Steve_Halstead
Sparrow or Crow?
Is there no Colchester bus route?
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Essex Birding (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Essex Tern
- Start date
Is there no Colchester bus route?
vangerover
Well-known member
Thanks for showing me around, some great birds, pity we never got to see a Marsh Tit though. Definitely Coal Tits and RLP and don't forget the Grey Heron!
Terry
Linfordbirder
Well-known member
Kent today - wife wanted to see a Hoopoe .... and just had to deliver! Cracking bird well worth the trip over the bridge and not far too.
Then Elmley Marshes - Reserve looking great and a photography delight .... for those who can take decent shots! Closest thing we have to a safari drive, as you can use your car as a hide along the 3.5 mile track. Nice chat to Gareth son in law of the owner too.
Then Elmley Marshes - Reserve looking great and a photography delight .... for those who can take decent shots! Closest thing we have to a safari drive, as you can use your car as a hide along the 3.5 mile track. Nice chat to Gareth son in law of the owner too.
Steve Arlow
Well-known member
Sharp Shin
Stewart Belfield
I do like the photo of the drake Red-crested Pochard. Wildfowl pictures can often appear dull and pretty lifeless, but you've managed to captured some character in this bird.
I was at Abberton late morning today and the number of Black-necked Grebes has swollen from two to six! With the additional presence of two Slavonian Grebes, there's quite a Grebe-fest happening in Hide Bay. (However, unlike previous sightings of the pair of Black-necked Grebes where there was clarity in the air and the sun was glinted in their red eyes, today it was quite hazy there.)
Stewart
Is there anywhere to view Hide Bay from after hours these days? Thinking about popping over to Abberton when I get home but I've honestly hardly ever done that part of the reserve since the old centre was knocked down.
I spent an hour or so looking/listening for marsh tit in Brookes Wood yesterday, but apart from one brief snatch of song that was probably a marsh, didn't get any. One, poss two LSWs, bullfinch and loads of yellowhammers in the surrounding fields made up for it though.
Sharp Shin
Stewart Belfield
As Neil says, you can probably get a view from the Church at the top of the hill. I noticed that there is now a footpath that seems to connect the Church to the gates of the Visitor's Centre, and that skirts Hide Bay.
This said, it would probably be worthwhile discovering the weather conditions. I as said in my earlier post, it was very hazy looking over the water at Abberton today. Similar conditions, would give poor views from any sort of distance. Not sure what caused the haze today, but the couple of showers we had here in Colchester brought deposits of Saharan sand.
Stewart
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Thanks both. Went to Abberton last night bit didn't end up looking for a view of hide bay. Not much from LB causeway but had a great male merlin perched up at the south end of LDLH causeway. Female stonechat on a hedge at the corner of Layer Rd and Layer Breton Hill and about 30 goldeneye between the CWs but not a lot else as it got dark.
Also had a female ring ouzel in Kelvedon this morning, in the long grass/scrub north of the railway between the Church Road footbridge and the station warehouse. Heard calling then seen in flight when chased off SW by two blackbirds - nice bird for a Tuesday morning. Might still be around, will look later and tomorrow morning.
Also had a female ring ouzel in Kelvedon this morning, in the long grass/scrub north of the railway between the Church Road footbridge and the station warehouse. Heard calling then seen in flight when chased off SW by two blackbirds - nice bird for a Tuesday morning. Might still be around, will look later and tomorrow morning.
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Linfordbirder
Well-known member
I'm personally convinced it was an American Wigeon, and I had one confirmed that I picked one out of a flock of several hundred wigeon on the Moray Firth last November. No one else picked it up at Abberton tho and a couple of locals were informed. Didn't manage to get a conclusive photo unfortunately.
Interestingly one was reported in Cambridgeshire the following day.
The sniper
Well-known member
I don't think Steve ever reported it as a definate,just that he thought it was an AW
Surely picking up an American Wigeon from a flock,whether it is known to be there or not shows that the individual concerned can id the species if seen again??
Surely picking up an American Wigeon from a flock,whether it is known to be there or not shows that the individual concerned can id the species if seen again??
Linfordbirder
Well-known member
Didn't know it had!
The flank colouration was not consistent enough to rule out hybridization IMO hence the report was 'possible' and details were sent to others who would be better able to confirm before further reporting.
I did get some photos but they were out of focus.
