Essex Birding (3 Viewers)

[Sharp Shin]

I've been away but now seen this. I have attached an image of a Glaucous Gull wannabe, very like Glaucous Gull on the 4th April and was one for a long while whilst on the tip but it has features consistent with a hybrid but these would be difficult to determine on a bird a long range and would simply be a Glaucous Gull. There have been numerous hybrid things on the tip this year, right next to Bowers, and at least 4 very white leucistic things as well, Herrings and Great Black-backed Gulls so I suspect a very white bird to be one of these.

I have noted on the EBS website that visitors to the stilts also reported numerous Glaucous Gulls but given the overarching hybrids and leucistics this year I feel some, possibly all, of these will be these long staying individuals, one white/leucistic bird has been around for years.

There is a balance here. You don't want to sit on the possibility of a rare sighting until it's too late, but (on the other hand) it not a wise thing to make a matter-of-fact, public recording about a rare gull, when there is every possibility that it might be mistaken.

I am reticent about setting myself up as a good example but, with regard to the putative Glaucous Gull discussed in Steve's post, I: expressed misgivings; sought local information and advice; received it (thanks Neil); and then corrected / amended my public records accordingly (which is not too difficult to do). Perhaps those others in NE Essex who are under discussion here, might (if appropriate) consider a similar course of action!

Stewart

 

[Steve Arlow]

The 1st Glauc/Herring Gull hybird would be a tricky one to call at range, the photos sealed it for me later even though I wasn't sure at the time given the tertials, coverts and scaps patterning.

A bird initially thought to be a Kumliens Gull this year was probably either a large dark end male Iceland Gull or most likely and Herring x Glaucous Gull, 2nd winter bird.

A large male Icleland Gull looked like a hybrid in the field but was just a huge 2nd winter male Iceland.

I've had to many of these hybrids and oddities on the tip this winter and not enough of the genuine article, just 2 juv Glaucous Gulls and a juv Iceland.

No problem with anyone seaking advice on tricky birds, I get a lot of emails on Gull ID, and many are not straight forward.

Also there was a Red-footed Falcon reported at Rainham yesterday but I have no further detail as to age/sex or who saw it etc.

I need to get out and see some migrants locally as I've been away during what seems to have been a productive spell, need to See Groppers and Nightingales.

 

[Sharp Shin]

I may go and get this as a first at some point, I feel bad a I always hoped I would discover my first across somewhere like Bocking or Great Leighs, but alas, it wont stop me trying.

I may just pop to Heybridge and look high and wide first

In any event, thanks for the news mate.

Alternatively, try Fingringhoe Wick for Turtle Dove. I had good views of a bird there today (in woodland south of Kits Pond) and there have been other reports of birds around the reserve.

Stewart

 

[Steve Arlow]

Theres a Red-rumped Swallow in Gunners Park over the main lake. I'm currently unable to get there till later but I hope it sticks around till this afternoon.

 

[JamesA]

Singing turtle dove reported at Abberton the last couple of days. Is this at the SE corner of the Layer Breton causeway?

 

[Sean Nixon]

Singing turtle dove reported at Abberton the last couple of days. Is this at the SE corner of the Layer Breton causeway?

It in the NW corner of LB, near the heronry.
sean

 

[Sharp Shin]

Keeping on with the Turtle Dove theme, I saw another one today - this time in Dedham Vale, near Five Gates Sluice, south of river near Flatford Mill. This is the 3rd Turtle Dove that I've seen in successive days at different locations in NE Essex. I hope that this is less my luck on stumbling across them, and more an optimistic indication that an increased number are avoiding those bloody shooters along the Med!

Stewart

 

[Essex Baker Boy]

This is an interesting Tweet! Seems a sensible & warranted approach given the circumstances. Well said EBWS, it's never easy handling these situations.
"EBWS suggest that all reports of sightings from the Jaywick area are treated with caution until unusual sightings are verified and confirmed."

 

[BirdPics]

This is an interesting Tweet! Seems a sensible & warranted approach given the circumstances. Well said EBWS, it's never easy handling these situations.
"EBWS suggest that all reports of sightings from the Jaywick area are treated with caution until unusual sightings are verified and confirmed."

Retweeted :t:

 

[Sharp Shin]

And 'news' on EBwS website of a Black Kite at Rainham needs to be treated with more than 'caution', as Lee Evans has obviously clicked the wrong button. Read Black-tailed Godwit for Black Kite (unless, that is, there's a newly discovered race 'islandica' of the latter species!)

Stewart

 

[JamesA]

It in the NW corner of LB, near the heronry.
sean

Thanks Sean. Only mentioned it as I thought I heard one at the SE corner Monday night. Right on the edge of hearing, only heard once, kinda "am I making this up" territory. Clearly I was

 

[BirdPics]

Got lucky with a Cuckoo from layer breton causeway today with Steve Halstead, nice Nightingale singing at the same time too. Also had a group of around 40 odd Swifts high up over the centre during the cloudier parts of the day, Willow Warbler and Nightingale singing down the old road. Heybridge Gravel Pits gave us even more Cuckoos but were trickier to get close to.

