Canvey Point and Two Tree Island

July 26th


Canvey Point



Although not ideal conditions for river watching, mud showing, blazing sunshine and a low but rising tide I had timed the visit in the morning in the hope of getting a half decent photo of a Little Tern.As it turned out the glare from the sun was side on so I don't think they would have been ideal anyway.

Sod’s Law and the best laid plans, I never even saw a Little Tern let alone photographed one but nonetheless it was still a very enjoyable visit with some good birds seen.

With plenty of mud showing I was hoping that I might pick up some early returning waders and perhaps a Sarnie or 2.

In a couple of hours the following was seen.

Common Tern – 17 resting up on the mud
Sandwich Tern - 5 minimum on the mud but possibly more as there was a lot of coming and going
Turnstone - 2 on the rocks
Dunlin – initially with the Turnstones
Bar Tailed Godwit – 5 including 2 full summers
Black Tailed Godwit – 8 all summered up
Grey Plover – 1 distant bird first of the 2nd winter period for me
Whimbrel – 4 seen on the mud
Marsh Harrier – Kent to Essex bird getting the treatment from the Gulls

Turnstone

Sandwich Tern

A good selection of waders and a good start to the morning, from here I made my way to 

Two Tree Island


By now with high tide fast approaching some waders were seen well before I got to the hide, Curlew and in particular Redshank were on the move in good numbers, by now also it was very hot.
Arriving at the hide showed surprisingly high numbers for this time of year of Black Tailed Godwit and Redshank, both species were still coming in as I started to go through them.

In the end over an hour period the following was seen.

Greenshank – 5 likely more, these were the ones that were on show
Black Tailed Godwit – 450 – if anything an undercount
Redshank – 345 including many juveniles, as with the Godwits likely more in unseen areas
Avocet – 14
Oystercatcher – 6
Sanderling – 1 distant first of the winter period bird

Blackwits dropping in

Distant Blackwits with Sanderling just about viewable on the spit

I also had 2 colour ringed Black Tailed Godwits - the first was left leg – orange over yellow, right leg pink over orange with the 2nd bird only showing the left leg – blue over orange.

A good morning.