Essex Birding (1 Viewer)

[E.T.]

me too. I did spot a Heron on the Layer Causeway, East side, with 5m of the water's edge next to the causeway, so very close. Now it didn't look like a grey Heron to me, but as I drew up I was watching the road to park, and it flew off before I could get a proper take. Q is could it possibly have been anything else?

I was suspicious that it was a heron of the purple variety :eek!: but I certainly wouldn't go so far as to claim a sighting, it was just too over in a second. Have other's seen anything?

 

[Original PaulE]

me too. I did spot a Heron on the Layer Causeway, East side, with 5m of the water's edge next to the causeway, so very close. Now it didn't look like a grey Heron to me, but as I drew up I was watching the road to park, and it flew off before I could get a proper take. Q is could it possibly have been anything else?

I was suspicious that it was a heron of the purple variety :eek!: but I certainly wouldn't go so far as to claim a sighting, it was just too over in a second. Have other's seen anything?

hi ET
i did see several herons none of em purple but the greys do adopt some strange positions and can be confusing i saw one in a field the other day and all most convinced myself it was a crane til i got a bit closer and it moved it's head

cheers

 

[purple highflyer]

had a lively debate in one hide about a small wader but in the end we reckoned it was probably a small juv ruff good fun though trying to get the ID

cheers[/QUOTE]

Hi PaulE

I was at abberton on fri 2nd just after the phalarope was found,we also had a strange wader that fits your discription of a small juv ruff , but to small to be one ,we mused over pectoral sandpiper(it was distant) but then it dissapeared !,also had friday , white rumped sand (adult at lb causeway),3 blacknecked grebes,spoonbill & wood sandpiper.

PH

 

[Original PaulE]

had a lively debate in one hide about a small wader but in the end we reckoned it was probably a small juv ruff good fun though trying to get the ID

cheers

Hi PaulE

I was at abberton on fri 2nd just after the phalarope was found,we also had a strange wader that fits your discription of a small juv ruff , but to small to be one ,we mused over pectoral sandpiper(it was distant) but then it dissapeared !,also had friday , white rumped sand (adult at lb causeway),3 blacknecked grebes,spoonbill & wood sandpiper.

PH[/QUOTE]

hi ph

it's interesting isn't it you get fixated into trying to turn a bird into one thing and maybe miss out on something else the bird we saw wasn't that distant and we had good views on looking at pec sand in the collins i don't think it was one the bird we saw didn't have the clean cut off on the breast it also had a white base to the bill which was what made me think ruff at the time the collins also says that female ruffs can be as small as "only slightly larger bodied than a dunlin but with longer neck and legs" which fits our bird pretty well so over all if i had to put money on it i would say ruff
nice one on the grebes and wood sand by the way they have evaded me so far this year
cheers

 

[purple highflyer]

Hi PaulE



hi ph

it's interesting isn't it you get fixated into trying to turn a bird into one thing and maybe miss out on something else the bird we saw wasn't that distant and we had good views on looking at pec sand in the collins i don't think it was one the bird we saw didn't have the clean cut off on the breast it also had a white base to the bill which was what made me think ruff at the time the collins also says that female ruffs can be as small as "only slightly larger bodied than a dunlin but with longer neck and legs" which fits our bird pretty well so over all if i had to put money on it i would say ruff
nice one on the grebes and wood sand by the way they have evaded me so far this year
cheers

Hi PaulE

White base to the bill would seem to favour ruff,our bird didnt have that ,but I'll never know now !.
The birds I saw were all in wigborough bay ,you need a permit from the visitor centre,the wood sand has been seen again today,the grebes may have moved out into the main body of water as the bay is getting shallower by the day !

PH

 

[Original PaulE]

Hi PaulE

White base to the bill would seem to favour ruff,our bird didnt have that ,but I'll never know now !.
The birds I saw were all in wigborough bay ,you need a permit from the visitor centre,the wood sand has been seen again today,the grebes may have moved out into the main body of water as the bay is getting shallower by the day !