 

[neil78]

The Pec Sand at Bowers is present again this morning, on the main lagoon, viewed west from the benches.

 

[Steve_Halstead]

I just can not wait to do my honeymoon in Costa Rica next August.

I am shitting myself about the spiders, but you just have to get on with it.

 

[BirdPics]

I just can not wait to do my honeymoon in Costa Rica next August.

I am shitting myself about the spiders, but you just have to get on with it.

Snakes as well!

 

[Steve Arlow]

I saw very little of the snakes and spiders when I spent 3 weeks in Costa Rica in August 1999. They are of course there but you wont really see them unless you go looking for them.

Had more problems with 'ticks' as they will tend to find you, if walking the forest always check yourself out to make sure you dont have one of the blood suckers on you and dont just pull it off if you do, I had one which one of my friends just pulled off and left me with a messy infection for 6 months.

Birding will be excellent, you should have Bellbirds at La Selva if you go there. La Selva was one of the very best birding locations we went to and is highly recommended. Snowcap is still my favourite hummingbird evenin though I've seen close to 70 species in the americas. Monteverde will give you many other hummers.

Many things to see, poison dart frogs are dinky and difficult to find but at La Selva, macaws on the Pacific Coast, quetzals and Flame-throated Warblers in the highlands, more butterflies you can shake a tripod at.

Enjoy..

 

[Sharp Shin]

Good advice about a 'birding trip' to Costa Rica, but I recall the word 'honeymoon' being mentioned by Steve Halstead.

"How was your honeymoon, Mrs Halstead? Was it romantic?" "Oh, how could it fail not to be with all those ticks: the biting ones; and all the ones Steve kept making on his bird list all day, every day!"

Good luck - Stewart

 

[Steve_Halstead]

Good advice about a 'birding trip' to Costa Rica, but I recall the word 'honeymoon' being mentioned by Steve Halstead.

"How was your honeymoon, Mrs Halstead? Was it romantic?" "Oh, how could it fail not to be with all those ticks: the biting ones; and all the ones Steve kept making on his bird list all day, every day!"

Good luck - Stewart

Well, Stewart, how rude! 8-P Its nice to see the essex lot have joined the fray in here!

Jokes aside, there will be lots and lots of opportunistic photography going on while I am there. Beach walks, monkey pictures, iguanas, frogs and such. Try as I might, there is no real resource for common birds of the regions that do not involve more than around 12 species. Online or otherwise, I am massively limiting my potential results however by not speaking spanish, something I am consulting my staff members of MFL with as we speak (still a year to go.)

The book list is building on the kindle with the different species amassing, as Stewart rightly said, there will be time to try the many five star eateries and chill out with the missus in the swim up bar, the beach and the 7 different pools. However, coming back with anything less than about 3000 pictures and under 100 species (I wont say "will be a shame" as 'er upstairs will beat me) will be a shame.

(edit - essex lot comment, I had this mixed up with what I posted in another section of the forum)

 

[Steve Arlow]

For Costa Rica's small size it has a huge bird list, I believe the most in the world for its size. As the country straddles the continental divide there are many species that will not be found on both sides, i.e. some on the caribean slope not found on the pacific slope and vice versa, so what could be classed as common on one side would be uncommon on the other.

There are some which do seem to be everywhere though, like Lemon-rumped and Palm Tanagers and there are the 'look like one another bird' species, woodcreepers spring to mind.

There are a couple of half decent field guides, and I think one does cover the more commonly encountered species, as well as other wildlife.

The tropics are mind boggling but Costa Rica is a great place, still one of my favourite latin american trips.

Definately recommend getting out into the country, its not much bigger than Wales, and visiting some of the best sites, La Selva still stands as one of my all time best single days birding, anywhere. Awesome place: aracari's and Toucans, hummers, bellbirds, tanagers, tinamous, parrots, Army Ants, Poison Dart frogs, virgin forest and the guides are excellent.

 

[Sharp Shin]

Back to Essex, the arrival - a couple of days ago - of a pair of Mandarin Ducks at a small pond next to Weeleyhall Church was welcome. It saved me a long, boring journey down the A12 to see these ducks at Connaught Water (or other SW Essex sites). Despite a pair being reported the previous day, I only managed to locate the male (see photo), and even then after some searching and waiting around. It's a small pond, but surrounded by fairly dense vegetation where such ducks might hide away.

Stewart

PS Apologies to Steve Halstead if I was a bit "rude". I couldn't resist a play on the two meanings of 'ticks'! Have a good trip and, as Steve Arlow suggests, do try to get around a bit - it's well worth it, and you might kick yourself if you leave without see Resplendent Quetzal.