• Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.

    Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Essex Birding (1 Viewer)

Our regular mob are: Wood Pigeon, Collared Dove, Feral Pigeon, Magpie, Blackbird, Starling, House Sparrow, Goldfinch, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Dunnock, Great Tit, Blue Tit, and that's it, with flyover gulls and Crows as we are close to the beach. Had a Robin for a while but not for a few months, and a Sparrowhawk once last year. Only been in this house since last October, so hope the flyovers at least will increase, but having had this Turtle Dove, who knows what else might drop in for a snack?
 
Does anyone know anything with regards to the Alpine Swift that was seen in Braintree last night?

Thanks in advance

Andrew.

" Briefly among common swifts drifting north from my garden. Clearly much larger than common and white belly very obvious" David Porter

via EBWS site
 
" Briefly among common swifts drifting north from my garden. Clearly much larger than common and white belly very obvious" David Porter

via EBWS site

OK, that's my birding strategy for the rest of the summer: lay back on the sun-lounger; binoculars ready at one side; a cool frothy drink ready at the other side; and watch the swifts in the sky over the garden. Tried it today, but no luck; though large periods of time seem blank!

Stewart
 
Beeleigh Weir, Maldon on lunch break. Red Kite, Buzzard, Kingfisher, Common Tern, Little Egret, Cygnets and Ducklings but no Short-toed Eagle
 
We reckon that the Bradwell and Bluehouse Short-toed Eagle were the same bird. The Bradwell bird flew SSW which would have taken it over Blue House. It then flew in the direction of Hockley over SOG airspace. When the eagle appeared, it as a fantastic ten minutes until it disappeared from sight!
 
We reckon that the Bradwell and Bluehouse Short-toed Eagle were the same bird. The Bradwell bird flew SSW which would have taken it over Blue House. It then flew in the direction of Hockley over SOG airspace. When the eagle appeared, it as a fantastic ten minutes until it disappeared from sight!

That must have been a heart-stopping moment when you first realised what you were looking at. Well done Terry. A first record for Essex!

Was the consensus that the bird had come in off the sea?

Stewart
 
We were alerted by the gulls making an almighty din. The original call was for an Osprey but once the others got on it, it was immediately recognised as a Short-toed Eagle. It was low down over the shingle bank looking out from Obs. But once the Herring Gulls and a pair of Peregrine started attacking, it went higher and higher and higher. I had never seen one before but the regulars had seen STE many times in Europe, Africa and Asia. I was struck by the dark hood and the white underparts.

I wasn't sure where it came from, it was suddenly there! It went so high, the scopes were almost vertical, then it was immediately over the Obs and free of mobbing birds it drifted off SSW. Observers were marvelling at the bird, there was no thought of a camera. Someone said "put the news out" and there was more than one call of "I'm not taking my eyes of this bird!"

When we lost it we put the news out to various bird agencies and friends. One Obs. regular was at Bluehouse Fm and saw the STE fly over followed by a Common Buzzard which was much smaller in comparison. A detailed description has been produced for scrutiny. However, as has been said on another forum, we know what we saw. I never thought I'd see such a magnificent bird.

best wishes
Terry
 
It's not dead, it's June. Nothing is moving and we're left with the residents/breeders, most of which are spread thin these days.

For what it's worth, (and making an assumption about what you mean by "totally dead"), perhaps change your expectations about what constitutes a good day birding in June?

I spent a happy couple of hours last weekend surrounded by corn bunts, yellowhammers, linnets, yellow wagtails and skylarks, with a little owl for good measure, at a patch of farmland way inland. I suppose in other months, 10 corn buntings wouldn't make a good birding trip. But in June, corn bunts singing and carrying food is an excellent day out, made all the better in a bittersweet way by the knowlege that in our lifetimes they just won't be there. So enjoy them while they are, along with all the rest, before the county really is "totally dead".
 
Is it me or is Essex totally dead at the moment?

I think James's comments are sound, but you're right that it is quiet in terms of rarities. June can turn up some very good birds, but in recent Birdguide reports, Essex is often lacking any reports. Of course, the exception was the recent arrival of a Short-toed Eagle. As I didn't have the good fortune of Terry to see the bird over Bradwell, I had to undertake a rare venture out of Essex today to see this (or probably another) bird in E Sussex at Ashdown Forest. A fairly long trip, but wow was it worth it: long views of the Eagle hanging on the breeze looking for snakes below. So Tom, be patient for the rest of the month, then we'll soon be in the period to look for returning waders.

Stewart
 
Its that time of year when birders tend to move to Butterflies, Moths and Dragonflies for their summer entertainment. June to Mid July has always been pretty quiet in general in the UK for migrants so the hope is that there will be a wayward ultra mega appearing late, the Short-toed Eagle, yesterdays Bridled Tern on Fair Isle, The Scops Owl on Orkney recently. Past mid June mega's have been outrageous, especially in the Northern Isle, but overall Essex will miss out on the best of the rares. Mid July onwards will start to see the return of the migrant waders, terns and gulls to the reservoirs and tidal wetlands.

Of butterfly interest Heath Fritillaries are out in Belfairs, Hockley and Starvelarks Woods (near Southend), White-letter and Purple Hairstreaks on Benfleet Downs, White Admiral in Belfairs and Silver-washed Fritillary reported on Benfleet Downs and in Belfairs Woods. There was also a Deaths Head Hawk Moth caught at Rainham Marshes today.......

There will be a moth trapping session on Two Tree Island on Friday 27th June by the wardens hut and with multiple hawk moth species on the wing right now hopes are high for some of these being caught.

From my own birding at the weekend could muster Buzzard, Peregrine, Marsh Harrier being the best at Bowers Marsh along with 3 Little Ringed Plovers.
 
Yeah I understand. It's just only being free at the weekends and being restricted to the distance I can go, a quiet day birding can be slightly disappointing. All part of the experience though. At least with a new lens and a new camera on the way my pictures should improve a bit ;)
 
Curlew passage is underway offshore already, with an early whimbrel on Tuesday but totally agree that another month before variety increases! Gives me a chance to catch up on EBR2012 writing ;0)
 
... sometimes, it's good to take a trip a little further afield. Had the privilege of a 1st summer Ross's Gull down in Devon with a bonus 1st summer Bonaparte's a few weeks ago on a twitch with a friend.

Today I took an hours drive down to Sussex Ashdown Forest and had great views of the ST Eagle. Has a very light head, so almost certainly a different bird to the recent Essex sighting - keep looking up!. Wood lark and honey buzzard showed up too.

High Tide Count at RSPB Stanford wharf this evening - male and female cuckoos still about.

Steve
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top