February 2010

RSPB Rainham Marshes: The wildfowl theme from January continued throughout February with the two Tundra Bean Geese dropping in again on 6th, 13th and 14th and two Pink-feet arriving the next day till 17th. Twenty Brents were seen on 7th and Pintail peaked at 31 on 10th. The obliging Slavonian Grebe from the end of January was inexplicably found freshly dead on 8th. Gull watching produced about eight different Caspian Gulls and Iceland on 12th and Glaucous on 13th. Med Gulls were seen regularly and a Little Gull was caught up with a huge movement of Black-headed Gulls on 28th. Yellow-legged Gulls peaked at 24 on the foreshore with many smart adults. There were no wader surprises but a Turnstone was new on 3rd and a Jack Snipe was seen on 15th. A female Marsh Harrier was seen on 4th and a male showed very well on 27th while the Peregrines put on daily acrobatic performances. The two Serins stayed till 24th and a Penduline Tit showed closely for a few minutes on 15th before heading north. Two Bearded Tits were heard on the 12th and the Barn Owl was out all day on the 4th but appeared to have a damaged leg and was not seen subsequently.

Metropolitan (LHNS) Essex : The Great Northern Diver on the Girling Reservoir was present till at least the 19th with the Black-throated till 17th. Up to 19 Black-necked Grebes and a Red-breasted Merganser were also seen there. A Red-necked Grebe was also there on 19th which with a Slavonian Grebe available at Walthamstow Reservoirs from 15th meant that all five grebes were available in the Lee Valley on the same day. Up to seven Smew were in the Seventy Acres Lake area with about the same of Goosander while two more Smew remained at Mollands Lane, South Ockenden along with a Black-necked Grebe (3rd-8th). This area also held a ringtail Hen Harrier (3rd) and two Bitterns (3rd) while other Bitterns were seen in the Ingrebourne and at least three at Seventy Acres Lake . A female Red-crested Pochard arrived in the Ingrebourne Valley (along with thee White-fronted Geese) on 6th and a male was seen in the Roding Valley the same day. The White-fronts stayed in the valley all month and were joined by the Rainham Pink-feet on 19th and 20th. A Brent Goose was a good find at Fairlop Waters on 12th. Weald Park still held 23 Goosanders on 17th and a Scaup was seen on Walthamstow on 5th. This site held the rarity for the month with the first London record of Dusky Warbler that was found on 14th and showed well on and off till 21st. Well done Lol! The adult Med Gull continued to show well in Valentines Park . Winter finches were scarce with several small flocks of Siskins and Lesser Redpolls, two Mealies (Harold Court Wood on 3rd-8th and Fairlop on 15th) and only one Brambling (Upminster on 21st). Seven Crossbills were around Thorndon CP. Firecrests still made a good showing with nine reported with most in the Bedfords Park / Havering area. Blackcaps were similarly widespread again.

