Two Tree Island in November

4th November 2024

Two Tree Island has a good high tide roost but the composition of the roost chnges over the winter and I suspect even from year to year. So time for a visit to see what is going on.

As we walked into Monty's Look-out the first thing we noticed was that EWT had done a grand job in cutting down the dead Hemlock stems that were starting to block the view from the hide, and now there was a panoramic uninterrupted view over the lagoon. Also the nearest islands had received a large helping of cockle shells for next year's breeding season. 

The first bird to appear was the resident Robin which peered round the corner and this photo is uncropped. There was also a couple of Goldfinches feeding on some Creeping Thistle seed heads, but the biggest surprise was a pair of Stonechats that were feeding at the water's edge right in front of the hide. These are the first Stonechats I have ever seen from the hide and would not have been photographable before the Hemlock had been removed.

Unfortunately the male was camera-shy.

The water birds were represented by a Grey Heron and several Teal. There were also Shoveler present but these were at the far end.

There is normally a couple of distant Shelduck but today there were 10+ and much closer to the hide than normal....................

.....................but the biggest difference was the number of  Wigeon. I don't recall photographing Wigeon here before, but when we arrived by the slipway there several flocks of 100+ birds flying west up Hadleigh Ray which is the stretch of water between Two Tree Island and Canvey Island. And on the lagoon there was probably 50+ birds.

Today there were eight species of wader present including the usual suspects of Lapwing and Black-tailed Godwit.

There are always a few Lapwings around but the numbers of Black-tailed Godwits seems very variable. On my visit in August there were about 1000 birds in the roost of which probably half were Black-tailed Godwits. Today there were just 10 and they were feeding, not roosting

Avocets seem to be more consistent with about 50 present during the winter months.

There are plenty of Dunlin on the estuary but relatively few roost here. A couple of large flocks arrived but flew off again after a couple of laps of the lagoon.

There is always a few Grey Plovers , but singles rather than flocks.

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Redshank are present throughout the day but their numbers are swelled considerably over high tide.

However, Ringed Plovers are absent for most of the day and only fly in for the high tide roost and normally number 100+.

Here they are joined by a few Dunlin.....................

.......................and here by one or two Knot.

In January this year there were 1000+ Knot so you can see how variable it is. And as we made our way back to the car we were escorted by a female Kestrel.

Another great day at Two Tree Island and now on to Wallasea Island for the harriers.