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Essex Birding (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Essex Tern
- Start date
a_j_steele
Well-known member
Visting family in essex today so my first visit to Bowers Marsh had 2 Stonechats, 1 Whinchat, 1 Golden Plover, 3 Green Sandpipers in with the big numbers of Godwits, Avocets and Redshanks plus a couple of Watervoles and with good views of 2 male Kestrels as there were having a few scraps a good day out
Last edited:
Steve_Halstead
Sparrow or Crow?
Tom, are you doing abberton saturday for the migration flyover day?
Anyone else?
Anyone else?
Steve Arlow
Well-known member
Further local goodies being see.
Wryneck yesterday in Gunners Park in the morning was relocated in the reserve in the NE corner in the evening. Also several Redstarts and Whinchats there. Perhaps just as rare as the Wryneck was a Tree Sparrow found by Wryneck searchers.
+ Curlew Sandpipers on Canvey Point along with a couple of Little Stints over past few days and several Black Terns in the river.
My own highlight, bettering the Wryneck was a couple of juvenile Hobbies in Bowers over the weekend that showed down to mere feet, awesome.
Wryneck yesterday in Gunners Park in the morning was relocated in the reserve in the NE corner in the evening. Also several Redstarts and Whinchats there. Perhaps just as rare as the Wryneck was a Tree Sparrow found by Wryneck searchers.
+ Curlew Sandpipers on Canvey Point along with a couple of Little Stints over past few days and several Black Terns in the river.
My own highlight, bettering the Wryneck was a couple of juvenile Hobbies in Bowers over the weekend that showed down to mere feet, awesome.
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Steve Arlow
Well-known member
The Gunners Park Wryneck has been seen again this morning in the NE corner of the reserve, thats third day now its been present. Still seems extremely elusive though showing well occasionally. Also the Redstart still there
That is a great picture!
Steve Arlow
Well-known member
The Wryneck continues in Gunners Park with good views this evening in and off for around an hour or so. Bird favours the NE corner of the reserve. Also in the park today were two Pied Flys at the old tennis courts with 2 Spotflys there with another by the Wryneck.
A curlew Sandpiper, Hobby and 3 Whinchats were amongst the other highlights.
No sign if the Benfleet Red-backed Shrike though despite extensive searching
A curlew Sandpiper, Hobby and 3 Whinchats were amongst the other highlights.
No sign if the Benfleet Red-backed Shrike though despite extensive searching
andygolfer
andygolfer
Hi everyone, first post for ages as I havent been out much due to a foot problem (which is now cured) and not seen anything to report.
saw a red kite over gosfield tennis club about 2pm today, quite low at first but soared higher and drifted off to the south east.
also yesterday, 4 buzzards circling high over Stow Maries airfield c.12.00
saw a red kite over gosfield tennis club about 2pm today, quite low at first but soared higher and drifted off to the south east.
also yesterday, 4 buzzards circling high over Stow Maries airfield c.12.00
Steve Arlow
Well-known member
Sharp Shin
Stewart Belfield
The Wryneck, found at The Naze yesterday by Phil Carter, was still present there today. It is frequenting the area of brambles, bushes and sandy fringes between the two 'lagoons' at the north end. (Mind you, the term 'lagoons' conjures up a more delightful picture than the stagnant reality!) I first saw the bird take a short flight from the ground and later located it perched in a bush near the the more western 'lagoon'.
Stewart
Stewart
Frinton BO
Paul Brayshaw
Might well be another there now as one flew strongly (not a word I usually associate with wryneck!) north along Frinton greensward this morning until out of sight and so almost in Walton. Im intrigued by either the turn over of wrynecks in ne Essex - multiple sightings at Frinton and holland haven but in quite different locations and > a week apart in both cases suggests different birds yet eg Suffolk, gunners park has some long stayers. Given the good coverage at these sites and the mass if habitat at the naze, as alluded to recently by others, you wonder what we are missing!
Diurnal passage is picking up nicely with mipits joining the swallows (v few house martins so far for me) and a few grey wags, tree pipits, Siskin over recent days. Might need a change in the weather for sea passage to pick up (happen at all!)
Regards
Paul
Diurnal passage is picking up nicely with mipits joining the swallows (v few house martins so far for me) and a few grey wags, tree pipits, Siskin over recent days. Might need a change in the weather for sea passage to pick up (happen at all!)
Regards
Paul
Sharp Shin
Stewart Belfield
I gain the impression that Wrynecks search out the right sort of feeding area and, once located, stay around that area, feeding-up to put on weight. Certainly the area between the lagoons at The Naze is a favourite spot for autumn passage Wrynecks to stop over for a few days. I'm pretty sure that this autumn's bird is the third or more that I've seen at this precise location over the years. The area around the toilets at Holland Haven is another favoured spot. The appeal is: sandy soil with plenty of ants and other ground insects, surrounded by brambles and bushes. Once they've found such a spot, why leave!
Stewart
Stewart
Frinton BO
Paul Brayshaw
I agree, hence the impression that the two birds at the haven, in different areas and neither in the favoured spot, whilst the Frinton undercliff has the habitat it is very difficult to observe. That said the ants are constantly digging up the sand in the front garden and driveway so perhaps I don't clear the brambles next year ;0). Cracking birds, and nice that they can turn up almost anywhere at this time of year.
