Essex Birding (1 Viewer)

[Frinton BO]

Gone very quiet on here of late but increasing signs of autumn now on the NE coast with a few warblers, Yellow Wags and Wheatears appearing with the easterly element in the wind, and some passage finally occurring offshore. Small numbers of hirundines are also on the move most days (although more visible in a south-westerly!).

Offshore Teal are being joined by occasional Wigeon, Shoveler etc plus a few Scoter flocks whilst wader variety is up. Influx of Med Gulls over recent days - hard to say how many are local or moving past but all flying birds have moved south so far. Here's hoping a bit of weather variety in the coming weeks to keep the interest up!

Good birding all

Paul

 

[Sharp Shin]

It's looking to be a better year for Curlew Sandpiper in 2016. In 2015, EwBS reported only about 14 birds present. This year there have been over 20 birds reported already, plus 13 passing by Frinton (which I guess was Paul's sighting). Today, I had 5 juveniles feeding together at Mistley Walls.

Stewart

 

[Frinton BO]

Yes, a very pleasant surprise to get a flock 10 Curlew Sands close south yesterday, followed shortly after by another 3 with a mixed small wader flock - very unusual for me to get them on a seawatch (but I do miss a lot of small waders that pass very close due to the "shadow" effect of the cliff when viewing from the house). Surprisingly quiet yesterday otherwise - good selection of small waders passing in low numbers but other than 4 Med and a juvenile Yellow Legged Gull nothing else of note. Not a single duck despite Teal pushing towards daily totals around 80 on previous days so my predictions were well off! A few Wheatears and a nice Pied Fly in the seafront gardens was a nice sign of autumn - give it three weeks and Mipit passage should have kicked off and mornings are likely to be much busier!

 

[Frinton BO]

Bit more activity in the NE with a Wryneck at Holland Haven yesterday in the usual area between the car park and public toilets/dell. Swallows apart it still feels like hard work on the vis mig front past Frinton - 5 Siskins today were my first of the autumn, with a Tree pipit a couple of days ago too. The sea has been quiet with the exception of 27th August when a fresher SE with cloud produced a couple of Arctic Skua (very scarce so far this autumn) and a shearwater fest with a Balearic and four Sooties noted. Will need a weather change to get a good movement...

 

[adam0346]

seen a few Rainbow Bee-eaters today

 

[a_j_steele]

Visting family this weekend in the essex area which happened to involve a visit to walton-on-the naze and i see there a little auk in the marina at hamford water so wondering if anyway happens to know what the access is like to the marina

many thanks

 

[Frinton BO]

Tirchmarsh marina is accessible from Walton road b1034 along cokes lane co14 8sl. The bird has been both in and around the outside of the marina. You can drive in and park by the harbour lights restaurant - if going into the marina please check with the harbour masters office for permission. You can also view from the seawall protecting the marina. High tide seems to be best - also rednecked grebe and long tailed ducks (up to 13) in the area

Another place to view, albeit more distantly, is from Walton channel from the seawall accsssef from the hall lane /naze park road footpath (ninety degree bend by chip shop).

Haven't heard of any sightings today so good luck!

Paul

 

[a_j_steele]

Despite the weather a good afternoon around the naze no little auk but possible r-n around the marina entrance from the naze side plus Water Rail, Spotted Redshank, Med Gull and Rock Pipits along with the usually waders from a walk around the seawall

 

[andygolfer]

waxwings at Witham

I was told of reports of waxwings at Witham yesterday (4th January) - also present on 3rd so went along yesterday afternoon to Eastways business park (that's what were previously called industrial estates but business park sounds more eco friendly I suppose) and there they were - 3 of them in a bush covered in berries just to the right of the entrance to the Maltings, against the railway boundary. They flew off a couple of times but kept coming back and feeding avidly,

hope this is of interest if anybody is looking here, this is the first post of 2017 (and first since mid November) so I'll wish you all a happy and binocular bulging 2017
Kind regards
Andrew

 

[andygolfer]

lesser spotted woodpeckers - shut heath wood

finally caught up with a couple on Friday, seems they have been very elusive this year so I think I was rather lucky, some record pics attached.

For anybody looking for them they were in the area between the bench and the holly tree when we found them but that's not to say they don't move around.

 

[andygolfer]

juvenile great northern diver at Great Notley Parktoday, it's been there a few days now

 

[andygolfer]

recent waxwings at Colchester (Severalls Lane business park)

 

[andygolfer]

East Mersea snow buntings and some widgeon taken last Saturday (6th January)

 

[Gottzi]

Greetings guys I'm from Colchester s anyone know if there is an Essex Birding Whatsapp group?
Also has anyone birded Highwoods Country Park?

 

[andygolfer]

Greetings guys I'm from Colchester s anyone know if there is an Essex Birding Whatsapp group?
Also has anyone birded Highwoods Country Park?

I don't know of any county wide whatsapp groups, I think there are a few more localised ones but not sure how you find them. There's an Essex Birdwatching facebook group with 6k members so that gives reasonable coverage: Log in to Facebook

I've been to Highwoods a couple of times but didn't see anything out of the ordinary, just common tits and finches etc. The lake just had a few mallard and moorhens when I visited. Heard green woodpeckers calling (as they do).
sorry cant help more
Andy

 

[Gottzi]

I was thinking that being only 5 minutes walk away Highwoods would make a good regular patch to bird. I'm also not far from Ardleigh reservoir any idea what the bird life is like there?

 

[andygolfer]

no idea re Ardleigh I'm afraid, you're not far from Abberton reservoir and Fingringhoe NR both of which have an excellent reputation so why not try one of them. Essex Wildlife Trust have several reserves nearby which might be of interest, here'a a link: Nature Reserves | Essex Wildlife Trust

HTH
Andy

 

[Frinton BO]

Greetings guys I'm from Colchester s anyone know if there is an Essex Birding Whatsapp group?
Also has anyone birded Highwoods Country Park?

Hi. Apologies for the delayed response but just seen this.

There are various local WhatsApp groups across Essex but I’d suggest a good starting point to make contact is the Essex Birdwatching Society (ebws.org.uk). There are regular field trips, indoor meetings, YouTube talks etc that provide opportunities to meet other local birders, plus recent sightings etc. @essexbirdnews is a twitter/x site account run by ebws together with @ebwstweets.

Regarding Ardleigh Res, Matt Turner watches this fairly regularly (and is also the Secretary of the Essex Birdwatching Society). You can get in touch by email - [email protected], or he is @ESBR_Essex. Certainly a good local site that has turned up some nice birds if you look at the twitter feed.

Hope this helps! Certainly lots of active and friendly birders around Colchester so hope you make contact with some (if indeed you haven’t already!)

Regards
Paul

 

[Gottzi]

Thanks Paul, I have been looking at the EBWS website and added a few records on there. I've also been watching the YouTube videos each month.