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Monthly Roundup for the ELBF & South Essex area |
May 2008
RSPB Rainham Marshes: With near perfect water levels across the site it was not that surprising that May became a wader month with a staggering 24 species recorded including 21 of those in just one week! All the commoner species were recorded along with several Black and Bar-tailed Godwits, Sanderlings and Little Stints, four Knot in resplendent chestnut plumage, seven Turnstones, three Wood Sandpipers and three diminutive Temminck's Stints from 11th to 15th with four on the 16th. The Avocets remained on site despite loosing their eggs. Summer visiting warblers got down to the serious job of breeding but there were still migrants to be found with single Spotted Flycatchers on several dates and two cracking singing Firecrests on 25th. Garganey continued to be seen and at least five drakes and one duck were present as we headed into June. We hope that this rare summer visiting duck will breed this year. Little Gulls were seen at the start and end of May and the Thames hosted five species of Tern including a Little on 4th and a Black on 5th and 7th. A howling north-easterly with rain on 26th saw some real seawatching from the centre with two Fulmars and huge Gannet trying to find a way back out of the River. Up to 11 Hobbies were very obliging but despite searching we could not find the hoped for Red-footed Falcon. Marsh Harriers were recorded most days and it is becoming very difficult to ascertain how many birds are actually involved. Red Kite (14th), Buzzard and Honey Buzzard (both 31st) kept up the big bird of prey passage while a calling tawny owl on 11th was an excellent bird for Rainham.
Metropolitan Essex: Raptors ruled the month with a fine female Red-footed Falcon at Seventy Acres Lake from 15th-21st stealing the show. It was also seen at Sewardstone on its last day. Another female was seen for s few minutes at Dagenham Chase on 18th. Red Kites were seen over Havering-atte-Bower (7th), Cornmill Meadows (11th), Harlow (19th) and Hornchurch (31st). A Honey Buzzard passed over Connaught Water on 31st 45 minutes after going over Rainham and Common Buzzards were at their usual haunts. A Marsh Harrier was over the KGV Reservoir on 4th with an Osprey over Walthamstow the following day. There was little in the way of wader passage although a Bar-tailed Godwit at Walthamstow on 9th was being pursued by a hungry Peregrine. Three Fulmars were on the Thames between Grays and the QEII bridge on 26th. A Black Tern was also reported here on 23rd with at least 16 more through the KGV on 4th. A Red-rumped Swallow at Holyfield Lake on 1st was the star passerine but for only one observer while Firecrest, Redstart, Lesser Redpoll and Grasshopper Warblers were all found in Epping Forest . A Golden Oriole was seen briefly at Cornmill on 11th and 14 Nightingales were holding territory on Fishers Green Island. A Raven was seen over Goodmayes on 2nd.
South-east Essex : Definitely a raptor month with Red Kites over Landon Hills (5th) and a flock of four over Rayleigh and Canewden on 10th. An immature male Montagu's Harrier took up residence from 13th on Wallasea till 21st and an Osprey was seen there on 17th with singing Quail on 13th. Two drake Garganey were at Vange on and off and Nightingales were heard at Benfleet Downs and Wat Tyler CP where Turtle Doves were also in song. Three Cranes were seen over Hadleigh and then South Woodham Ferrers on 7th with two also seen over the latter on 16th. Seawatching off Canvey on 26th revealed a record breaking 118 Fulmars including a blue morph, two Pomarine Skuas, five Guillemots and 55 Gannet while further upriver nine Fulmar and eight Gannet made it as far as East Tilbury where the two Pomarine Skuas were still residing. |
April 2008