Paul
Paul
Linfordbirder
Well-known member
Glossy Ibis dropped on to Wat Tyler scrape at 7.15pm last night (Saturday).
Sabines gull (juv) at East Tilbury on Thursday was a nice highlight on my first patch walk after returning from holiday. 2 Arctic skua (adult dark phase and juv), guillemot, and a spoonbill (juv) which fed for a while on the Coalhouse/Tilbury PS foreshore.
Steve
Sabines gull (juv) at East Tilbury on Thursday was a nice highlight on my first patch walk after returning from holiday. 2 Arctic skua (adult dark phase and juv), guillemot, and a spoonbill (juv) which fed for a while on the Coalhouse/Tilbury PS foreshore.
Steve
Steve Arlow
Well-known member
High Tides at Two Tree Island recently have been producing Curlew Sands most of the time, in various numbers.
Yesterdays afternoon High Tide was great, was in the high couple hours before High Tide as birds got pushed out of the creeks and sand bars as the tide came in and they moved to the lagoon.
There was only one Curlew Sandpiper but it was good views through the scope along with a lone Spotted Redshank, not maky use this site. Again hundreds and hundreds of Black-tailed Godwits coming in in waves as well as lots of Knot, Greenshanks (50+) and Golden Plover along with commoner waders.
Although most of the birds are the usual it was again great to see the concentrations and the searching through the flocks for the unsual. Can recommend the hide here over coming tides this week.
Evening at Bowers Marsh, 5pm till dusk, resulted in Little Stint, Ruffs, Black-tailed Godwits, Avocets in numbers, Greenshanks, Green Sandpipers, Peregrine and Marsh Harrier. Again not to unsual but extremely enjoyable round robin of the reserve.
Elsewhere several local Honey Buzzards have been reports, maybe relating the same individual roaming around, and an increase in Common Buzzard reports but migrants have gone thin on the ground despite the easterlies.
Yesterdays afternoon High Tide was great, was in the high couple hours before High Tide as birds got pushed out of the creeks and sand bars as the tide came in and they moved to the lagoon.
There was only one Curlew Sandpiper but it was good views through the scope along with a lone Spotted Redshank, not maky use this site. Again hundreds and hundreds of Black-tailed Godwits coming in in waves as well as lots of Knot, Greenshanks (50+) and Golden Plover along with commoner waders.
Although most of the birds are the usual it was again great to see the concentrations and the searching through the flocks for the unsual. Can recommend the hide here over coming tides this week.
Evening at Bowers Marsh, 5pm till dusk, resulted in Little Stint, Ruffs, Black-tailed Godwits, Avocets in numbers, Greenshanks, Green Sandpipers, Peregrine and Marsh Harrier. Again not to unsual but extremely enjoyable round robin of the reserve.
Elsewhere several local Honey Buzzards have been reports, maybe relating the same individual roaming around, and an increase in Common Buzzard reports but migrants have gone thin on the ground despite the easterlies.
Er, just poking through the recent EBWS sightings and on Saturday 13th there's bonapartes and ring-billed gull off Dovercourt in the same gull flock. Any thoughts? Amazing records, if correct. I don't want to be instantly cynical as stranger things have happened, but...
Frinton BO
Paul Brayshaw
Someone on the yahoo group email did ask for further details but none were forthcoming (possibly as the observer is not on the group). I've heard nothing more locally through other sources so can't add any further comment. Steve a also pointed out this would be the first ring bill since Rossi so very notable at county level. The ne of the county hasn't had a bonaparts's in recent times (if ever) either. Unless a good description or photos will be submitted in due course
Sharp Shin
Stewart Belfield
I think that you can be "cynical" or at least "strongly doubtful" about this gull report. As was said, this would be a pretty amazing turn up, and nothing has been heard since. Interesting too, that Birdguides - which trawls through sites like EBwS and regularly repeats reported sightings - completely ignored this report.
I don't know the woman who reported it, and wouldn't want to make too many presumptions, but the fault may lie in guidebooks such as Collins not providing some simple and obvious rating of rarity status. I recall one US guidebook that had ratings such as '6: lucky to see'; '7: how lucky can you get'! And, it's the often commented issue of people always wanting and expecting to see rarities, forgetting that 'rarity' means just that.
Stepping off soapbox now - Stewart
I don't know the woman who reported it, and wouldn't want to make too many presumptions, but the fault may lie in guidebooks such as Collins not providing some simple and obvious rating of rarity status. I recall one US guidebook that had ratings such as '6: lucky to see'; '7: how lucky can you get'! And, it's the often commented issue of people always wanting and expecting to see rarities, forgetting that 'rarity' means just that.
Stepping off soapbox now - Stewart
Essex Baker Boy
Well-known member
Yesterday's Barred Warber found in Gunners Park, Shoebury, has been reliably reported as still present this morning in NE corner of reserve.
I can't seem to get any emails out from phone or laptop this morning!
I can't seem to get any emails out from phone or laptop this morning!
