the only noteworthy birds seen for the next 20 minutes or so, as we made our way west and upstream along the river path fighting against another snow shower and the raw wind. Three Great Crested Grebes provided some interest and we soon found six Red Breasted Mergansers loafing in mid river. We noted one or two male Blackbirds taking flight from around the tideline suggesting these were passage migrants brought down during the cold weather. This area of Essex is well known for wintering Brent Geese so it was not surprising to find quite a few feeding in the margins. Several waders were located, albeit in low numbers, including Redshank, Dunlin, Grey Plover and Turnstone. Both Wigeon and Teal were noted with a couple of sightings of Marsh Harrier. In the distance on
the opposite bank at least a hundred Avocets were roosting. A sizeable flock of Brent Geese were located feeding on an inland field as we reached the end of our walk and returned, retracing our steps. Four Reed Buntings, Meadow Pipit and a female Stonechat made up the rest of the sightings as we completed the walk. The group enjoyed some most welcome hot drinks and rolls in the café at the end of the morning’s walk to thaw out. After lunch the remaining members headed off to explore Holland Haven. We were unable to take advantage of the viewpoint for a seawatch, however, as it was too windy, so we ensconced ourselves in the vandal-proof container hide to enjoy the over-wintering ducks and geese.
Apology Due to an editorial mishap, some photographs in Dr Michael Bamford’s magnificent ‘South Atlantic Odyssey’ became separated from their original labels at an early stage and were unfortunately not reunited in print until now. The Greyheaded and Wandering Albatross labels were reversed and the passerine titled ‘Broad-billed Prion’ certainly wasn’t a prion, but rather a Wilkin’s Finch.
Wilkins’s Finch
My apologies go to Dr Bamford and readers of the Harrier, and my thanks and a pint to Ashley Gooding for being the first (of many) to point out my error, within minutes of publication.
Grey-headed Albatross
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THE HAR R I ER – S p ring 2 0 1 7
Wandering Albatross
Photos: Michael Bamford
The photographs with their (hopefully) correct labels are here.