South-east Essex : The Red-breasted Goose first seen in January reappeared in February on Wakering Stairs on 7th but despite checking the 3000 strong flock regularly in the area, it was not seen again. The same day saw 180 White-fronts head over the Stairs. Wallasea Island continued to host two wintering Curlew Sandpipers and Little Stint along with 37 White-fronts on 6th. At least three ringtail and one male Hen Harrier were reported between South Fambridge , Wallasea, Potton and the Stairs. Paglesham Lagoon held two Scaup till 14th and a Smew on 6th while the eight Bewick's Swans present from the 3rd were probably part of the South Fambridge flock that had reached 13 by 25th along with a single Whooper and 56 Mutes. This latter site also held a showy Red-necked Grebe (9th-14th) and Snow Bunting (14th-17th). A single Pink-footed Goose was with Greylags on Potton on 25th. Slavonian Grebe and Great Northern Diver were off the Stairs on 14th with two Slavs and 49 Great Crested Grebes off Shoebury on 12th. Another Slav was still on Two Tree Island on 14th and the bird at Wat Tyler was present till at least 17th. Yet another was at East Tilbury from 5th. RSPB Vange Marshes hosted an adult Iceland Gull on 1st-2nd and a 1st year on 14th-15th. Two Caspian Gulls were seen there on 20th and Spoonbill dropped in on 2nd. Sixteen Ruff on 15th was a high count. Riverwatching off Canvey produced Red-necked Grebe, Great Northern and Black-throated Divers on 13th and 49 Gannets on 28th. Southend Pier was fairly quiet although at Purple Sandpiper, Red-necked Grebe (12th) and several Great Northerns were seen. The seafront produced another Purple Sandpiper with 550 Turnstone on the 21st and 41 Med Gulls and Rossi the Ring-billed were also counted that day. The three Shorelarks continued to be seen sporadically at East Tilbury till 10th and male Hen Harrier was seen on 4th along with Black Redstart (till 16th) and three Little Gulls (16th). Two Firecrests persisted at Hockley Woods where three Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers were also to be found along with two Crossbills (14th). Two Waxwings were seen in Leigh on 16th and a Hawfinch was seen near Ingrave on 23rd.

January 2010

RSPB Rainham Marshes: 2010 got off to a great start with all the goodies from the end of December making it to January 1st with both Serins and the Great Skua performing well. The Buzzard and female marsh Harrier lingered and Merlins were seen on three dates while up to six Peregrines have been around. The Short-eared Owls showed well on occasion and the Barn owl survived the cold and started showing well. Two Bitterns were seen on the 1st with other sightings on 2nd, 21st and 28th. The cold weather brought in three Mergansers (10th), Ruddy Duck (15th), three Scoter (25th) and Goldeneye (6th and two 18th) to the Thames . Three Brents on 12th were the precursor for 22 on 21st when 71 Pink-feet headed east and two Tundra Bean Geese dropped out of the flock and spent the rest of the month on the reserve. Fiver Whooper Swans were tracked across the region on 23rd and ended up roosting infront of the visitors centre where they stayed until 0750 the following morning. One was colour-ringed so we await details! Up to five Jack Snipe were seen and Woodcock became a daily occurrence and two Bar-tailed Godwits and 11 Grey Plover were on the foreshore along with a single Knot from 26th. A flock of 28 Knot were seen the next day! The Ruff flock peaked at six and 30 Oystercatcher (15th) were not only unseasonal but a site record. Gull watching proved an excellent choice for the month with no less than four juvenile Glaucous Gulls, an adult Iceland (22nd & 26th), several Meds and upwards of 20 Caspian Gulls for those with patience. A Slavonian Grebe was found in a ditch on 24th and dazzled people into February. Up to 200 Skylark were found wintereing and two Woodlarks were seen on 17th while Lapland (5th), 11 Corn and up to three Yellowhammers made it a good bunting month. The Serins stayed all month and the Bearded Tits returned for another photo session. Like elsewhere the reserve with full of thrushes during the snow.

