Seawatching
continued to remain slow although a count of nine Red-throated Divers off the Pier on the 1st proved to be
the highest count of the first winter period; an immature Pomarine Skua past was less expected and Kittiwake managed just a single. The pair of Nuthatch in Belfairs Woods proved popular throughout the month and
two Treecreepers were also regularly
seen. A Chiffchaff at Paglesham
Lagoon on the 1st was one of only three seen this month. Six Barnacle Geese were seen to fly onto Bowers
Marsh late on the 1st; they were not seen here again until the 21st
but were noted on West Canvey Marsh in the interim. A Woodcock was flushed from the seawall at Gunners Park on the 1st
with a further two noted throughout the month at their more traditional
stronghold on Hadleigh Downs where a Coal
Tit put in a surprise visit from the 2nd to the 4th.
The Coal Tit in Hockley Woods was
joined by a second bird from the 2nd as was the wintering Firecrest whilst Goldcrest there peaked at just three. The adult Bewick’s Swan flew over Paglesham on
the 2nd but continued to prove untwitchable. The Bittern was seen at Wat Tyler C.P. for
the final time on the 3rd when a Weasel put on a good show at Hadleigh Downs after losing its prey
to a Magpie. A female Lesser Spotted Woodpecker was reported
from Pound Wood on the 5th along with three Bullfinch and two Treecreepers,
but was not seen subsequently despite searching. Two Twite were the ‘real deal’ on Two Tree Island on the 5th
but frustratingly only stayed ten minutes before heading off in the direction
of Canvey Point. Wallasea hosted three Ruff
on the 7th which moved to Lower Raypits on the 10th (and
still no Twite!). A Shag was seen from the Pier on the 9th.
Last month’s Lesser Redpoll flock in
Hockley Woods had fragmented by now with small mobile flocks of six and five
seen this month on the 10th and 23rd. A Red Kite was photographed over Canvey Wick
on the 10th, the first record of what turned out to be a bumper
spring for this increasing wanderer. The three drake Mandarin at Friars Park performed their usual disappearing act
after the 11th and were not to be seen again during the first half
of the year. There was an interesting report of four Bewick’s Swans on Wallasea on the 13th. A Short-eared Owl was on Two Tree Island
on the 16th and a Long-eared
Owl was noted at one site in the south on one date mid-month. The Corn Bunting flock on Wallasea peaked
this month at an impressive 300 on the 17th whilst next day 100 Corn Buntings were counted at an inland
field near Rochford which has been left fallow in readiness for becoming a
housing estate in the near future. Remarkably this one field also held 20 Yellowhammers, 10 Reed Buntings, and 30 Skylarks.
At Wakering Stairs two Pale-bellied
Brent Geese were reported on the 18th. Short-eared Owl numbers remained fairly steady on Wallasea
throughout the month with eight counted on the 19th. Also present
throughout the month were four Marsh
Harriers, two ringtail Hen Harriers,
seven Kestrels, two Merlins, three Peregrines, a Barn Owl,
and the ever popular juvenile Rough-legged
Buzzard. The flock of six Barnacle
Geese appeared back on Bowers Marsh on the 21st where they were
seen through to the 25th although they still went missing on the 24th
when they visited West Canvey Marsh. The only Great Northern Diver of the month showed well off the Pier on the
21st. An immature Glaucous
Gull was at Bowers Marsh on the 22nd with two immature birds
present on the adjacent tip on the 24th. Both birds commuted between
the tip and Holehaven Creek to roost through to the 5th February. A
flock of nine Lesser Redpolls
perched up in a silver birch along Prittlebrook in Leigh for a short while on
the 25th when both a Weasel
and a Muntjac showed well on
Hadleigh Downs. A Dartford Warbler
was an excellent find in Gunners Park on the 26th and was the first
record in the area for eight years. Frustratingly it was only seen briefly but
was well photographed but to everyone’s relief it was refound in a different
area of Gunners Park on the 30th keeping company with some of the
six Stonechats wintering there.
