Snow Buntings at Landguard Point

24th January 2026

Four Snow Buntings were reported on the back beach at Landguard Point on the 2nd January, and three have been present ever since so time for a visit. I normally come to Landguard in the spring and autumn for migrants so it was a bit odd to walk across the greensward with just a couple of Blackbirds, two Robins and a calling Dunnock. Not even a single Linnet or pipit, although I did eventually find a pair of Pied Wagtails.

I did have a quick look at the jetty just in case the Purple Sandpiper was present but no luck, just a couple of Ringed Plovers.

So where are the three Snow Buntings? Well, the back beach is very long stretching from the cafe to the jetty and is very wide in places. This is not helped by the fact that Snow Buntings are very well camouflaged against gravel and tide wrack, and will not fly until you almost tread on them. In these circumstances it is recommended to switch from bird-watching mode to people-watching mode, and I soon spotted three photographers lying on their fronts on the beach pointing their cameras at something just 10 yards away. That's the spot!!!

I made my way carefully over there and started clicking away. Of the three birds present two were females and one a male. The females are generally duller and have darker heads and brown on the flanks.

Males, however, have much paler heads, are pure white underneath apart from a narrow breast band, and have pure white flanks.

WOW, what a great way to spend an hour and now on to Mistley for the high tide roost.

A Close Encounter With a Marsh Harrier

20th January 2026

As I said in my previous post the view from Robbie's Hide at Fingringhoe Wick was fairly quiet with very few waders on the mud with the entertainment being provided by the dozen or so Shelduck feeding close in to the shore.

I was clicking away when they suddenly stopped feeding, straightened their necks, and started to walk away from the shore. What was going on? My first thoughts was a Fox emerging from cover and walking out onto the shore so I looked round and saw the culprit, not a Fox but a stunning male Marsh Harrier just 30 yards to the left of the hide. Just how good is that?

Luckily my settings were about right and I started taking shots on rapid fire as it flew lazily along the shore in front of the hide, staring down at the ground as it went. Couldn't believe my luck.

Here is the full sequence.

It eventually came very close, but I don't think it saw me!!!!

Why can't it always be like this?

High Tide at Fingringhoe Wick

20th January 2026

Half way through January now so time for a visit to Fingringhoe to see how the high tide roost is developing , but first a quick look at Robbie's Hide. The tide was still a fair way out but remarkably very few waders on the mud, so little for the tide to eventually push in closer to the hide. In fact most of the waders, a fairly substantial flock were on the other side of the River Colne at the mouth of Alresford Creek.

The main interest here today were the dozen or so Shelducks feeding quite close to the shore.

At that point a tug chugged upstream and surprisingly put up all the Shelduck...............

.....................and some Brent Geese.

Now on to Margaret's Hide overlooking the inter-tidal area. There was a strong wind today so the tide was higher than predicted and the water was already starting to come in and cover the mud and had attracted a pair of Mute Swans............................

.........................and a few Ringed Plovers had already claimed their small island.

Also Redshanks are often one of the first species to fly in, but not in large numbers.

Grey Plovers usually keep to the back of the lagoon and are often heard rather than seen, but some stray a little closer like this one in flight. Notice the black armpits.

Lapwings are never far away and are very easily spooked and provide some great opportunites for flight shots.

And then the large flocks start arriving, today being mainly Dunlin, although a Grey Plover slipped into the first photo.

What a spectacle!!!!

Then as more and more birds poured in they started taken up their positions on their preferred islands and as you can see there were nine species of wader present - Avocet, Ringed Plover, Grey Plover, Lapwing, Dunlin, Turnstone, Knot, Redshank and Oystercatcher.

But the stars of the show today were the 400+ Avocets that were on the lagoon and put on a flying display every time they were disturbed. Enjoy!!!

Well, what a great way to spend a couple of hours, and today also produced a wonderful surprise so...............

                                                         WATCH THIS SPACE!!!!!