17th January 2020 - Coalhouse Fort, Essex and Bewl Water

Highlights today from a sunny but blustery Coalhouse Fort included the 2 Twite still associating with the Linnet flock in their usual favoured area whilst 2 Brambling passed overhead nearby. Also a Sparrowhawk flew over the gravel workings (my first of the year) and also a male Peregrine over the mudflats was a nice surprise, not a species I see here often. The mudflats were quiet today but not surprising given the tide was going out although 48 Ringed Plover and 10 Oystercatcher was a good site count.

On the way home I had a brief stop at Bewl Water and found the Black-throated Diver without too much difficulty. It was covering quite a large distance between the dam and Beauman's Point but always stayed quite close to the bank and when located it showed very well and at times down to c30m. My photo certainly doesn't do the bird any justice and I'm pretty gutted I didn't have my camera with me. I have recently upgraded my iPhone to the latest one and I find that for phonescoping it is rubbish! Also noted here were c20 Great Crested Grebe, 16 Coot and an Egyptian Goose whilst the surrounding woodland held c20 Redwing, a Nuthatch and a Treecreeper. Also on offer was an impressive gull roost which I would estimate at c2500 birds mostly comprised of Common Gull. 

Black-throated Diver, Bewl Water, East Sussex