Thanks
Goldie, yes I hope I can put a name to it, most of my fungi images are nameless
It is
Andrew, it's a good spot to visit whatever your interest I think
Thanks
Wurzel, just shows there's always something to find, even on the coldest, dreariest days
16th January, Essex
Back in October I visited Two Tree Island on the edge of the Thames estuary, just over a narrow stretch of water from my WLH site, and had planned a birding trip later in the winter. That day arrived today.
Essexbuzzard had recommended I go to the western end where some scrapes and salt marsh lagoons provide safe refuges for Waders at high tide. Thankfully the tide was in when I arrived and as I approached the area I was greeted with the familiar piping calls of various waders.
Redshank were flying along the channel separating the island from the mainland
But the best sights were waiting for me in the lagoon. Waders aren’t my strong suit when it comes to birds, particularly at this time of year when many of them moult into very similar winter plumage, but I do know my Lapwing from my Avocet!
The main bulk of waders were, I think, Knot and Dunlin but there were also good numbers of Ringed Plover and a smattering of Grey Plover dotted around.
![IMG_0070.JPG (2.65 MiB) Viewed 841 times Pale grey Knot at the rear with slightly smaller, browner Dunlin, closer. at the bottom are four Ringed Plover and a single Grey Plover](./files/thumb_13753_e2eef6692e9b0370fd8a71284fa15159)
- Pale grey Knot at the rear with slightly smaller, browner Dunlin, closer. at the bottom are four Ringed Plover and a single Grey Plover
![IMG_0063.JPG (2.85 MiB) Viewed 841 times Ringed Plover to the right.](./files/thumb_13753_9a23d6479f06c2ddfa9767962cc7b0f0)
- Ringed Plover to the right.
A few Avocet were feeding close to the hide but the main bulk of around thirty were at the other end of the lagoon.
![IMG_0094.JPG (2 MiB) Viewed 841 times Avocet at the rear with a pair of Shelduck, more Ringed Plover and and Oystercatcher having a stretch on the mudflat](./files/thumb_13753_805c5f275b88451ead64e57445b201e8)
- Avocet at the rear with a pair of Shelduck, more Ringed Plover and and Oystercatcher having a stretch on the mudflat
Black-tailed Godwit, Oystercatcher, the odd Curlew were lurking in amongst the more numerous species
![IMG_0087.JPG (1.33 MiB) Viewed 841 times Avocet, Lapwing & Oystercatcher](./files/thumb_13753_c62d6bbc943e0412776b5eec34225f06)
- Avocet, Lapwing & Oystercatcher
![IMG_0106.JPG (1.98 MiB) Viewed 841 times Curlew & Grey Plover](./files/thumb_13753_a09db7d38efce36b07b86bdef9cc7c9a)
- Curlew & Grey Plover
![IMG_0075.JPG (1.5 MiB) Viewed 841 times Black-tailed Godwit and Avocet](./files/thumb_13753_32581b2b192d35af47334c00d6b04315)
- Black-tailed Godwit and Avocet
In the middle of the lagoon were what I think were a couple of Greenshank, sharing their little Island with a small flock of Turnstone.
![IMG_0089.JPG (740.93 KiB) Viewed 841 times Greenshank (I think) and if you look VERY closely on this VERY heavily cropped image you might just see the hint of a Turnstone or two!](./files/thumb_13753_3298eed4856f71f17700444af67c2844)
- Greenshank (I think) and if you look VERY closely on this VERY heavily cropped image you might just see the hint of a Turnstone or two!
A couple of Snipe were also visible making a total of 13 species of Wader, not too shabby and well worth the bracing icy breeze that was blowing in my face for most of the day!
![IMG_0100.JPG (864.2 KiB) Viewed 841 times Spot the Snipe (there's 2)](./files/thumb_13753_329d00baf8910c9e7a546d9a475d1392)
- Spot the Snipe (there's 2)
Wandering further around I found the bulk of the local Curlews, preferring to sit out the high tide on the salt marsh vegetation and further out in the estuary, out of camera range, were a few Brent Geese.
I did go and see if I could find some WLH eggs in the afternoon but the vast majority of the elm is fairly mature sucker growth defended by bramble thickets and so out of reach. Can't wait for spring to arrive but days out like these do help make the winter pass a little bit easier
![Smile :)](./images/smilies/icon_smile.gif)