RSPB Rainham Marshes: With high water levels the numbers of duck remained good well into April. Three Pintail stayed throughout and Tufted Ducks reached a spring high of 54 on 12th . The 16th saw three male and a single lucky female Garganey on the site. A single drake was seen on and off after this date. Two Egyptian Geese arrived on 15th and stayed a few days while a single Brent Goose bobbed up river on 16th . Wader passage was reasonable with the first Whimbrel on 12th and groups of up to seven subsequently. Two Spotted Redshanks and up to three Greenshank moved through along with 6 Ruff, Sanderling (16th ) and Turnstone (19th ) and the odd Bar-tailed Godwit or two. Seven British race Black-tailed Godwits were seen in addition to our usual flock of Icelandic birds. Two Avocets seem quite taken by the new scrape. Astonishingly, our second Stone Curlew of the spring gave excellent, if distant views, for most of the 16th . The Thames was fairly quiet but yielded a few Common Terns from 18th , 5 Arctic Terns (20th ), a Black Tern (21st ) and a flurry of Little Gulls from 20th . An Arctic Skua on 23rd was a great spring record. There was plenty of big bird of prey action with at least seven Marsh Harriers, a Buzzard, Red Kite (2nd ) and two Goshawk sightings. A female was seen on 2 nd and a male on 13th . Peregrines were regular and the last Merlin was a male seen on 11th while the first Hobby was on 22nd . Three Short-eared Owls stayed well into the month and give us hope … Small birds were well represented with some goodies among the commoner migrant fayre. A Common Redstart was seen on 9th with single Black Redstarts on 15th, 24th and 29th. A male Whinchat on the 24th with Wheatears completed the good chats. Ring Ouzels were seen on 20th and 24th with a late Fieldfare on 27th . Yellow Wagtails were largely flyovers as was a Tree Pipit (10th ) and Yellowhammer (13th ) while two water pipits stayed till 10th The find of the month was a Richard's Pipit from 27th . A new site bird! Three Grasshopper Warblers reeled from 20th with our first Garden Warbler of the season the next day. Metropolitan Essex : A Cattle Egret was found at the sou the rn end of the Wm. Girling reservoir on 12th . It stayed till 17th and showed well at times. Little Egrets continued to be seen in favoured places but most had returned to the ir breeding sites by mid-month. Buzzards were very active and three Red Kites were seen on 5th , 15th and 24th . All were along traditional flyways. Goshawks were seen at Brentwood and Sewardstone and Peregrines continued to be reported in the southern Lee Valley . The first two Arctic Terns were off North Woolwich on 14th with a mini push of this species and Little Gull through the Lee Valley from 20 th with a peak of 25 of the latter at the KGV reservoir on 22nd . A Roseate Tern was seen off North Woolwich on 27th . Two Black-necked Grebes were still on the Girling on 6th with four more at Fairlop on 17th . Garganey were reported from Belhus Woods CP where two drakes took up residence from 9th . A single was in the Ingrebourne on 12 th and another was at Walthamstow Reservoirs on 20th -21st . A Hoopoe was seen alongside the A12 at Brentwood on 26th . Ring Ouzels were seen at Fairlop on 17th and West Thurrock Marshes (25th ) with Redstarts at the former site from 6th , at Sewardstone (5th ) and Walthamstow Reservoirs (9th ). A Black redstart was seen at the latter site on 20th . Whinchats were at Dagenham Chase (24th) and Tylers Common (27 th ) while the Chase also had Corn Bunting and flyover Tree Pipit on 23rd . Firecrests were seen at Walthamstow Reservoirs on 6th -7th and in Mayesbrook Park on 25th . Grasshopper Warblers were back at two traditional sites by mid–month. Twelve late Fieldfares and a single Redwing were at Tylers Common on 22nd and a Short-eared Owl hung on till at east 23rd .
South-east Essex : Vestiges of winter hung on at the end of Southend Pier with Black-throated Diver on 19th and a Shag and two Purple Sandpipers on 25th . Elsewhere Hen Harriers were reported at Hadleigh on 20th and Canvey on 18th . The Iceland and Glaucous Gulls were last seen at Mucking on 5th when 1100 Black-tailed Godwits were also counted. Paglesham Lagoon hosted a Slavonian Grebe from 12th -15th and the seemingly resident Long-tailed Duck all month. An Osprey over Wat Tyler CP on 26th was the only record and not a single Red Kite was recorded in the area. Common Redstarts were seen at Gunners Park from 13th -15th with Black Redstarts there on 20th and at Barling (13th ) and Rayne (25th ). Grasshopper Warbleres were in song at Wakering and RSPB Vange Marshes and the only other migrants of notes were a Firecrest on Canvey (14th ) and a Tree Sparrow in Gunners Park on 4th .
