Wallasea Island - 15th November 2023

My first ever visit to this relatively new RSPB reserve in Essex. It is a huge site and soil was shipped in to help create the intertidal habitat from the Crossrail project. It was a sunny day but fairly windy. First stop was up on the sea wall and the view across to Burnham on Crouch.

There were quite a few waders, all distant that included Redshank, Grey and Golden Plover, Curlew, Turnstone and Dunlin. Also quite a few Shelduck and Brent Geese which flew close in.

The sea wall gave us views of Reed Buntings and Stonechat as well as Marsh Harriers and a single Cattle Egret. It was then into the centre of the reserve where we had views of two ringtail Hen Harriers but always too far away for shots. Greenshank was added to the day list and as high tide passed Black-Tailed Godwits started to head out to feed.

Golden Plovers joined in the exodus.

One of the main attractions, especially this year are Short Eared Owls. There have been reports of eight birds, though a regular informed us there are probably 13 in the area. In previous years they have been mostly in the same area, but this time they were more widely spread. We saw three or four birds, but again they were fairly distant so not the best selection of images, but just amazing to watch them!

Always beautiful birds to watch as the light fades and we saw one more in a field on the way out of the reserve. Looking forward to another visit.