Twite at Wallasea Island

22nd December 2016

My third visit to Wallasea Island this winter to try for some more photos of the Hen Harriers and Short-eared Owls. We started up the eastern trail to get into position for the Hen Harriers and it was immediately noticeable that some smaller birds were moving into and around the new pools and scrapes like this Meadow Pipit.

Sadly the Hen Harriers were not on show today and I later found out that no less than four birds, the male and three ringtails, had been performing on the other side of the site by the River Roach. However, a Short-eared Owl did put in an appearance and again in the afternoon by the car park.

But the biggest surprise of the day was a flock of four Twite that were commuting from the saltmarsh to the track that runs east of the car park. They were very flighty but on one occasion settled briefly on the fence to allow a couple of photos to be take, A rare bird in Essex these days.