Saturday 31 May 2025

Benfleet Creek, 16:15 to 17:00
6 Stonechat (1st territory - 3 juvs, 2nd territory - ad male + 2 juvs ) [John Wright]

Hadleigh Marshes, 15:15 to 16:15
10 Little Egret (flying in and out of the breeding colony), 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Buzzard, 1 Cuckoo, 20 Marsh Frog (20 in one pond - others heard ), 2 Grass Snake [John Wright]

Westcliff, 14:55 to 15:00, Westborough Road
1 Kestrel, 4 Swift [Jeff Kinnerman]

Benfleet Creek, 09:00 to 09:30
5 Little Grebe (2 ads +3 juvs), 9 Pochard (pair, and a female with 6 ducklings), 1 Marsh Frog (many heard), 1 Grass Snake, 2 Northern Water Vole [John Wright]

Friday 30 May 2025

Bowers Marsh (RSPB), 20:45 to 22:30
1 Cuckoo, 2 Barn Owl, 1 Marsh Frog (many heard), 3 Northern Water Vole (ad+2 juvs) [John Wright]

West Canvey Marsh (RSPB), 10:45 to 12:45
1 Garganey (female), 3 Buzzard, 1 Cuckoo, 4 Cetti's Warbler (heard), 4 Lesser Whitethroat, 3 Corn Bunting (singing), 4 Marsh Frog (4+, 4 seen, others heard ), 6 Small Tortoiseshell [John Wright]

River Roach, 07:15 to 12:45, Stambridge Road to Paglesham Lagoon via Hampton Barns and Bartonhall Creek and return
7 Pochard (5m,2f PL), 4 Buzzard, 1 Kestrel, 14 Avocet (on the Roach opp PL), 3 Mediterranean Gull (ads), 3 Cuckoo (pair W of HB,single W of PL ), 8 Swift (PL), 7 Skylark, 4 Swallow, 1 Yellow Wagtail, 2 Cetti's Warbler (h,PL), 1 Sedge Warbler (PL), 5 Reed Warbler (h), 5 Blackcap, 2 Lesser Whitethroat, 10 Whitethroat, 1 Chiffchaff (h), 1 Yellowhammer (m,footpath/hedge just W of PL), 2 Corn Bunting, 3 Small Tortoiseshell, 1 Peacock Butterfly, 1 Small Heath [Jeff Kinnerman]

Thursday 29 May 2025

Daws Heath, 20:30 to 22:15
1 Tawny Owl (heard), 9 Common Pipistrelle, 4 Soprano Pipistrelle, 2 Red Fox, 1 Badger [John Wright]

Westcliff, 16:00 to 16:15, Southend Hospital
1 Little Egret (north), 1 Sparrowhawk [Paul Griggs]

Two Tree Island (West), 15:30 to 16:00
10 Common Tern, 1 Cuckoo, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 1 Pygmy Shrew [John Wright]

Chalkwell Park Drive, Leigh, 11:00 to 11:30
4 Slow-worm, 5 Azure Damselfly [John Wright]

River Roach, 06:55 to 12:05, Coombes Farm to Bartonhall Creek and return to Mill Lane
2 Buzzard, 2 Kestrel, 6 Avocet, 2 Mediterranean Gull (ads), 2 Cuckoo (h,distant,one S of river,the other W of BC), 4 Swift, 6 Skylark, 1 Sand Martin, 7 Swallow, 3 House Martin, 2 Yellow Wagtail, 1 Cetti's Warbler (h), 2 Reed Warbler (h), 5 Blackcap (h), 2 Lesser Whitethroat (h), 9 Whitethroat, 1 Chiffchaff (h), 1 Greenfinch (m), 2 Corn Bunting, 1 Red Admiral, 1 Wall Brown, 1 Meadow Brown, 1 Small Heath [Jeff Kinnerman]

Wednesday 28 May 2025

Wallasea Island (RSPB), 12:40 to 18:00, Blustery WNW, mixed sun and occasional showers. Mostly surveying gull colony on Grass Farm
1 Great Crested Grebe (Fitzroy), 2 Egyptian Goose (Pair now inside fenced area but goslings gone), 3 Pochard (Duck with 2 ducklings next to path S of screens), 5 Marsh Harrier (3 males inc the beautifully marked older bird), 1 Buzzard, 5 Ringed Plover (Pair with 3 tiny fluffballs west edge of Grass Farm. Full on broken wing distraction display keeping Herring Gull away from the chicks), 9 Mediterranean Gull (nests - but more hidden in vegetation on islands, 50+ birds half adults but 1st and 2nd summer birds too), 748 Black-headed Gull (Nests on Grass farm/Salt Pan alone, at least 105 chicks seen), 2 Sandwich Tern (pair over colony flew off east), 39 Common Tern (nests - more birds now settled), 1 Cuckoo (calling from SW corner of island ), 6 Swallow, 6 Reed Bunting (singing males), 5 Corn Bunting (singing) [Jeff Delve]