Remarkably the finder of the Dartford
Warbler went on to find and photograph two male Serins in Gunners Park on the 29th. They proved hugely
popular during their prolonged stay and were last reported on the 21st
March. They could even be heard singing regularly towards the end of their
stay. Interestingly a lady subsequently forwarded some photos of the Serins which she had taken a few days
earlier on the 25th unsure of what they were! A slightly tricky larus was photographed on Pitsea Tip on
the 31st and showed a suite of characteristics to suggest a Kumlien’s
type Iceland Gull although there may
have been a small element of impurity about it; the jury is still out! Blackcaps ended the month with a
flourish with at least three birds in Benfleet and singles in North Shoebury,
Canewdon, Coombe Wood, and Leigh.
FEBRUARY 2015
The
month began with an unconfirmed report of a Glossy Ibis at Wat Tyler C.P. on the 2nd. The Lesser Redpolls in Hockley Woods
regrouped this month with a flock of 32 on the 3rd when Goldcrest numbers had increased to a
paltry six and two Treecreepers
remained. The two immature Glaucous
Gulls continued to be noted through to the 5th with a single thereafter
remaining throughout the month and continuing to commute between Pitsea Tip and
Holehaven Creek. The Thames still held little of note although two Red-throated Divers and a Great Northern Diver were off the Pier
on the 6th whilst on the 8th a Slavonian Grebe drifted out past Gunners Park and three Eider were off Wakering Stairs. Short-eared Owl numbers on Wallasea
fell away slightly this month with six recorded on the 8th. Also on
Wallasea the juvenile Rough-legged
Buzzard continued its presence along with two Marsh Harriers, one ringtail Hen
Harrier, a Sparrowhawk, five Kestrels, two Merlins, a Peregrine,
and three Barn Owls. Just two Chiffchaffs were seen this month with
singles on Benfleet Downs on the 9th and in Priory Park on the 13th.
By contrast Blackcap numbered four
which included the three still in Benfleet and a single still in Leigh. Last
month’s Dartford Warbler was claimed
again on the 9th and 10th in Gunners Park where the two Serins continued to perform to the
crowds all month. Bowers Marsh hosted the first Common Sandpiper of the year on the 10th along with two Ruff and twenty Snipe. The Shag was seen
again on the Pier on the 11th but the estuary continued to remain
unusually quiet. Bowers Marsh held a respectable 60 Snipe on the 14th and an unseasonal gathering of five Green Sandpipers the following day. The
flock of Lesser Redpoll in Hockley
Woods now numbered forty on the 15th and also held within their
midst a Mealy Redpoll. The wintering
Firecrest was proving elusive but
was noted on the 15th and 19th this month. The pair of Nuthatch in Belfairs Woods were
recorded for the last time on the 15th but only due to lack of
observer effort subsequently. Despite significant effort in Hockley Woods there
were again no records of Nuthatch since
the last bird which was seen in April 2013. A Red Admiral brightened up the day in Leigh on the 18th
where the sunshine held promise of a not too distant spring. A Long-eared Owl was again seen on one
date at one site in the south. The only Red
Kite of the month was reported over Rochford on the 21st. The
pair of Coal Tits in Hockley Woods
were loosely joined by a third bird on the 22nd and 23rd.
A Water Vole showed well on Two Tree
Island on the 24th when the Red
Admiral was busy sunning itself again in Leigh. An Adder on Hadleigh Downs on the 27th was unsurprisingly
the first of the year.
