA.
29th - A blast from a singing Cetti's Warbler was a good start to the morning, 20+ Redwings around the carpark bushes and a single Fieldfare in off the sea. Fly overs were 24 Lesser Redpolls, 15 Siskins, 10 Chaffinch and 6 Greenfinch. On the sea were 1 GN Diver, 1 G C Grebe, 100+ Brent Geese all S, also a further diver and auk sp. Fields beyond the scrape held 42 Curlew. Also noted were 9 Stonechats, 2 Sanderlings and 6 Turnstones. GG/KA
30th - An easterly wind so seawatching was the order of the day, the following were noted between 0645-1000 hrs 3970+ Brent Geese, 2 juv Gannets, 4 R B Mergansers, 11 Shelduck, 4 R T Divers, 23 Common Scoters, 19 Wigeon, 47 Knot, 2 Curlews, 4 Oystercatchers, 14 Dunlin, 2 Sanderlings, an adult Med Gull and a Little Egret. An early afternoon visit to the farm produced a fine Firecrest with a couple of Goldcrests. Another seawatch mid-afternoon saw 2000+ Brent Geese, 3 Pochards, 3 R T Divers, 1 R B Merganser, 22 Bar T Godwits, 9 Shelduck all S and a Little Auk flew N. Fields beyond the scrape held 58 Curlew, and a Rock Pipit was on the sluice. GG/KA/PB.