Canewdon, 10:00 to 12:00, Garden watch
6 Blue Tit (pair with 4 newly fledged young), 3 Great Tit (pair with 1 fledgling), 5 Chaffinch (inc 2 juveniles), 6 Greenfinch (inc one juvenile on feeders), 7 Goldfinch (inc 2 juveniles), 1 Azure Damselfly, 1 Green-veined White, 1 Holly Blue [Jeff Delve]

Two Tree Island (East), 09:15 to 10:00
160 Dark-bellied Brent Goose, 1 Cuckoo, 4 Swift [John Wright]

Bowers Marsh (RSPB), 07:45 to 10:45
3 Great Crested Grebe, 2 Buzzard, 2 Mediterranean Gull, 5 Yellow Wagtail, 1 Black-tailed Skimmer, 1 Large Skipper, 4 Small Tortoiseshell [Graham Ryland, Graham Oakes]

Tuesday 27 May 2025

Wallasea Island (RSPB), 08:15 to 11:15, Annual Water Vole survey
2 Marsh Harrier (M & F ), 1 Kestrel, 2 Stonechat (pair), 4 Corn Bunting [John Wright]

Monday 26 May 2025

South Fambridge, 18:15 to 18:15
1 Red Kite (over BHF) [Paul Baker]

Bowers Marsh (RSPB), 07:45 to 11:30
1 Buzzard, 1 Kestrel, 1 Dunlin, 1 Mediterranean Gull, 1 Cuckoo, 4 Yellow Wagtail, 1 Bearded Tit, 1 Small Tortoiseshell [Graham Ryland, Graham Oakes]

Sunday 25 May 2025

Highlands Boulevard, Leigh, 10:30 to 10:30
1 Mediterranean Gull [Paul Griggs]

Saturday 24 May 2025

Westcliff, 16:20 to 16:20, Southend Hospital
1 Little Egret (south) [Paul Griggs]

Canewdon, 15:00 to 16:00, Breezy and a bit overcast
1 Painted Lady (BHP) [Jeff Delve]

Wakering Stairs, 12:00 to 12:45
3 Common Tern, 1 Turtle Dove (Heard ), 1 Cuckoo, 2 Nightingale, 2 Lesser Whitethroat [Lee Ebbs]

Friday 23 May 2025

Doggetts Pits, 12:00 to 12:55
1 Egyptian Goose, 2 Tufted Duck, 1 Buzzard, 1 Blackcap, 1 Whitethroat, 1 Chiffchaff, 100 Red-eyed Damselfly, 60 Azure Damselfly, 10 Blue-tailed Damselfly, 2 Hairy Dragonfly, 6 Four-spotted Chaser [Neil Chambers]

Thursday 22 May 2025

Wakering Stairs, 18:30 to 20:10
10 Great Crested Grebe, 80 Dark-bellied Brent Goose, 1 Marsh Harrier, 1 Buzzard, 5 Ringed Plover, 3 Grey Plover, 1 Dunlin, 7 Bar-tailed Godwit, 4 Whimbrel, 1 Turnstone, 1 Turtle Dove (male purring SW of road), 1 Cuckoo (singing), 3 Nightingale (singing), 1 Cetti's Warbler (singing), 1 Blackcap, 1 Whitethroat, 1 Chiffchaff [Neil Chambers]

Canewdon, 11:00 to 12:00
1 Little Grebe (BHP), 6 Pochard (BHP 5 males, much posturing and display calling), 1 Cetti's Warbler (BHP), 1 Blackcap (singing male BHP), 1 Chiffchaff (singing), 1 Brimstone (garden), 2 Green-veined White (BHP), 1 Small Tortoiseshell (Very battered individual Canute Close), 1 Speckled Wood (BHP) [Jeff Delve]

River Roach, 06:35 to 11:35, Coombes Farm to Bartonhall Creek and return to Mill Lane
1 Egyptian Goose (lake W of BC), 2 Buzzard, 1 Avocet, 2 Mediterranean Gull (ads), 1 Common Tern, 1 Cuckoo (BC), 1 Little Owl (Hampton Barns viewed from BC), 4 Swift, 9 Skylark, 12 Swallow, 2 Yellow Wagtail, 5 Reed Warbler, 8 Blackcap, 2 Lesser Whitethroat, 7 Whitethroat, 2 Chiffchaff (h), 4 Greenfinch, 4 Corn Bunting (pairs), 1 Common Blue, 1 Wall Brown, 2 Small Heath [Jeff Kinnerman]

Tuesday 20 May 2025

Wakering Stairs, 19:35 to 20:35
4 Little Egret, 5 Grey Plover, 6 Sanderling, 3 Whimbrel, 2 Stock Dove, 1 Turtle Dove (in dead tree by old blockhouse, then heard purring NE of road), 1 Cuckoo, 1 Barn Owl, 3 Nightingale (singing), 1 Sedge Warbler (singing) [Neil Chambers]

