Page 9 - Out Birding Spring 2024

up close. These included Gadwall, Wigeon and Teal. A Li􏰀le Egret also showed nicely for us.
It was then back to where we started to retrieve cars. A last scan of the loch gave us a large group of Goosanders and a Li􏰀le Grebe.
Many thanks to the five members that travelled from all direc􏰁ons to a􏰀end the event and for the chitchat that brightened up a grey winter’s day.
Graeme
Shell Bank, Bradwell, Essex 26/11/2023
At Bradwell car park the day was chilly, but fortuitously, dry. The winter sun, low in the blue sky, cast long shadows across the fields. Nine members assembled and, following Mar􏰁n’s introduc􏰁on, we surveyed the surrounding fields spo􏰂ng a large flock of Golden Plover, Lapwing and some distant Brent Geese. A juvenile Buzzard surveyed the fields from a haystack.
We set off, through the fields, sigh􏰁ng Black-Headed Gull, Carrion Crow, Rook, Robin and Magpie. Having spo􏰀ed large flocks of indis􏰁nguishable birds in flight we headed for the sea wall. There, overlooking the sal􏰁ngs, were flocks of Oystercatcher, Grey Plover, Knot, Turnstone and Dunlin, the many thousand individuals appearing as sin- gle moving grey-brown blocks. Do􏰀ed on the sal􏰁ngs were groups of Curlew, and solitary Li􏰀le Egrets, overflown by occasional Cormorants. In the distance, offshore, were Great Crested Grebe.
Clearly feeling le􏰃 out, a Kestrel spent fi􏰃een minutes perched in a tree just yards from our group, allowing clear views of the ruffed-up feathers trap-
ping as much heat as possible. Leaving the sea wall, we explored
the unique chapel of St Peter-on-the-Wall, ins􏰁tuted by St Cedd in
CE654, using stone from the ruined Othona Roman Fort.
Back on the sea wall we walked a li􏰀le way north adding to our list:
Great Black-Backed Gull, Dunnock, Woodpigeon, Great Spo􏰀ed Woodpecker, Redshank, Herring Gull and Ce􏰂’s Warbler (heard). In the distance a babbling filled the sky, increasing in volume as massive skeins of Brent Geese hove into view landing just off the coast with magnificent coordina􏰁on.
Kestrel: Mar􏰁n
We were joined by Anthony from the Essex Birdwatching Society. Greg had kindly arranged for Anthony to offer insights, based on his 60 years’ experience, of bird- ringing. In the Bradwell Bird Observatory, Anthony proved to be a splendid raconteur, able to draw on a substan􏰁al knowledge base.
We made our way to the Othona Community who had offered Mar􏰁n a room where we could thaw out and eat lunch. Opening the door into the warm refectory was a joy and we remain grateful to the Community for extending such a kindly welcome to us. Leaving Othona, we walked north along the sea wall. Here we were treated to more
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