MARCH 2015
The
white-wingers put in another appearance early on in the month with the immature
Glaucous Gull roosting at Holehaven
on the 2nd and the problematic immature Iceland Gull there the next day. Small Tortoiseshell, Red
Admiral, and Peacock were all
noted during the opening week of the week. The over-wintering Firecrest in Hockley Woods was seen for
the final time on the 5th. A Glossy
Ibis was reportedly seen on Two Tree Island on the 8th but
eluded the locals who arrived quickly on scene. At least one Red Kite wandered around the Southend
and Leigh area on the 8th when there was an apparent influx across
Essex. A Long-eared Owl was again
noted at a site in the south on the 8th. The strengthening sun
encouraged five Adders and four Common Lizards out on West Canvey Marsh
on the 12th and a newly arrived Black
Redstart was reported along the foreshore at Gunners Park. At dusk on the
12th a pair of Tawny Owls
were dueting at Rayleigh Mount. The first returning Chiffchaff was back on territory and singing on Benfleet Downs on
the 13th with a further seventeen holding territory across the area
by the month’s end. A drake Goosander
was a surprise find on Bowers Marsh on the 14th although it only
stayed for a short while only to be reported the next day from Vange Marsh
where it again only stopped briefly. A Bittern
at Vange Marsh on the 16th was unexpected and may have been a
transient bird relocating through the country as it was not seen subsequently. A
Blackcap passed through a Leigh
garden on the 18th whilst three could still be found in gardens in
South Benfleet. The solar eclipse on the 20th may have been a
disappointment but it did produce the only male Hen Harrier of the winter which appeared momentarily confused as it
considered roosting at Vange Marsh. Two Sand
Martins passing through there at the same time were particularly early
given the unfavourable weather and cold temperatures. The 20th held
a few more surprises in the shape of a Woodcock
sitting out on a Prittlewell lawn and a Red
Kite over Wallasea. The two Serins
in Gunners Park were noted for the last time on the 21st. A drake Scaup visited West Canvey Marsh on the
21st and 22nd and was ‘the real deal’ this time after
numerous reports which had misidentified the over-wintering Aythya hybrid. After
almost giving up hope this year, a female Lesser
Spotted Woodpecker was finally found in Hockley Woods from the 22nd
to the 27th. Unfortunately no male was seen this spring and so the fear
is that Lesser Spotted Woodpecker
will go the same way as Nuthatch in
Hockley Woods and become locally extinct next year. Another Black Redstart was reported on the 22nd
in Southend but again managed to avoid the local yearlisters. A migrant Firecrest put in a brief appearance in
Gunners Park on the 23rd. Red
Kites passed over Two Tree Island on the 23rd and Paglesham on
the 26th. Good numbers of Short-eared
Owls persisted with singles on Two Tree Island and at South Fambridge along
with four still on Wallasea on the 27th. Also present on Wallasea at
this time were four Barn Owls, a
ringtail Hen Harrier, three Marsh Harriers, a Merlin, a Peregrine, and
the site faithful juvenile Rough-legged
Buzzard. Hockley Woods yielded a Woodcock
and four Treecreepers on the 27th
being the last time that the Lesser
Spotted Woodpecker was seen. A Brimstone
through a Rochford garden on the 27th brought to four the number of
butterfly species for the year. An Osprey
flying low upriver past Canvey Point on the 29th was the unexpected
highlight of an otherwise uneventful seawatch. Yet another Red Kite was seen from Wat Tyler C.P. over Vange Wick on the 30th
when the first Blackcaps were back
holding territory at Rayleigh Mount. The month ended with an unconfirmed
sighting of Glossy Ibis at Wat Tyler
C.P. on the 31st where an early Swallow
passed through along with another at Rochford.
APRIL 2015
The
first Wheatears of the year were two
reported from Bowers Marsh on the 2nd. A Merlin flashed past Fleet Head on the 3rd when the first
two Sandwich Terns of the year
passed Canvey Point. The following day saw the last Red-throated Divers of the winter when three flew East off Gunners
Park as did a Gannet whilst two House Martins were claimed over Vange
Marsh. Also off Gunners Park were the first Common Terns of the year on the 5th on the day which saw
the final appearance of the juvenile Rough-legged
Buzzard at Wallasea where four Short-eared
Owls could still be found with one lingering into May. The 6th
saw a Red Kite over Battlesbridge
along with limited signs of wader passage when two Spotted Redshanks and three Green
Sandpipers dropped in to Vange Marsh. A Black-necked Grebe was a pleasant find at Bowers Marsh on the 6th;
it remained into May and was joined by a second bird for several days
mid-month. At Bowers Marsh on the 9th the erratic immature Glaucous Gull was seen for the last
time despite several claims subsequently by those unfamiliar with the multitude
of hybrids and leucistic individuals frequenting Pitsea Tip and its environs.
