April, 2012

27th April

• Merlin 1 Reedbed
• Common Sandpiper 1 Bale
• Whimbrel 10 Whole Site

• Ringed Plover 2 Eastern Quarters Spit - nesting there
• Common Tern 2 Pennyhole Bottom
• Swift 40 Grazing Marsh

24th April

• Brent Goose 50 Eastern Quarters Spit
• Pintail 1 Irongate
• Common Buzzard 1 Western end
• Stone Curlew 1 Grazing Marsh - a super find by site manager Paul Charlton. The second record for the reserve, the first being an anecdotal report from the 1930s by John Wentworth-Day.
• Spotted Redshank 6 Whole Site
• Short-eared Owl 4-7 Whole Site

Local photographer and regular at Old Hall, Peter Hewitt has been snapping away again: "one shows a Stoat looking through the fence by the stock pens at a Short eared owl - it was quite amusing. Also on the same evening I watched a Stoat chasing/following a young rabbit. It didn't seem bothered about actually catching it. When the rabbit saw me it stopped, turned round, ran and bumped into the Stoat !! They had what looked like a friendly tumble and carried on the chase / game ??"

23rd April

• Eider 3 Channels
• Reed Warbler 3 Reed Fringes
• Yellow Wagtail 1 Salcott Channel

22nd April

• Avocet 81 Irongate
• Ruff 1 Bale

21st April

• Black-tailed Godwit 231 Irongate

Ringed plovers and oystercatchers are already nesting on Eastern Quarters Spit, our saltmarsh and shingle point at the eastern end of the reserve.

This means that signs have been put up to advise people not to moor up there and come ashore which causes disturbance to these ground nesting species. A permitted landing area has also been provided, and hopefully we will eventually have some benches/picnic tables on the folding on the landward side of the sea wall for people to use here at Old Hall. Similar signs will soon be going up at all similar important sites around the estuary, in particular Essex Wildlife Trust Tollesbury Wick Marshes and Colne Point. http://www.essexwt.org.uk/visitor_centres__nature_reserves/ 

We all greatly appreciate the co-operation of the sailing community in helping to protect these birds.

Meanwhile, we eagerly await the return of little terns who also use this shingle spit. They are very particular and do not have many places that they can nest, so it is important that wherever they choose, disturbance is kept to a minimum to give them the best chance of survival. We are seeking more volunteer little tern monitoring and protection assistants to help with this both at Old Hall and other areas in Essex. If you are fancy some birdwatching, rigerous note taking, exploring some of the more remote areas of local reserves, and can spare at least 2 days per month, please see the full volunteer 'job description' here: http://www.rspb.org.uk/volunteering/5649-little-tern-monitoring-and-protection-assistant

20th April

• Avocet 72 Irongate
• Common Tern 3 Pennyhole Bottom
• Short-eared Owl 2 Whole Site
• Cuckoo 1 Copse

18th April

• Ruff 7 Bale 
• Whimbrel 8 Whole Site
• Spotted Redshank 3 Whole Site

17th April

• Hen Harrier 1 Improved Fields

14th April

• Greenshank 1 Grazing Marsh

12th April

• Merlin 1 Grazing Marsh
• Common Buzzard 1 Reedbed
• Whimbrel 30 Improved Fields
• Black-tailed Godwit 58 Joyce’s Head Saltings; 203 on Irongate on 10th
• Spotted Redshank 7 Whole Site
• Short-eared Owl 4 Whole Site

11th April

• Avocet 49 Irongate - starting to hang around the island where they like to nest
• Sand Martin 1 Bale
• Willow Warbler 2 Copse/Crescent
• Sedge Warbler 20+ Reedbed

10th April

• Knot 2 Irongate 
• Ruff 10 Bale
• Long-tailed Tits being very cute in the Crescent

8th April

• Little Ringed Plover 1 Irongate
• Wheatear 1 Corral
• Yellow Wagtail 1 Grazing Marsh

 3rd April

• Swallow 1 Irongate
• Blackcap 1 Copse

5th April

• Spoonbill 1 Irongate
• Dark-bellied Brent Goose 167 Improved Fields
• Ruff 3 Bale
• Little Ringed Plover 1 Bale

4th April

• Great White Egret 1 Reedbed
• Common Buzzard 1 Reedbed
• Whimbrel 35 Tollesbury Saltings
• Mediterranean Gull 2 Whole Site
• Short-eared Owl 2 Whole Site

2nd April

• Black-tailed Godwit 166 Irongate/Salcott Channel
• Spotted Redshank 6 Whole Site
• Chiffchaff 2 Copse
• Cute baby rabbits hopping about on the viewing screen path

Intensive moth trapping to look for Sloe Carpet has continued. 7 individuals have been trapped and released so far. Fingers crossed this cold windy weather won't go on for too long!