PH

hi ph
wigborough bay is members only i think they have missed a trick cos i probably would have paid a bit extra to go round there
i may have another crack at the grebes this weekend if weathers ok

cheers

 

[purple highflyer]

hi ph
wigborough bay is members only i think they have missed a trick cos i probably would have paid a bit extra to go round there
i may have another crack at the grebes this weekend if weathers ok

cheers

Hi PaulE

Yes take your point about wig bay,as far as I know it has only been open to members for about 3 weeks as the farm is uninhabited at the moment & s/e water dont mind members with permits visiting via the farm yard,,dont know how long this situation will last.
Good luck with the grebes.

PH

 

[E.T.]

I've been to Fingringhoe today. As I came out of the Field Centre, smiling and waving to me on the railing to the Lake was Black Red-Start.

It then flitted along and landed again on the railing, then (I was heading back toward the car park area) back on the railing of the insect garden place.

I spent a good two minutes watching it at distance of no more than 10 yards.

Fantastic :¬)

 

[Fozzybear]

That's very cool! :t:

 

[purple highflyer]

I've been to Fingringhoe today. As I came out of the Field Centre, smiling and waving to me on the railing to the Lake was Black Red-Start.

It then flitted along and landed again on the railing, then (I was heading back toward the car park area) back on the railing of the insect garden place.

I spent a good two minutes watching it at distance of no more than 10 yards.

Fantastic :¬)

Hi ET

Yes thats cool,saw it on bird guides ,waiting to see if its seen again today,if I have time will go to try and see it ,saw the pec sand at abberton yesterday in wigborough bay (ewt members only)but if not a member you can get on with a permit holding member,I took a guy from bedfordshire on with me as he'd come to see both the pec & the white rumped sand and didnt realise that wigborough bay was permit only,well worth going as today already reported ,wr sand ,pec sand,spoonbills,jack snipe,and the black necked greebes again.

PH

 

[E.T.]

I am an EWT member. Been to F'hoe again this morning it (or rather a pair) has been spotted in the woodland area (but not by me).

 

[purple highflyer]

I am an EWT member. Been to F'hoe again this morning it (or rather a pair) has been spotted in the woodland area (but not by me).

Hi ET

Thanks , but wont get over today,and they're closed tomorrow so that will have to wait ,good chance they will stay around the area though if they're not chased around to much !.

PH

 

[Original PaulE]

i went to abberton today didn't get to go to wig bay saw the spoonbills from the trail where the soper hide used to be also saw three slav grebes from same place

cheers

 

[E.T.]

Hmm might walk over to abberton shortly and look at the spoonbills...

 

[purple highflyer]

i went to abberton today didn't get to go to wig bay

cheers

Hi PaulE

Shame you didnt get down yesterday,you could,ve gone on with me,you have to be there early to get a permit as they are few! even if you are a member,when do you think you will be able to get doen there next ?

PH

 

[Original PaulE]

Hi PaulE

Shame you didnt get down yesterday,you could,ve gone on with me,you have to be there early to get a permit as they are few! even if you are a member,when do you think you will be able to get doen there next ?

PH

i sent you a pm did you get it?

 

[purple highflyer]

i sent you a pm did you get it?

Yes , just replied , sorry !

PH

 

[Original PaulE]

well finally got to see the white rumped and pec sandpipers at abberton today only took us 4 hours of looking BIG THANKYOU TO PURPLE HIGHFLYER for sticking it out and being the one to spot both birds although in my defence he had seen them both before and he has got a better scope than me
very enjoyable day with a bit of excitement at the end when we thought we may have found a spotted sand at the dam but after much examination we put it done as a common with very yellow legs
still mission accomplished for me with 2 lifers

cheers

 

[Fozzybear]

Was really pleased on a walk this afternoon to find a Stonechat on the rough ground by the river near Barnes Lock in Chelmsford - the first one I've ever seen! I'd been wanting to go to Two Tree Island as I'd heard they were there, rather cool to find one only a short walk from my house. :t:

 

[purple highflyer]

Hi Fozzybear

Yes ,stonechats are always a joy ,I saw 3 at the naze last week ,2 males and a female,I like the way they are allways willing to perch in full view,makes lie much easier !.

PH