Gunners Park experienced a small fall of migrants in the rain on the 9th
with a long overdue Wheatear, four Fieldfares, three Redwings, eight Song Thrushes,
and a male Brambling which was
surprisingly the first of the year, whilst a Red Kite was reported over Daws Heath the same day. The first Willow Warbler was singing on Two Tree
Island from the 10th where a Short-eared
Owl was also reported. Wallasea hosted twenty Yellow Wagtails, twenty Pied
Wagtails, and two White Wagtails
on the 12th and the Merlin
was recorded there for the final time. A Short-eared
Owl at Gunners Park on the 12th was an interesting record of an
apparent migrant. Little Ringed Plovers
arrived back at Bowers Marsh on the 13th with others noted this
month at Lower Raypits and Wallasea with Bowers Marsh also playing host to a Common Sandpiper. Meanwhile on Two Tree
Island on the 13th the first Cuckoo
was heard. The following day the familiar and welcome sound of a reeling Grasshopper Warbler came from the west
end of Two Tree Island and a Red Kite
was patrolling the nearby Hadleigh Downs. The highlight of the month, and not
altogether unexpected, was the pair of Black-winged
Stilts found on Bowers Marsh on the 14th. They were present
until the 21st although did go missing several times and tantalised
with thoughts of what may happen, but just as they appeared to be settled for
the summer they moved on, perhaps to Cliffe. The immature Iceland Gull was seen for the one and only time this month when it
came to roost at Holehaven on the 15th. The first Whimbrel was noted at Lower Raypits on
the 15th and the first Hobby
flew across Two Tree Island on the 16th when a flock of five summer
plumaged Little Gulls flew by
Gunners Park. A pair of Ring Ouzels
proved popular at West Canvey Marsh from the 16th to the 18th
and were a good spring record as were two Black
Terns following a ship upriver off Canvey on the 17th. The last
remaining Hen Harrier on Wallasea
was seen for the one and only time this month on the 19th when by
contrast, a Whinchat there was the
first of the year. There was an unseasonal high count of three Short-eared Owls claimed at Wakering
Stairs on the 19th. Nightingales
duly arrived back from the 22nd with two on Canvey Wick; additional
sightings included three at Wakering Stairs and one at Wat Tyler C.P. before
the end of the month. A Spoonbill
was reported from Bowers Marsh briefly on the 23rd when two more White Wagtails were found, this time in
Gunners Park. A drake Garganey was
reported from Bowers Marsh on the 24th but remained hidden until
early May. It was pleasing to note four Turtle
Doves at Wakering Stairs on the 25th although here is rapidly
becoming the last bastion of this much declined visitor. A smart male Redstart was a good find in Gunners
Park on the 26th where two Ring
Ouzels also spent most of the day. A trip of three Dotterel spent just one hour on Wallasea on the 26th
where at least one Arctic Tern was also
singled out. An early stroll along the seawall at Wallasea on the 27th
was rewarded with a Montagu’s Harrier
lifting up out of the grass and four Wheatears
were also present along with a further three in Gunners Park, two at Wakering
Stairs, and five others across the area. A male Redstart was claimed on the 28th from Wallasea when
another Grasshopper Warbler was
found reeling on Canvey Wick on the 28th and two Willow Warblers were also singing. The Montagu’s Harrier on Wallasea was
possibly seen again on the 29th. Small Coppers and Holly Blue
brought the number of butterfly species up to twelve this month along with odonata
represented by Large Red Damselfly
and Hairy Dragonfly. The last day of
the month saw two Whinchat and an
escaped Cape Shelduck at Bowers
Marsh and a Garden Warbler and Common Sandpiper on Two Tree Island.