Sunday 22 December 2024

Hullbridge, 12:30 to 13:00
1 Yellow-legged Gull (adult with sub-adult bill pattern still upriver along River Crouch) [Steve Arlow]

Stambridge, 12:30 to 12:30
1 Red Kite (over Cherry Tree) [Graham Mee]

Hullbridge, 08:15 to 08:15
1 Buzzard (in roadside tree along Lower Rd just west of The Dome) [Paul Baker]

Friday 20 December 2024

Westcliff, 12:20 to 12:20
1 Sparrowhawk (over Southend Hospital) [Paul Griggs]

South Fambridge, 11:00 to 12:00
1 Green Woodpecker (still climbing all our trees) [Paul Baker]

Priory Park, 08:55 to 11:20
1 Little Grebe, 1 Mediterranean Gull (1st W ), 3 Common Gull, 5 Stock Dove, 12 Collared Dove (together feeding with Stock Doves), 1 Kingfisher (fishing lake ), 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker (f), 4 Fieldfare (over,calling), 2 Goldcrest (Bowling Club ), 1 Chaffinch [Jeff Kinnerman]

Bowers Marsh (RSPB), 08:00 to 11:45
2 Great Crested Grebe, 1 Pintail, 1 Marsh Harrier, 1 Sparrowhawk (male.), 1 Buzzard, 3 Kestrel, 3 Avocet, 2 Dunlin, 1 Ruff, 3 Snipe, 2 Black-tailed Godwit, 7 Curlew, 2 Water Pipit (Don's Marsh.), 4 Stonechat, 1 Fieldfare, 1 Bearded Tit, 1 Raven, 2 Greenfinch [Graham Ryland, Graham Oakes]

Thursday 19 December 2024

Canvey Point, 13:30 to 15:30, WNW 5 Sunny intervals H.T 15:10 5.5 m
5 Red-throated Diver, 1 Black-throated Diver (flew in them back out with adult RTD), 25 Teal, 20 Shoveler, 2000 Dunlin (+) [Terry Blackwell]

Highlands Boulevard, Leigh, 13:00 to 13:00
1 Sparrowhawk [Paul Griggs]

Tuesday 17 December 2024

South Fambridge, 11:00 to 12:00
1 Green Woodpecker (Clambering around, & feeding on every small tree in my garden) [Paul Baker]

Coombe Wood, 10:00 to 10:00
1 Firecrest (in my garden again), 2 Nuthatch (regular pair on the feeders) [Jeff Saward]

Priory Park, 08:45 to 10:50
1 Mediterranean Gull (1st W), 2 Common Gull, 4 Stock Dove, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker (f), 1 Grey Wagtail, 1 Song Thrush, 3 Chaffinch (1m,2f ) [Jeff Kinnerman]

Monday 16 December 2024

Bowers Marsh (RSPB), 11:45 to 15:00
590 Wigeon, 6 Gadwall, 190 Teal, 7 Pintail, 2 Marsh Harrier, 1 Kestrel, 1 Water Rail, 120 Grey Plover, 570 Lapwing, 189 Knot (highest number of this species recorded on a high tide count), 1250 Dunlin, 5 Ruff, 12 Snipe, 1 Black-tailed Godwit, 7 Curlew, 1 Greenshank, 1 Water Pipit, 5 Stonechat, 2 Fieldfare [Marc Outten]

West Canvey Marsh (RSPB), 09:25 to 13:55
2 Little Egret, 10 White-fronted Goose (grazing in field N of roadside hide with Canada Geese), 500 Wigeon (c), 3 Pintail (3m), 20 Pochard (+), 1 Buzzard, 1 Kestrel, 1 Merlin (f/juv from Pantile screen ), 350 Lapwing (+), 2 Snipe (Pantile scrape), 7 Curlew, 1 Skylark, 1 Meadow Pipit, 3 Fieldfare, 2 Cetti's Warbler (h), 3 Greenfinch, 1 Red Fox [Jeff Kinnerman]

Canvey Point, 09:00 to 11:00, SW 3-4 Sunny intervals and very clear. H.T 12:50 5.9 m
1 Red-throated Diver, 1 Black-throated Diver (Flew up river close in), 25 Great Crested Grebe, 50 Shelduck, 26 Sanderling, 3000 Dunlin (+) [Terry Blackwell]

Sunday 15 December 2024

West Canvey Marsh (RSPB), 17:30 to 19:00, Cycled round after dark
1 Barn Owl [Tim Bourne]

South Fambridge, 15:00 to 15:00
1 Hen Harrier (ringtail, low east through garden) [Paul Baker]

Pound Wood, 14:30 to 15:50
2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Greenfinch [Neil Chambers]

Wallasea Island (RSPB), 09:30 to 14:45
6 Marsh Harrier, 4 Hen Harrier (3 ringtails and the 2year male over Tillets Marsh), 4 Buzzard (including a very pale/white individual on the Lytag Lagoon fenceline), 2 Peregrine Falcon (juvenile over the Wild Bird Cover and the male on the Laytag Lagoon fenceline), 1 Barn Owl, 3 Stonechat [Steve Arlow]