Wallasea Island (RSPB), 18:00 to 19:30, Short visit to hide and Stokes
2 Great Crested Grebe (Pair Stokes), 4 Egyptian Goose (+, Pr plus at least 2 goslings Dragonfly pools), 3 Marsh Harrier (2 males), 1 Buzzard, 2 Kestrel, 6 Avocet (Darwin Very young juvs from 3 pairs, many more sitting still), 13 Ringed Plover (Feeding flock Fitzroy from hide), 4 Reed Bunting, 2 Corn Bunting (Singing ), 1 Field Vole (Ran across path ) [Jeff Delve]

Monday 19 May 2025

Vange Marsh (RSPB), 09:00 to 09:55
2 Egyptian Goose, 4 Lapwing, 9 Black-tailed Godwit, 6 Redshank, 50 Swift, 20 Swallow, 2 House Martin, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 2 Bearded Tit [Vince Kinsler]

River Roach, 07:25 to 12:25, Coombes Farm to Bartonhall Creek and return to Mill Lane
1 Red Kite (BC), 2 Buzzard, 2 Kestrel, 4 Avocet, 1 Grey Plover (BC), 1 Whimbrel (BC), 1 Common Tern, 2 Cuckoo (One S of river,the other BC.Both calling ), 1 Little Owl (Hampton Barns viewed from BC), 4 Swift, 8 Skylark, 5 Swallow, 1 House Martin, 1 Yellow Wagtail, 2 Song Thrush (h), 2 Mistle Thrush (Rankins Cricket Club ), 1 Cetti's Warbler (h), 3 Reed Warbler, 6 Blackcap, 3 Lesser Whitethroat, 12 Whitethroat, 4 Chiffchaff, 1 Raven (calling,W ), 3 Greenfinch, 12 Linnet (single group ), 2 Corn Bunting (SW of BC), 1 Speckled Wood, 2 Wall Brown, 3 Small Heath [Jeff Kinnerman]

Sunday 18 May 2025

Gunners Park, 12:40 to 13:25, Bunker Wood only
1 Swift, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 6 House Martin, 1 Cetti's Warbler (singing), 1 Spotted Flycatcher (elusive bird in Bunker Wood - cheers Lee) [Neil Chambers]

Gunners Park, 10:10 to 11:00
1 Common Tern (Over), 4 Swift, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Spotted Flycatcher (Bunker Wood. Cheers Lee), 10 Long-tailed Tit (Lots of juveniles ) [Marc Outten]

Gunners Park, 09:00 to 11:00
1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Common Tern, 2 Cetti's Warbler, 1 Spotted Flycatcher (Bunker Wood), 3 Small Heath [Lee Ebbs]

Vange Marsh (RSPB), 08:40 to 09:20
30 Gadwall (+), 6 Pochard, 4 Lapwing, 9 Black-tailed Godwit, 4 Redshank, 40 Swift (c.), 20 Swallow (c.), 80 House Martin (c.) [Marc Outten]

Gunners Park, 08:00 to 10:00
1 Grey Heron, 1 Kestrel, 2 Common Tern, 1 Cuckoo, 1 Swift, 2 Swallow, 24 House Martin, 4 Cetti's Warbler, 4 Reed Warbler, 5 Whitethroat, 5 Chiffchaff, 5 Greenfinch [Angela Baldock]

Bowers Marsh (RSPB), 07:45 to 11:15
2 Spoonbill, 1 Wigeon (Drake), 2 Kestrel, 1 Dunlin, 1 Mediterranean Gull, 2 Common Tern, 1 Cuckoo, 1 Barn Owl [Graham Ryland, Graham Oakes]

Wallasea Island (RSPB), 05:00 to 10:30, Cold N wind, overcast, 11C, Jubilee trail Breeding survey
3 Spoonbill (2 adults and immature flushed from Tillets ditch at 5:45 flew N towards Crouch), 1 Dark-bellied Brent Goose (Still on Tillets), 4 Marsh Harrier (3 males), 7 Avocet (Pairs, 4 on nests ), 5 Ringed Plover (2 nests plus 3 ), 73 Black-headed Gull (73 nests on saltmarsh lagoons), 35 Common Tern (10 sitting birds), 4 Yellow Wagtail, 2 Reed Bunting, 1 Corn Bunting [Jeff Delve]

Wallasea Island (RSPB), 05:00 to 10:30, Breeding Bird Survey - other stuff
3 Spoonbill (2 ads and an imm - south side of Pool marsh), 1 Dark-bellied Brent Goose (Grass Farm lagoon), 1 Marsh Harrier (female), 1 Buzzard, 1 Kestrel, 1 Common Sandpiper, 1 Cuckoo, 7 Yellow Wagtail, 1 Stonechat (male, from entrance road by the 'Welcome to Wallasea' sign), 8 Corn Bunting [John Wright]