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Hut in the Bird Group's first visit to this
National Nature Reserve. The Island is small,
and has been a Reserve since 1974. Most of
the Island is a refuse disposal area; the Reserve
part having been left, and managed as a Reserve.
The salt marsh at the eastern end of the Island,
and the surrounding mud flats are the home, during
the winter, of considerable numbers of Brent
Geese and Waders.
It was not long before we heard the calls of
Brent Geese, Redshank, and Curlew, on our way
to the sea wall. In some Elder shrubs Members
were able to see Twite and Linnets, and were very
fortunate in being able to watch them closely,
and hear their distinctive flight calls. Members
were also able to see the yellow beak of the
Twites.
The morning was misty and there had been some fog
earlier, which cleared later. According
to some counters there were over 5,000 Brent
Geese present. In fact most Members had not
seen so many Geese at the Meeting. Other birds
seen on the mud flats were Redshank, Dunlin,
Curlew, Widgeon, Pintail, Mallard, Herring Gull
and Black Headed Gull. A few Snipe were also seen
in one part of the Island, where this is the
remains of the Sewage Farm. Skylark and Meadow
Pipit were common as were flocks of Goldfinch,
Greenfinch, Linnet and Twite.
At the end of the Meeting 23 different species had
been seen. This was a well attended Meeting,
perhaps remembered for the large numbers of Brent
Geese, and numerous Twite.
Michael Parker.