Seymour Birdies Diary: A Morning at Old Hall Marshes

4th November 2022

I love the Essex marshes and Old Hall is one of my favourites. I used to walk the long circuit but now confine myself to the short circuit with its fabulous views over Salcott Channel, Tollesbury Fleet and the various meres and marshes. Here is a view across Salcott Channel at high tide.

The main problem from a photography perspective is that most birds are distant, but due the disturbance caused by the various birds of prey about there are usually many opportunities for some in-flight shots. When I said the birds were distant that didn't of course apply to the Little Egrets which are reasonably confiding. This one was happy until I walked along the bank causing it to fly just a few yards to another spit where it carried on fishing.

As the tide went out a few waders ventured a little closer on this side of Salcott Channel like this Redshank.

This one was colour-ringed.

The only other bird that came closer was this Grey Plover.

The waterfowl that had gathered at the high tide roost were dominated by Teal, Wigeon and Brent Geese, which were spooked on a number of occasions by a Red Kite that was drifting over the marsh.

This caused a great deal of panic and the Teal and Wigeon took off in large flocks. How on earth they don't collide with one another is a mystery.

Even the waders took to the air including these Redshank and Grey Plover.

Don't you just love the black armpits of the Grey Plover?

There were quite a few Black-tailed Godwits present but were a long way away on the other side of the channel. Here are a couple fleeing the Red Kite with a Golden Plover escort.

In fact the hundred or so Golden Plovers present were the stars of the show with their flashes of white and gold as they twisted and turned in the sun.