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March 2008
RSPB Rainham Marshes: Unlike February March was distinctly inclement with plenty of wind, rain and even snow. Duck numbers remained high and a Goosander on 6th was very notable. Thousands of gulls moved through the reserve. They were mostly Black-headeds but included at least four Meds, one Little (30th), two Caspians, two Iceland Gulls (the juvenile intermittently till 31st and an adult seen on 5th). Oystercatchers were back and proclaiming the ir territories on the foreshore. The 9th saw a very early Little Ringed Plover back on site with two from 15th which was our first real spring day with seven Wheatears and the first two Avocets of the year. Three more were seen on 26th. Numerous Chiffchaffs, a Willow Warbler, three White Wagtails (20th) and a couple of Sand Martins and Swallows suggested a change in the wea the r. Up to four Bearded Tits and three Cetti's Warblers were on the trail circuit but Stonechat numbers dwindles to just a pair by month end. A Spotted Redshank from 28th was new for the year. The 27th saw a flock of 15 Common Scoters on the Thames all day. This movement was mirrored across East Anglia . Three Short-eared Owls continued to hunt the Silt Lagoons and three each of Marsh Harrier and Buzzard moved through from 14th. Star raptor goes to the Osprey seen heading north on 29th but the bird of the month was found next day with a fine Stone Curlew roosting up amongst the ant-hills. Metropolitan Essex: Little Egrets were all over the area in March with at least 15 birds reported from seven sites with Mayesbrook and Harrow Lodge Parks being the most regular. Mayesbrook is being very well watched at the moment and is proving that a local patch can be worth the time and effort with excellent birds such as Water Rail, Peregrine, the first county Wheatear (11th), Brambling and female Goshawk (31st). Elsewhere winter did not really linger with a pair of Smew at Netherhall on 8th and a good scattering of Fieldfares (200 at Fairlop on 9th), Redwings and largely garden based Bramblings and Siskins. A garden in Wanstead also had two Mealy Redpolls amongst several Lessers. A Hawfinch graced another garden in Woodford Green on 22nd but did not linger. The same garden also briefly hosted the winters only Waxwing on 17th. The main migrant push was from 16th when the re were Wheatears and Sand Martins at several sites along with two early House Martins at Dagenham Chase. The KGV reservoir held three Scoters on 27th and an early Yellow Wagtail with some Whites. The only Black Redstart was at Pages Farm on 22nd and 23rd. Other signs of movement included a Red Kite over the Ingrebourne Valley (30th), Water and Rock Pipits in the Lee Valley , four Kittiwakes at Walthamstow Reservoirs (25th) and a Short-eared Owl at Fairlop on 21st-22nd.