Sharp Shin
Stewart Belfield
A Winter Summary
With three months of the year gone and spring in the air, it might be timely to reflect on the winter’s birds in Essex. There was evidence that the milder weather had a strong impact on winter visitors. Here’s a quick round-up. (Information gleaned largely from EBwS and personal knowledge. I haven’t done much to consult other information sources, such as SOG website or Holland Haven website, so there will be omissions in this summary.)
Perhaps the most notable absent bird was Waxwing. In the previous two years, they seemed to pop up in shopping centres and gardens all over Essex. This year, the only report was of a brief visit of six to Colchester at the very start of the year. Great Grey Shrike had also put in appearances in previous years, but not this year. Reports of Crossbill (Common, Parrot or Two-barred) were also negative. No Long-eared Owls were reported (though there may well be roosts which understandably weren’t reported). There was only one report of Lapland Bunting (fly-over at Wigboro Farm at the end of Jan) and one (perhaps two) reports of Shore Lark (Bradwell and near Dovercourt).
As for Anatidae (Ducks, Geese and Swans), there were notable absences of Whooper Swans, Bean Geese, and Pink-footed Geese. The only apparently rare geese around were two highly suspect Red-breasted Geese at the Naze (in the dodgy company of Greylags and even an Emperor Goose!) and the Snow Goose at Vange (in similar suspect company) - all untickable and destined for Category E. Rarer Teal – Green-winged or Blue-winged – were also absent.
If there were absences in some families, other families turned out in numbers. It was a good winter for the three species of Diver and all the Grebes (especially in the north of the county). Birders in the south had good opportunities to see Iceland Gull (though this never ended up on the EBwS sightings database?), Spoonbill and Short-eared Owl (though this also appeared to be in smaller numbers across the county this winter).
Of course, the second winter period might be very different and provide a second chance to catch up with those species absent in the first period. Now, bring on the Spring migration in full.
Stewart
With three months of the year gone and spring in the air, it might be timely to reflect on the winter’s birds in Essex. There was evidence that the milder weather had a strong impact on winter visitors. Here’s a quick round-up. (Information gleaned largely from EBwS and personal knowledge. I haven’t done much to consult other information sources, such as SOG website or Holland Haven website, so there will be omissions in this summary.)
Perhaps the most notable absent bird was Waxwing. In the previous two years, they seemed to pop up in shopping centres and gardens all over Essex. This year, the only report was of a brief visit of six to Colchester at the very start of the year. Great Grey Shrike had also put in appearances in previous years, but not this year. Reports of Crossbill (Common, Parrot or Two-barred) were also negative. No Long-eared Owls were reported (though there may well be roosts which understandably weren’t reported). There was only one report of Lapland Bunting (fly-over at Wigboro Farm at the end of Jan) and one (perhaps two) reports of Shore Lark (Bradwell and near Dovercourt).
As for Anatidae (Ducks, Geese and Swans), there were notable absences of Whooper Swans, Bean Geese, and Pink-footed Geese. The only apparently rare geese around were two highly suspect Red-breasted Geese at the Naze (in the dodgy company of Greylags and even an Emperor Goose!) and the Snow Goose at Vange (in similar suspect company) - all untickable and destined for Category E. Rarer Teal – Green-winged or Blue-winged – were also absent.
If there were absences in some families, other families turned out in numbers. It was a good winter for the three species of Diver and all the Grebes (especially in the north of the county). Birders in the south had good opportunities to see Iceland Gull (though this never ended up on the EBwS sightings database?), Spoonbill and Short-eared Owl (though this also appeared to be in smaller numbers across the county this winter).
Of course, the second winter period might be very different and provide a second chance to catch up with those species absent in the first period. Now, bring on the Spring migration in full.
Stewart
Linfordbirder
Well-known member
Excellent reflection Stewart and thanks for doing the research to this. Winter thrush numbers were also notably low in past frequented areas on my patch, although they were better represented in nearby larger woodland sites.
Surprised by this ... Is this because the report was not entered through the EBwS website. I'm pretty sure I reported it via the Essex Yahoo group which I understood to be linked to the EBwS site. I did hear of changes or issues with that linkage - Perhaps someone can clarify? I was with one of the rarities committee on one observation of the Iceland and reporting was discussed and (I understood) to be undertaken.
Best Regards,
Steve
