A Tour of South-east Essex - Part 2

29th September 2024

After a successful morning at Two Tree Island time to move a few miles along the coast to Gunners Park.A quick look at the lake produced a total of 14 Little Grebes and a high tide roost of 25 Redshanks, well down on the 100+ on my last visit five weeks ago.

Gog's Dock was unusually quiet and it wasn't until we had moved a few hundred yards to the west that we encountered our first Turnstones. There were about 12 birds present but most feeding individually making the most of the low high tide.

A lone Oystercatcher flew in and landed in front of me and was unusually tame. The brown tip to the bill, brown back and pale legs make this a juvenile so hope it is alright. It certainly looked healthy enough.

A little further along was a sizeable flock of Sanderlings, now all in their silvery-grey winter plumage.

At one point two flocks were in the air with a combined total of 100+ birds.

Then a further mile north we came to the Coastguard Lookout Station next to the MOD establishment. This private shingle beach is the high tide roost for 500+ Oystercatchers which obviously enjoy not being disturbed.

Also of interest here is the remains of the Cold War Boom running from Shoeburyness to Sheerness in Kent, a distance of 5.6 miles, except for the deep water channel which was protected by submarine nets. The boom was built in 1950-1953 to forestall access to the Thames Esuary by Soviet submarines. The boom was removed in the 1960s except for a 1.3 mile section at Shoeburyness which still remains today.

And finally on our way home a quick visit to the Purfleet Hide at Rainham Marshes. Unfortunately by now the high tide was long gone and therefore the Black-tailed Godwits and Curlews had left for the river mud, leaving just a Common Snipe. Also nice to bump into Barry Tranfield.

Well, what a fantastic day. Essex never disappoints.