Essex Birding (4 Viewers)

[Steve Arlow]

Hopefully some more settled weather for the weekend, not raining or blowing a gale. Want to get out and see Grasshopper Warbler and Nightingale if I can, perhaps find something good

 

[Steve_Halstead]

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.

There is no need to apologise, considering the things I say about you, this is very much polite (I jest)

Seriously, just never feel the need to apologise to me for anything said!

 

[Frinton BO]

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.


Hi Stewart - Great Holland Pits EWT is another good spot in the NE although earlier in spring is better. The odd bird occasionally makes it to the farm pond in Great Holland by the church, so I suspect this may be the source of these birds.

 

[andygolfer]

red kite near Cock Clarks today , 11.30

red kite seen about 1/2 mile south of Cock Clarks (Hackmans Lane) on my way to Stow Maries about 11.30 this morning. drifting north eastish towards Maldon. By the time I stopped car got camera out and got a pic it was a bit distant (and cr*p quality) but here's a photo that at least confirms it

 

[BirdPics]

Here we go again. Bonaparte's Gull, Marsh Warbler and un-ringed Trumpeter Swan claimed at Dovercourt via EBwS.

Wooooww

 

[Essex Baker Boy]

Here we go again. Bonaparte's Gull, Marsh Warbler and un-ringed Trumpeter Swan claimed at Dovercourt via EBwS.

Wooooww

You can't reason with stupid! 3

This Laurel & Hardy duo had a Bonaparte's in the same field as a Ring-billed Gull a few months ago you may recall. What is it with the NE of Essex?

 

[BirdPics]

You can't reason with stupid! 3

This Laurel & Hardy duo had a Bonaparte's in the same field as a Ring-billed Gull a few months ago you may recall. What is it with the NE of Essex?

I do recall! It's gone up on Birguides now too. :clap:

 

[Steve_Halstead]

I do recall! It's gone up on Birguides now too. :clap:

(said in the voice of a police chief in a stereotyped cop drama)

"Damn it man, he might be a maverick, BUT HE GETS RESULTS"

It is an unmitigated shame the results are utter b words...

Instead of marsh, do we think garden?

 

[Essex Baker Boy]

Instead of marsh, do we think garden?[/QUOTE]

Cormorant probably 3

 

[Steve_Halstead]

Instead of marsh, do we think garden?

Cormorant probably 3[/QUOTE]

I see what you did there! :king:

 

[Steve_Halstead]

we just need stuart to post in here and then we have all the cynics together

 

[Essex Baker Boy]

we just need stuart to post in here and then we have all the cynics together

You're very much mistaken with your accusations.....there are at least two others I can think of who also share my cynicism :king:

 

[Sharp Shin]

Yes. I'm here to add my dose of cynicism. I was a bit late on catching up on this. In addition to the Bonaparte's Gull (sic), I noticed that the Marsh Warbler appeared to be recognised on 'calling' (respect!) and the Mute Swan has been interpreted as a Trumpeter Swan.

These two characters are given NE Essex a bad name. Stop it will ya!

The larger issue all of this raises is the 'democratic' nature of the EBwS website and its reporting procedure. This clearly has its pitfalls, but I'd be loathed to have the reporting restricted. After all, it isn't a rare bird reporting service - it's there mainly to help to the recording of Essex birds, rare or less so (and odd reports like these will be sorted out or snuffed out before publication). There is some great stuff put up on this site - the best one that springs to mind is Martin Peers's very rigorous reporting from a host of under-reported places along the Essex side of the Stour Valley. Perhaps the mistake is for the EBwS website to have 'headline rarities' on its home page. Not only does this signal that 'rare birds' are the most important thing to report on this website, it attracts the attention of rare bird services like BirdGuides who trawl through a range of website like this for news - and then (even with a great big R next to it) we see all these rare gulls, etc, out on a wider public forum.

Stewart

 

[Frinton BO]

Just glad I am not the local observer who gets all the phone calls about where to see these rare birds once the national services broadcast them! It's been hard work up on the NE coast for most of us this spring...

 

[Steve Arlow]

Inexperience can lead to misidentifications but thats where education needs to come into play. Of course there are some who will always say 'I know what I saw and it was one' and will never have their minds changed. They're probably the ones that claim a county mega, Boneparte's Gull, then ask what are the black birds with yellow bills that come to their garden are (ie Blackbirds).

If someone knows these people perhaps they can have a word in their ear, ie Bonepartes is 'barely' on the Essex list and their reports often lead to someone else getting calls or emails about them.

Of course the flip side to coin is that we could dismiss many a report and they are actually genuine. Some local reports that have been checked out over recent years have turned out to be the real deal, but of course there are some/most that are not.

 

[Steve Arlow]

The escaped White Ibis was reported at Holland Haven today, seems to be doing the rounds.

 

[Frinton BO]

Ibis still present at least half an hour ago in the area to the south-west of the B1032 along the brook

 

[Steve_Halstead]

One bittern twice shy on the reports front, I think I will keep any reports of a rarity from the public domain if I ever happen to think I have found one, at least until I am 40.

God knows I need that 12 years to improve, even then I will still cock it all up!

Right, coursework moderation done and sent for the two subjects that I run,

B

 

[BirdPics]

I'm getting desperate

 

[Sharp Shin]

I'm getting desperate

Ah, an expert from Dovercourt has just informed me that your photo is of a Passenger Pigeon.

Stewart