A Couple of Hours in Monty's Lookout

17th December 2023

Time for another trip to Two Tree Island to view the high tide roost. Today there was nothing either side of the slipway but I did manage to find a rather splendid Common Gull in the car park. 

So now on to the hide overlooking the lagoon tucked in behind the sea wall. Several years ago the wooden hide was burned down but has now been replaced by an all-metal structure that will hopefully resist the attentions of would-be vandals. The hide is superb but not quite sure about the choice of colour scheme for a hide on a nature reserve.

Still a couple of hours before high tide so vitually no waders in yet, just a few Teal and Wigeon.

The only waders that were present were a few Black-tailed Godwits, Grey Plovers, Redshanks and Avocets.

There was one pair of Avocets in particular that seemed to be keeping fairly close to each other and then started a preening ritual, and one thing................

..................led to another.

It might only be mid-December but this pair of Avocets were not waiting for spring!!!

The tide was now well on its way in and waders were starting to leave the mud on the estuary and trickle in to the lagoon. The first to arrive were a few small flocks of Dunlins................

..........................followed by Ringed Plovers......................

.........................and some Knot.

What I did manage to find was a lone Sanderling which was a bit of a surprise as although Sanderlings are very common on the coast of Essex, this is the first one I have ever seen at Two Tree Island.

And then more birds started to arrive, mainly Dunlin, Ringed Plover and Knot.

And then the flood gates opened and the whole lagoon was a blur of wheeling waders.

And then the action ended as abruptly as it started and the birds settled down for their high tide roost, with just about every island packed with birds.

What an amazing sight!!!!!

More visits on the cards methinks.