Essex Birding (1 Viewer)

[birdermoose]

Quite a lot on the baddow meads/River Chelmer today. Yellowhammer, Reed Bunting, Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Lapwing displaying, Stock Dove, Skylark, Pheasant, Meadow Pipit, Grey Wagtail, Cormorant, Greenfinch, Bullfinch, Brambling, Jay and Linnet.
The amount of crow's and jackdaws on the meads were also outstanding with over 100 seen!
Missed out on the Kingfisher though!

 

[Fozzybear]

The Crows usually are pretty numerous, as are the gulls so not too surprised you saw so many. Where were the Yellowhammer, Linnet and Brambling though!?

 

[birdermoose]

The Yellowhammers (Females) were near Barnes lock, The linnets flew over the meads and the Brambling were along the fields along the Chelmer with displaying lapwing in them although they were moving.

 

[Fozzybear]

Very cool - thanks for that. :t: Haven't seen Linnets there before and actually have never seen a Brambling so will have to take a walk tomorrow and keep an eye out!

 

[birdermoose]

I would recommend learning their song (That is If you haven't already) as that's how I found them.
Good luck!

 

[Fozzybear]

Thanks moose. I did have a quick listen to the calls last night and when out this morning trying to work out some calls I didn't recognise but I don't think I found any Brambling. I did see a couple of Linnets though which takes my patch species tally to 86. I saw some small birds out feeding on the ploughed field where the Lapwings were sky dancing but too far away to work out id though my bins - I suspect they may have been Meadow Pipits as I saw one sitting on the riverbank not far away, along with a lone male Reed Bunting. Loads of Fieldfares in the trees at the edge of the fields, at least a hundred and fifty I reckon! They flew up with the woodpigeons (may have been a Sparrowhawk there as I've seen them a lot hunting around there) and circled around. They landed in the field but most of them flew up again straight away and flew up into the tall willows before flying off, just a few left as I walked underneath - they were chacking away all the while so had really been disturbed by something.

Saw a pair of Bullfinches near Sandford Mill, some Chiffchaffs and all over the place I heard what sounded very much like Blackcap, although not having heard them since last summer I wasn't 100% sure. Listening to my bird call cd I'm pretty sure though. At least four or five I reckon, stretching from Barnes Mill out to Sandford Mill. Surprised I didn't see any Moorhens though!

Blue tit
Great tit
Long tailed tit
House sparrow
Dunnock
Pied wagtail
Reed bunting
Bullfinch (pair)
Robin
Wren
Chaffinch
Goldfinch
Greenfinch
Linnet
Meadow pipit
Chiffchaff
Skylark
Blackcap (possibly...)
Blackbird
Fieldfare (at least 150)
Starling
Carrion Crow
Jackdaw
Magpie
Collared dove
Woodpigeon
Lapwing
Black-headed gull
Herring gull
Green woodpecker
Mallard
Swan
Pheasant

 

[Fozzybear]

Had a great surprise walking home along the river this afternoon. I saw the regular pair of Mute Swans on the river but they were unusually close to each other so I stopped to watch them and noticed they were copying each other - a quick preen, dip of the head in the water, stretch of the neck and back to preening. They did this faster and faster and got more and more in sync with each other, eventually plunging their heads alternately neck deep into the same spot of water in great excitement Then they mated in front of me, the male holding the female's neck with her head under the water and followed that by standing high out of the water with chests and heads pressed together as they quietly called to each other before separating for a very intense bout of preening.

Hadn't even seen them courting before so that was absolutely amazing to see. The old boy that I speak to on my patch was walking up at the time and saw it too and he said he'd never seen that either. Really made my day! :t:

 

[birdermoose]

Great experience Fozzy!I have only seen a few matings in my few years of birding . My most memorable being seeing Dunnocks display and mate at Oaklands park.

 

[Fozzybear]

It certainly made my day, I didn't expect more than just a little courtship behaviour! I've seen a few species mating too, from what I can remember I've seen: Mallards, Avocets, Dunnocks, Chaffinches, House Martins and now Swans.

 

[BirdPics]

The Short-eared Owls in Essex, do they hang around all year, or do they go somewhere else?