South-east Essex: After a fairly quiet winter is was good to get some divers in the Thames Estuary with all three species being seen off the Southend Pier and Gunners Park (9th and 21st). At least three Purple Sandpipers continued to roost at the end of the Pier and up to 20 Med Gulls were on patrol while Rossi the Ring-billed stayed at Westcliff till 21st. Strong winds on 16th did not bring much up river with 23 Gannet off Canvey being the highlight. The Paglesham Lagoon Long-tailed Duck was still present on 1st and at nearby Wallasea the Little Stint and Goosander continued to winter. A Pale-bellied Brent Goose was with 4000 Dark-bellieds on 11th and a male Hen Harrier was seen on 14th and 16th. Gull watching at Holehaven started to tail off but the Glaucous Gull was seen again on 4th when the re were also three Caspians. The Glaucous Gull spent more time in March at Mucking where two were seen on 2nd with one till 22nd. Two Pomarine Skuas still patrolled the river and the Curlew Sandpiper continued to be seen up till 8th at least. Wat Tyler hosted a Marsh Harrier for most of March with three White-fronted Geese again being seen on 22nd. Wintering Spotted Redshanks and Greenshanks continued to be seen here. Two Short-eared Owls were regularly seen on Two Tree Island where a Spoonbill circled briefly on 14th. The first Wheatear was on Canvey on 15th with a scattering of Sand Martins after that time. Bramblings were reported in many gardens and parks. |
February 2008
RSPB Rainham Marshes: It was an unseasonally sunny month with some fantastic spring like days on the reserve. With nothing like wintry wea the r the re was little in the way of movement with duck numbers barely fluctuating and Lapwing numbers dropping off steadily as the days leng the ned. Six White-fronted Geese visited on the 16th-17th on the back of the one spell of chilly easterlies and a Brent Goose visited from 20th-22nd. The Golden Plover flock was occasionally up to 300 but more often 30 and about 150 Black-tailed Godwits still visited at high tide with a single Grey Plover and 30 Ringed Plover with the m. Three Green Sandpipers are wintering on site and Snipe numbers leapt up in the last week with a high of 73 (and one Jack Snipe) on 25th. The Short-eared Owls have been quite reliable and Peregrines and Merlin sightings increased. A pair of the latter were seen tussling on 17th. Two Marsh Harriers were seen on 6th and 28th and a Buzzard went through on 14th. Gulls were ever popular with the Iceland Gull visiting sporadically and at least five Caspian, six Mediterranean and a Glaucous Gulls also being reported. The Thames was quiet except for a Red-throated Diver on 10th and several Great Crested Grebe sightings. Our feeders were still busy with finches and at least three Cetti's Warblers were stridently singing around the trail. Five Corn Buntings were again seen on the foreshore (17th) and both Water and Rock Pipits were relatively easy to find. The Black Redstart was again seen on the rubbish tip.
Metropolitan Essex: The Lee Valley was fairly quiet with no Essex Bitterns and only a few reports of the wintering Goosanders and Smew. The Girling Reservoir held 32 Black-necked Grebes (9th) – a new county record and the KGV Reservoir held Red-breasted Merganser the same day. A Caspian Gull at Walthamstow Reservoir on 6th was a new site bird while the male Smew and Red-crested Pochard continued to be seen at Connaught Water. A fine male Scaup was seen at Mayesbrook park in Dagenham on 8th and 10th and a Siberian Chiffchaff was seen the re on 10th and 13th. The Ingrebourne Valley still hosted a Bittern and many Cetti's Warblers and was a regular place (along with Cranham Marsh) to catch up with the local Ring-necked Parakeets. West Thurrock Marshes still held 22 Avocet and two Jack Snipe on 23rd as well as the first returning Oystercatchers. At least five Firecrest were in the Warley area with another in Chafford Hundred on 1st.
South-east Essex : Gulls, gulls, gulls……… Hole Haven Creek scooped at least 15 Caspian Gulls during the month along with many Meds, two Icelands (1st winter on 16th and 21st and adult on 27th) and two juvenile Glaucous Gulls (one from 8th onwards). The other was the wintering juvenile from Barling and Paglesham that was seen the re till 23rd and the n at Hole Haven on 28th. Rossi the Ring-billed Gull strutted his stuff at Westcliff with up to ten Meds while the end of Southend Pier held over twenty more and at least three Purple Sandpipers. A Black-throated Diver was also seen off here on 22nd and 24th. Paglesham Lagoon still held the Long-tailed Duck and Scaup all month while the east end of Canvey held a Black redstart from 2nd and two Arctic Skuas and 50 Kittiwakes offshore on 3rd. East Tilbury alsio hosted skuas with a single Pomarine on 3rd and two on 11th. On the former date the re were also six Kittiwakes and 500 each of Avocet and Black-tailed Godwit. The Curlew Sandpiper was seen again on 11th. Wat Tyler Cp had three White-fronted Geese on 21st and nearby RSPB Vange Marshes had Water Pipit 3rd and a Barn Owl. Nearby a Woodlark was heard singing over Corringham on 27th.The 6th saw a Red Kite over Hadleigh and male Hen Harrier was seen eating a Golden Plover on Wallasea on 2nd where the male Goosander was still pretending to be a Shelduck all month and 2000 Brent Geese were seen on 23rd.
