14
Even on Sunday, September 24th at East Tilbury,
the river was like a millpond, we still saw
some good birds. Scant yards from Coalhouse
Fort car park we saw a Chiffchaff in one bush,
a Willow Warbler in another, a Goldcrest and a
Garden Warbler in yet another bush, 2 Wheatears
along the sea-wall, 2 Little Stints on the
lagoons, picked out from a large number of
Ringed Plover.
On the river we saw 2 Arctic Skuas, 1 Pomerine
Skua, about 10 Common Terns, 60 Greylags, 15
Canadas, 4 Pintails, 3 Teals, lots of Mallard
and Shelduck, 2 Black-Tailed Godwits, 7 Bar-
Tailed Godwits, lots of Dunlin and Redshank, a
Grey Wagtail, 2 Stonechats, 2 Common Sandpiper,
1 Green Sandpiper, and this day - just the
morning, mark you - we saw 56 species.
In the winter we have sometimes Merlin,
Short—Eared Owl, Hen Harriers, Marsh Harriers,
Sparrowhawks (seen lately), and the occasional
Peregrine drops in and scares everything in
sight! Lapland and Snow Buntings are about in
colder weather.
Once your mornings birding is done, then you
may return to the village local - "The Ship" —
where mine host Bill Byford makes birders
welcome with a reasonably priced meal and
coffee or something stronger. Look up the
Autumn Tides for 1990, listen to the weather
forecast for easterly gales, come to East
Tilbury. You won't be disappointed.
BOB TOMLINSON