 

[Sharp Shin]

Influx of Red Kites in NE Essex?

Birdguides carried reports of several sightings of Red Kites in NE Essex today: one east over N Brightlingsea late morning; two north-east over Abberton at 12.40; two east over Wivenhoe at 12.50; and one west over N Colchester at 15.40. There may be only a maximum of two birds involved here, but I doubt it given the locations and direction of travel of the birds. The latter bird was seen (and reported) by me as I sat in my garden. As it was a nice afternoon, I was sat outside in the garden and noticed the kite hanging on the wind over the area just north of Welshwood Park, before it sailed off westwards. It was high and I was lucky to be in a place to see it with binoculars close to hand (a great 'garden tick'). I reckon that other high-soaring Red Kites today might easily have been missed in such an area. So, I think that this all adds up to a small influx of Red Kites into NE Essex today. Any speculations about the origin?

 

[Phil Carter]

Wish someone had pointed the Abberton ones out to me as I sat there at 12.40 seeing bugger all! 3

Phil

 

[Sharp Shin]

The nature of birding: some days are lucky, some are just "bugger all". I've been visiting Ardleigh Reservoir regularly over the last few days to see the first hirundine arrivals, but seen nothing. Then, as I was sat in the garden today providing dinner for my two-year old, a Sand Martin flew overhead. Indeed, that prompted me to get my binoculars and look for more, when I saw the Red Kite instead. My two-year old has restricted my birding outings greatly, but it is surprising what will end up coming to you with patience and an eye to the skies. This year has already brought Waxwings and Lesser Redpolls to the garden.

 

[Phil Carter]

I agree, imagine if you saw something good every day. Where's the fun in that? Oh yeah.......


Phil

 

[Sharp Shin]

Anyway, back to the speculation about the origin(s) of those Red Kites. Any ideas? From the continent? Spreading from introduction schemes? Concentrated sightings of birds that are already in the area?

 

[jimibird]

Red Kite over Welshwoods?? Damn I could have scoped that from my spare bedroom window in Longridge! Shame I was at work in Weeley, that would have been a tenuous garden tick!

 

[Fozzybear]

I agree, imagine if you saw something good every day. Where's the fun in that? Oh yeah.......


Phil

"Oh, it's just a Stone Curlew... and a Crane, and there's an Ancient Murrelet bobbing next to a Wandering Albatross and a couple of Tufted Puffins. Same old, same old."

||

Woke pretty early this morning so went out for an early walk across the Baddow Meads and the farmland by the river. The Lapwings were still sky dancing and I think I saw a smash and grab mating on the field by the river. Loads of Skylarks around and quite a lot of Meadow Pipits and Reed Buntings too.

Chaffinch,
Greenfinch,
Robin,
Wren,
Starling,
Blackbird,
Song Thrush,
Blue Tit,
Great Tit,
Blackcap,
Chiffchaff,
Reed Bunting,
Meadow Pipit,
Skylark,
Green Woodpecker,
Pheasant,
Red-legged Partridge,
Stock Dove,
Feral Pigeon,
Collared Dove,
Woodpigeon,
Lapwing,
Greylag Goose,
Mallard,
Tufted Duck,
Mute Swan,
Moorhen,
Coot,
Black-headed Gull,
Herring Gull,
Carrion Crow,
Magpie.

 

[Fozzybear]

Report on the south east essex RSPB sightings page that a Cuckoo has been heard at Writtle this morning - very tempted to walk over there but have just got home after spending a couple of hours walking around my patch so not sure I fancy doing another five or six miles... hopefully there will be one back on my patch soon, there has been the last couple of years.

 

[Phil Carter]

Anyway, back to the speculation about the origin(s) of those Red Kites. Any ideas? From the continent? Spreading from introduction schemes? Concentrated sightings of birds that are already in the area?

I would imagine that most of these sightings relate to birds from the continent as there have always been March/April records in Essex. I seem to remember quite an influx in the late eighties. I assume that the over-wintering birds come from the re-introduction populations.

Phil

 

[BirdPics]

Had first Common Tern of the year at Abberton on Saturday along with Yellow Wagtail

And had a Red Kite over my dads garden in South Woodham today