Chiltern Birder

I took a trip down to Leigh on Sea yesterday. Timing was based on weather and personal committments and, as usual, I ended up being there at the wrong state of the tide. I parked at Two Tree Island and saw teal resting on the creek bank as well as the usual redshank and a few gulls. Walking down to the old town there were quite a few redshank around but I didn't see or hear any other waders, they were probably at the water's edge on the other side of the Leigh Sand. The first thing that struck me was the absence of turnstones around the cockle sheds. These have been a feature of this location for many years. Unlike my last couple of visits there were no egrets in Leigh Creek either. On the mud there were plenty of gulls, black headed, herring and both lesser and greater black backed. There were no brent geese visible on the mud and talking to locals I was told that they had all left. However, walking towards Chalkwell I saw two parties on the foreshore. Luch of course meant

It still feels like autumn rather than winter here but some of the garden plants seem to think that it is spring already. I am getting good custom for the sunflower seeds although the fat balls seem less popular than in previous years. I am putting off the day when I refill the starling feeder until I see more fat taken from the other feeder. In the garden we are seeing the usual blue and great tits as well as the occasional coal tit although we haven't had any parties of long tailed tits for a while. Among the finches the goldfinches and chaffinches are regulars but the bullfinches haven't been seen for a while. Of the other birds that come to the feeder the nuthatch seems to have gone away with the long tailed tits while we haven't had any woodpeckers for a while. One bright spot is a blackcap which seems to have decided to over winter in the mild weather. Down at ground level I have seen squirrels and mice on the feeding tray as well as birds. The wren hasn't bee