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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Essex Birding (1 Viewer)

JamesA said:
Glossy Ibis apparently at Wig Bay now, according to RBA, viewable from School Lane.
Click to expand...

Great! I tramped around Old Hall Marshes today on the off chance of finding it. This fellow is giving me the run around. Still, it was a glorious day for walking, rather than a twitch requiring a few steps from the car - well, that's my consolation view.

On a different matter, does it strike others that this has been a great year for Whimbrel? I seem to have seen loads on spring migration, and now they are appearing in good numbers on return migration. At OHM today, there were seven mixed in with around 25 Curlew in the field near the car park, and at least ten others were seen elsewhere or in flight.

Stewart
 
Presumably, this pattern of the Glossy Ibis - often turning up in the late afternoon/evening in Wigborough Bay - is connected to the bird's roosting routine. (Though where it roosts is, I believe, currently unknown.) The fact that sometimes it is not seen, and sometimes seen rather earlier, may be connected to the tides - influencing the time when the bird thinks about leaving the high tide water-filled channels on nearby salt marshes. Certainly there was a high tide yesterday in the time before the bird was seen at Abberton.

If only all of this made the bird's appearance predictable!

Stewart
 
"Grey Phalarope still present this am on the scrape (found by Mick Rodwell yesterday morning and was reported on Birdguides at least twice during the day)"
 
I've just returned from seeing the Grey Phalarope at Holland Haven this morning. It was showing well at the back of the pool and appeared to have no shortage of insects to feed on.

There was some consternation this morning caused by the exotic sound and sight of three Crimson-bellied Parakeets flying over the area!

Stewart
 
Glad to hear they pinned down the parakeets - I had a call advising me of three brightly coloured birds with strange calls heading up towards me but they obviously thought better of Frinton. I wasn't sure what I was looking out for!

Paul
 
Lee Evans now reporting a Hoopoe at Holland Haven. Certainly wasn't there when I saw the Grey Phalarope late morning, nor were the parakeets.

I did experience the worst car-parking experience of my life today..as machine wasn't working & had to text, phone & jump through hoops of fire to get a £2.40 ticket..was worth it though.

A nice selection of other waders there too - Barwit, Blackwit, Dunlin, Snipe, Ruff, Lapwing, Avocet.

Also Med Gull, Swift, Lesser Whitethroat & Reed Warbler...& definitely no Hoopoe.

Visiting tomorrow is OK, but may be difficult on Thu/Fri with the Clacton Air show.

Good birding

Sean
 
Just in case people haven't heard through the EssexBirders email, confirmed no Hoopoe at Holland Haven yesterday - just a typo on the EBWS website.
 
Beautiful morning 1st thing at East Tilbury today.
300+ House Martin hawking over trees in front of Coalhouse Fort, 14 yellow wagtail, with a few pied too, 1 swift, 1 sand martin, and 23 swallows which became 22 by a successful strike by a hobby. Heard it happens, but first time I've witnessed it.
 
Bowers Marsh has been playing host to multiple Whinchats over past week. Had 10 on the north slope of the rubbish tip by the 'stinky pool' yesterday and four were flycatching from the reeds by the main sluice today.

Great Birds
 
Had an odd sound today at stisted, among the familiar cooes came a deeper

bowoom (six times in quick succession) then silence, always came from the top of trees around me, never giving the impression there was ever more than two.
 
Been reasonable locally with a couple of Redstarts at West Canvey Marshes, along the line of bushes west of Redhills (I saw one of these well last night) along with upto 8 Whinchats and scattering of migrants there. Spotted Flycatchers have also been seen recently at the RSPB reserve as well as Canvey Wick and a lingering bird in Gunners Park. Whinchats have also been seen in good numbers at Bowers Marsh, probably as many as 14.

Vange Marsh has had 4 Little Stints plus lingering Little Ringed Plvers and various other waders but overall numbers down on a few weeks ago.

A ringtail Harrier was reported from Bowers Marsh yesterday which for the time of year would likely be a Montagu's however the observer was leaning closer towards a Hen Harrier. I dont recall ever seeing a local August Hen Harrier before so an interesting record and hopefully it will be seen again.

Seawatching in the recent SE winds result in the first Fulmar of the year locally as well as a multiple Arctic and Great Skuas and few Arctic and Black Terns. Pick of the seabirds though was a Sooty Sheawater past Gunners Park and a Spoonbill past, though not a seabird, was a highlight.

Gulling has produced 4 Caspian Gulls and at least 50+ Yellow-legged Gulls at Pitsea.

No Wryneck yet despite many east coast localities having several, ie 3 at Minsmere whilst North Kent at Reculver, visable distantly from Wakering has had Wryneck, Barred Warbler and Ortolan Bunting, what a difference the coastline there makes.

Hopefully some more drift migrants will be dug out the wood work over the next few days.

So bring on September, the best birding month for south Essex in my view.
 
Steve Arlow said:
Been reasonable locally with a couple of Redstarts at West Canvey Marshes, along the line of bushes west of Redhills (I saw one of these well last night) along with upto 8 Whinchats and scattering of migrants there. Spotted Flycatchers have also been seen recently at the RSPB reserve as well as Canvey Wick and a lingering bird in Gunners Park. Whinchats have also been seen in good numbers at Bowers Marsh, probably as many as 14.

Vange Marsh has had 4 Little Stints plus lingering Little Ringed Plvers and various other waders but overall numbers down on a few weeks ago.

A ringtail Harrier was reported from Bowers Marsh yesterday which for the time of year would likely be a Montagu's however the observer was leaning closer towards a Hen Harrier. I dont recall ever seeing a local August Hen Harrier before so an interesting record and hopefully it will be seen again.

Seawatching in the recent SE winds result in the first Fulmar of the year locally as well as a multiple Arctic and Great Skuas and few Arctic and Black Terns. Pick of the seabirds though was a Sooty Sheawater past Gunners Park and a Spoonbill past, though not a seabird, was a highlight.

Gulling has produced 4 Caspian Gulls and at least 50+ Yellow-legged Gulls at Pitsea.

No Wryneck yet despite many east coast localities having several, ie 3 at Minsmere whilst North Kent at Reculver, visable distantly from Wakering has had Wryneck, Barred Warbler and Ortolan Bunting, what a difference the coastline there makes.

Hopefully some more drift migrants will be dug out the wood work over the next few days.

So bring on September, the best birding month for south Essex in my view.
Click to expand...

There's probably about 50 people looking for Wrynecks at Minsmere though
 
Plenty of the right coastal habitat at the Naze (too much in fact), but as far as I know, only two people looking yesterday.
Suits me though.
Was excellent there yesterday, with Wood Warbler, Redstart, Pied Fly and more Sylvias than you can shake a stick at!

Phil
 

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