RUSSET MARSHES

Rather windy on the Reeveshall seawall on Monday 24th early afternoon but at least it had stopped raining. Autumnal colours are starting to appear including on the saltmarshes. The picture above shows the wonderful red colour of all the glasswort plants, providing a colourful backdrop to the Pyefleet Channel.

Low tide along the channel meant waders were scattered thinly across the mud. On the near side the main waders were 20 grey plover, 25 redshank and 15 ringed plovers all facing westwards into the wind. One cormorant tried a bit of fishing in the shoppy waters while a handful of others watched from a nearby bank.


It was noticeable how the water level had dropped on the Reeveshall pool since my last visit a fortnight ago. However the only wader noticed here was a juvenile avocet feeding in the shallows. A group of 30 teal rose up in the air and circled around a few times, some coming back down again. A little egret was the only other bird of interest other than a few black-headed gulls.

In the big grass pastures a whimbrel was seen feeding along with 30 curlews. A stock dove was seen flying onto the fields to feed, while a group of 7 swallows passed swiftly over the fields heading westwards. The windy conditions meant no small birds were heard or seen but one kestrel hunted along the seawall, using the strong wind to help it glide along into the wind.

In the shelter behind a hedge several common darters and a southern hawker were seen as was a red admiral butterfly.

On Sunday 23rd, Andy Field walked along the Reeveshall seawall in much better conditions and heard two bearded tits as well as seeing 14 wheatears, merlin, 30 meadow pipits, yellow-legged gull, 50 knot, 70 black-tailed godwits, 30 grey plover, 3 avocet and more unusually a hornet.
Martin Cock saw 2 stonechats near the Oyster Fishery.