Viv Connett
Well-known member
Might have been, we did show it to quite a few people!
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Essex Birding (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Essex Tern
- Start date
Might have been, we did show it to quite a few people!
auchinbowie
Well-known member
Stewart,
There are Lesser-spotteds there. They bred last year and I last saw one on Sunday. That one was in Cryer's Wood. For some reason, I have seen them in this location more often than in Shut Heath proper. Since their disappearance from Norsey Woods, this is the only fairly reliable location in Essex, of which I am aware. The EBR suggests Hockley Woods and Langdon Hills but I have not had much luck there. Unfortunately no guarantees with birding.
We all have bogey birds. I have NEVER seen a Great-spotted Cuckoo and was tempted to drive to Pembrokeshire for the chance of finally seeing one. Common sense, however, prevailed.
Dave
Belhus/Cely woods area has a reasonable track record with LSW too.
Linfordbirder
Well-known member
East Tilbury on Saturday morning - proved another quiet one. Hoping for an early wheatear but alas. Seemed the much scanned for Common Scoter also hid over the Kent sea wall at Cliffe Pools - or thats where they were seen on Sunday. May head down again in the week for a couple of hours to see if I can catch from the patch.
Trip out to Dungeness this morning. Met up with the lengendary Mr H Vaughn and some of his boozy birders. Good company, good views of BTDiver, a few chiffchaff otherwise all quiet there too. Split for Sandwich (the place) this afternoon to try and locate the reported shorelark. We tried!
May give the ET Thames a Scoter scout again in the week if I can make a couple of hours free.
Sharp Shin
Stewart Belfield
Dave and James - Thanks for the location tips for Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers.
Actually, I'm quite stoical about missing them on my recent trips to Shut Heath Wood. And I know well that I'm not the only one with 'bad luck': evidenced by all the other "nope, no sign for me either" birders I've met walking around the wood. Even Viv, who (in an earlier post) seemed to suggest that it was fairly easy to see them, didn't have the same experience on her subsequent visit.
I suspect that I'm more down about how rare these wee woodpeckers are becoming. I've been around long enough to remember seeing them in my garden in Wivenhoe, back in the 1990s.
I take it that Criers Wood is the woodland to the right of the track, by the car park, on the walk to Shut Heath Wood. Is there access into there? I presumed that it was private land.
Stewart
auchinbowie
Well-known member
Correct. I have seen it spelt as both Criers and Cryers. I live 2 or 3 miles south and have often wandered into the wood. I have never been challenged. Remember that trespass is a civil offence and that you can only be sued for damage caused. If you invite the owner access to your estate, he or she usually becomes very amenable and offers freely available future access. (A ploy particularly effective in the US, who are the most snobbish egalitarians in the world.)
It is also true that L-s W is not guaranteed there. This may be because it is not the centre of the territory. If I find the nest hole, I'll send you a private message. It may cost you a pint. Like you, I miss seeing them regularly and am nostalgic for so many declining species. This is only mitigated slightly by the spread of new arrivals.
Dave
Viv Connett
Well-known member
I have seen them on a regular basis there for the last few years. But I know loads of people who have never seen them there. The other Saturday we couldn't move for them, nut have been back 3 times since and not found them. Think they have a fairly large territory, we know someone who lives in Wickham Bishops, about half a mile as the LSW flies, and she gets them in her garden. It's very much the luck of the draw.
auchinbowie
Well-known member
Update on prior information:
I am reliably informed that the L-s W no longer breed within the boundaries of either Shut Heath or Cryers Woods. Pairs do, however, breed nearby, within the parishes of both Little and Great Braxted and these birds forage in both woods. April is considered to be the peak month for observations of the species.
Dave
I am reliably informed that the L-s W no longer breed within the boundaries of either Shut Heath or Cryers Woods. Pairs do, however, breed nearby, within the parishes of both Little and Great Braxted and these birds forage in both woods. April is considered to be the peak month for observations of the species.
Dave
Sharp Shin
Stewart Belfield
That's interesting Dave, thank you. Though, I was told that LSW had nested recently in the strip of woodland that (save for the track gap) connects Shut Heath Wood to Cryers Wood. I thought that the person who told me said 'last year', but I may well have misunderstood when. (The story included something about EWT workers clearing away some shrubbery from the base of the nest tree and being advised to delay this clearing.)
Stewart
The sniper
Well-known member
I thought someone told me they bred last year at shut Heath wood but can't remember who told me
Sharp Shin
Stewart Belfield
On reflection, I'm now starting to feel a bit iffy about talking openly about nesting sites - especially for rarer birds. However, as we are talking about the past, and talking about a bird that every Tom, Dick and Harry knows is in the area, perhaps it's not too bad to talk about previous locations.
Stewart
Stewart
The sniper
Well-known member
I see the Rainham Whiskered Tern seen at the marshes 2011 has been rejected by the BBRC
Who saw this bird??
Was it a single observer or multiple???
Who saw this bird??
Was it a single observer or multiple???
Viv Connett
Well-known member
believe that was the year before last, they were nesting - or at least thinking about it, can't remember now - in a silver birch and then EWT promptly cut the tree down!
Sharp Shin
Stewart Belfield
Could be a 'ship hopper' - which means that it would stand a good chance of being 'tickable'.
Or could be a 'Harry Potter' escapee. In which case, watch for the owner running after it (and forget about the 'ticking').
The only bird I've seen was a 'ship hopper' in and around Felixstowe Port in 2001. Good to see that bird, but I remained sorry that I hadn't seen my first bird on a bleak Tundra wasteland (or perhaps East Tilbury matches that description!).
Stewart
dbradnum
Well-known member
The sniper
Well-known member
Cheers David,so it was there then lol
Sharp Shin
Stewart Belfield
Essex boundary
I thought my geography was OK, but can someone help clear up the issue of the south-eastern Essex boundary.
When today's report of the Great White Egret at Rainham RSPB came on to Birdguides, it was categorised under 'London', not Essex. (Which, incidentally, meant that I didn't immediately pick it up on the alert on my mobile.)
I also note that Pete Davies annotates his BUBO list (where he sits at No 1 for Essex Life List) by saying: "Does not include species seen inside M25 (Greater London)".
However, the Essex Bird Report always includes Rainham - and indicates that the south-eastern boundary of Essex is the river Lee.
Is it just that 'modern' boundaries of London incorporate existing boundaries of Essex?
Clarity? Thanks - Stewart
I thought my geography was OK, but can someone help clear up the issue of the south-eastern Essex boundary.
When today's report of the Great White Egret at Rainham RSPB came on to Birdguides, it was categorised under 'London', not Essex. (Which, incidentally, meant that I didn't immediately pick it up on the alert on my mobile.)
I also note that Pete Davies annotates his BUBO list (where he sits at No 1 for Essex Life List) by saying: "Does not include species seen inside M25 (Greater London)".
However, the Essex Bird Report always includes Rainham - and indicates that the south-eastern boundary of Essex is the river Lee.
Is it just that 'modern' boundaries of London incorporate existing boundaries of Essex?
Clarity? Thanks - Stewart