January 2008
RSPB Rainham Marshes: Our Christmas stars, the Barnacle Geese, stayed till 16th and attracted a steady stream of admirers before they headed east to Elmley in Kent . Two White-fronted Geese brightened up the 2nd when a sparkling, red-eyed Slavonian Grebe was found fishing on Aveley Pools. This was only the second record for the reserve. Strong winds brought several Kittiwakes, Little Gulls and a Goldeneye up the Thames . Lapwing increased quite dramatically and by 25th 3000 were shimmering black and white across the marshes with 500 Golden Plovers for company. Other waders included 30 Curlew, 410 Black-tailed Godwits, two Jack Snipe and a record 17 Knot. An Iceland Gull was found on the 3rd and visited sporadically till 26th. Four Caspian Gulls and a Ring-billed Gull (25th) completed a good gull month. Peregrines made frequent hunting sorties after waders and ducks and a female merlin made irregular appearances in pursuit of finches and pipits. At least three short-eared owls were holding winter territory on the silt lagoons. Stonechats were ever present and a black redstart, was seen along the newly opened section of the Riverside Path. Finches abounded with over 400 linnet finding plenty of seeds to keep them well fed while Flocks of green, gold and chaffinches congregated around the feeders near the visitor centre and reed and corn buntings could be found on the foreshore with three species of pipit and pied and grey wagtails. The mild weather prompted three male Cetti's warblers to explode into song and robins, song and mistle thrushes have all been proclaiming their spring intentions. Will we yet have a winter or will spring get there first?
Metropolitan Essex : There was little in the way of winter movement and winter duck were scarce. Weald Park had up to ten Goosander with several around Holyfield Lake and up to eight at Sewardstone. Belhus Woods CP, Seventy Acres Lake hosted three Smew apiece while Mayesbrook Park surprisingly hosted a pair on 3rd. Black-necked Grebes on the Girling Reservoir reached 29 on 6th and the KGV hosted a Red-breasted Merganser on 12th. There were no reports of wild geese and the only ones of interest were 11 Egyptians on Fishers Green Goosefield on 6th. There were no Bittern reports from the Essex sections of the Lee Valley and the Berwick Pond birds were seen infrequently. Little Egrets were reported from nine inland sites with up to four in Mayesbrook Park where a Water Pipit was much appreciated. Nine Lesser Redpolls visited some birch trees in Barking from 9th and there were several small Siskin flocks reported along with a handful of mostly garden Bramblings. A single Hawfinch was seen over South Woodford on 27th. Firecrests continued to be seen in the Warley Place area and another was in a garden in Hornchurch. Finally, 107 Magpies were counted going to roost in the Roding Valley NR on 13th.
South-east Essex : The Long-tailed Duck and Scaup stayed at Paglesham Lagoon till 26th at least and there were 22 Goldeneye there on 22nd. Wallasea Wetlands continued to hold a wintering Little Stint and the male Goosander and the 5th also held two male Hen Harriers and a Greenshank. A Merlin was seen there next day. Seawatching off Canvey Island produced a Pomarine and two Arctic Skuas on 26th while the Southend Pier on 27th hosted up to 25 Med Gulls, the same skuas and a Great Northern Diver. There was a huge count of 630 Turnstone roosting there on 13th when four Purple Sandpipers were also present. Things picked up at Holehaven eight Caspian Gulls on 5th and two more on 19th. Up to nine Yellow-legged Gulls were also present. Rossi the Ring-billed Gull was regularly on patrol at Westcliff. Up to 600 Avocets were reported at East Tilbury and Stanford and three White-fronts were seen at Wat Tyler CP on 14th. The Prittlebrook Siskins were stillpresnt with up to 20 being seen daily. Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers were noted at Hockley and Belfairs.
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