Metropolitan (LNHS) Essex : Bitterns were obvious in January with at least five in the Seventy Acres Lake area, three in the Ingrebourne Valley and singles at Weald Park, Walthamstow Reservoirs and Grange Waters. At least four more were in the Herts section of the Lee Valley . The Wm Girling Reservoir hosted two Great Northern Divers for most of the month and they were joined on 17th by a Black-throated Diver and all stayed till at least the 24th. Black-necked grebes peaked here at 25 and the female Merganser was seen most days. There were also sightings also of Scaup and seven Brent Geese (21st). Six more Scaup flew past Lee Mouth on 10th and another was at North Woolwich on 9th. Walthamstow Reservoirs also hosted both Scaup and two Black-necked Grebes from 24th. A huge count of 694 Tufted Ducks was made on the Thames at Creekmouth on 9th. Smew in the Lee Valley were mobile but at least three male and four redhead were seen with others at Belhus Woods CP, Grange Waters, Connaught Water and the Ingrebourne Valley . About 20 Goosander were around Seventy Acres and another 25 were in Weald Park on 23rd. Six Bewick's Swans flew over the KGV and Waltham Abbey on 9th and five adult Whoopers were tracked down the Lee Valley from Holyfield lake, over Walthamstow, down to the Thames at Crossness before heading to RSPB Rainham Marshes to roost. Mandarin peaked at 85 on Connaught Water and another 12 were in Gidea Park on 22nd. Goldeneye were in the Ingrebourne Valley (3rd) and Wanstead Park . Both the regular Caspian and Med Gulls were seen at their respective haunts of KGV Dock and Valentines Park . Red Kites were seen over Hooks Marsh (8th) and Lambourne End (23rd) and male Merlins were seen at Claybury and Ingrebourne (5th) and Aveley(12th). A Short-eared Owl at Gunpowder Park was a good Lee valley record and a Long-eared was encountered at South Weald. Up to 35 Siskin were counted in Weald Park with a similar number of Lesser Redpolls at nearby Harold Court Wood attracting at least one Mealy. Small groups of Yellowhammers were found in the Havering-atte-Bower area and a Corn Bunting at Risebridge GC in Romford was the first in the area for seven years. At least 16 Firecrests were recorded and about 30 Blackcaps were seen in gardens and parks. A Black Redstart on a Chafford Hundred garden on 9th was surprise.

South-east Essex : Wat Tyler CP and RSPB Vange Marshes hosted a good selection of birds during January with a Bittern on 9th and a fine Slavonian Grebe from 23rd. Three Jack Snipe were put up and Spotted Redshanks and Greenshanks were regular. A Spoonbill dropped in on 31st and 265 Wigeon were counted on 27th when two Glaucous Gulls were reported. An immature Iceland-type was seen on 7th. Elsewhere in south Essex over 20 Caspians, ad Ring-billed, immature Kumlien's three Glaucous and an adult Iceland were seen at a private site while another similar location held two more Glaucous Gulls on 21st. Another Caspian was seen at Two Tree Island on 1st along with Spotted Redshank and a male Merlin. Hen Harriers were prominent with at least one male touring the Crouch, Wakering and Wallasea area while Red Kites were seen over Corringham (8th), North Fambridge (18th), Rayleigh Mount (21st), leigh (24th) and Ashingdon (26th). Canvey was quiet with just a Bonxie and Eider on the 9th of note while the Ring-billed Gull continued to show at Westcliff with a fine Black-throated diver often just off shore as well. Southend Pier held at least seven Great Northern Divers on 5h (and six on 17th) along with 70 Great Crested Grebes and Purple Sandpiper on 15th. A Black-necked Grebe was also seen off Westcliff on that date. A Spoonbill was seen at Leigh (10th) and Wakering (14th). A drake American Wigeon was on the Crouch on 4th. It is difficult to keep tabs on the wild swan reports but the peak counts received were of up to 12 Bewick's and a Whooper at South Fambridge (from 5th) and 13 on Wallasea (24th-25th) along with three Whoopers on Paglesham lagoon on 31st. Goose-watching on Wallasea on 24th proved fruitful with a much hoped for adult Red-breasted Goose amongst 3000 Dark-bellieds, two Pale-bellied and a single Black Brant. At Mucking a Bittern and ten Bewick's Swans were seen on 11th with a male Hen Harrier and 60 Corn Buntings the same day at East Tilbury where a Great Skua was also seen on 11th and 500 Avocets on 31st. A Shorelark was seen on the Mucking foreshore on 21st. Six Waxwings were reported at Pitsea Mount on 11th and four Twite were reported at Brandy Hole on the 9th along with a Water Pipit. A 1000 Skylark were on Wallasea on 10th and winter thrushes were everywhere along with many reports of Woodcock and garden based Blackcaps.