Bowers Marsh (RSPB), 08:00 to 11:45
2 Marsh Harrier, 1 Sparrowhawk, 2 Buzzard, 1 Kestrel, 4 Avocet, 500 Dunlin (+), 2 Ruff, 1 Black-tailed Godwit, 4 Curlew, 1 Greenshank, 1 Kingfisher, 1 Green Woodpecker, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Water Pipit, 1 Stonechat, 9 Fieldfare, 5 Redwing [Graham Ryland, Graham Oakes]

West Canvey Marsh (RSPB), 07:40 to 10:50, Sunny intervals
5 Little Grebe, 2 Great White Egret (seen from seawall over Bowers), 14 White-fronted Goose, 1 Barnacle Goose, 500 Wigeon (+), 1 Pintail, 50 Pochard (+), 1 Marsh Harrier, 1 Buzzard, 4 Kestrel, 4 Pheasant, 1 Green Sandpiper (pantile scrape), 1 Short-eared Owl (field south of red hill), 2 Stonechat, 10 Goldfinch, 5 Corn Bunting, 1 Badger (deceased on road) [Terry Blackwell]

Saturday 14 December 2024

Canvey Wick, 16:20 to 17:50
1 Buzzard, 2 Woodcock, 1 Barn Owl (Calling on south side ) [Tim Bourne]

Wakering Common, 12:15 to 12:45
1 Buzzard, 4 Redwing, 2 Goldcrest, 10 Redpoll [Lee Ebbs]

Wallasea Island (RSPB), 10:00 to 15:30
1 Goosander (drake), 4 Marsh Harrier (at least), 2 Hen Harrier (both ringtails), 1 Sparrowhawk (female), 3 Buzzard, 4 Kestrel, 1 Merlin (juvenile), 2 Peregrine Falcon, 1 Greenshank, 1 Barn Owl (Over Wild Bird Cover at dusk), 5 Stonechat [Steve Arlow, Paul Griggs]

Canvey Point, 08:20 to 11:00, W 3 Grey and murky to the east H.T 11:08 5.6 m
10 Red-throated Diver, 20 Great Crested Grebe (+), 1 Gannet, 7 Pintail, 2 Common Scoter, 2 Goosander (at least one drake heading up river), 15 Grey Plover, 2000 Dunlin (+) [Terry Blackwell]

Friday 13 December 2024

Hole Haven Creek, 15:15 to 15:45
40 Avocet (+) [Neil Chambers]

Rochford, 12:00 to 12:05
1 Mistle Thrush (first for the garden for just over a year) [Steve Arlow]

Canvey Point, 08:30 to 09:30, SE 3 Thick sea mist with drizzle H.T 10:12 5.5 m
3 Red-throated Diver (heading up river lost in the gloom), 60 Ringed Plover, 140 Sanderling, 40 Turnstone (+) [Terry Blackwell]

Bowers Marsh (RSPB), 07:30 to 11:15
1 Marsh Harrier (female.), 1 Buzzard, 1 Merlin (female from benches.), 1 Water Rail (heard.), 20 Grey Plover, 1000 Lapwing (+), 1200 Dunlin (+), 2 Ruff, 25 Snipe, 2 Stonechat [Graham Ryland, Graham Oakes]

Thursday 12 December 2024

Canvey Wick, 12:00 to 14:30
1 Fieldfare, 7 Redwing, 24 Redpoll [Marc Outten]

Rochford, 08:40 to 08:45
1 Blackcap (male again at the garden feeders) [Steve Arlow]

Canvey Point, 08:10 to 09:50, N 2 Very grey and thick fog later H.T 9:14 5.3 m
34 Red-throated Diver (including groups of 22,5 and 4), 2 Red-breasted Merganser (drake and female flew up river), 60 Sanderling (+), 2 Little Gull (2 adults flew up river) [Terry Blackwell]

Wednesday 11 December 2024

Rochford, 09:45 to 11:25
1 Blackcap (male frequenting the garden feeders) [Steve Arlow]

Canvey Point, 08:10 to 11:10, NE-N 4-3 Very grey with light drizzle and murky H.T 8:06 5.1 m
30 Red-throated Diver (group of 28 took off from the water and headed towards Leigh), 1 Black-throated Diver (flying up river), 1 Great Northern Diver (feeding near west leigh middle before moving in much closer.), 7 Common Scoter, 1 Little Gull (heading up rver), 1 auk sp. (flew from Medway across river. Considering the small size and jizz possible Little Auk ) [Terry Blackwell]

Tuesday 10 December 2024

Bowers Downs, 14:15 to 14:45, Viewing from back of Crem
12 White-fronted Goose, 2 Barnacle Goose (With c. 50 Greylags on Bowers Marsh reserve), 1 Buzzard, 1 Kestrel, 1 Jay [Jeff Delve]

Canvey Point, 08:10 to 13:50, NE 5-3 Very grey and misty H.T 6:54 L.T 13:00 5.0 m
9 Red-throated Diver, 1 Great Northern Diver (feeding on the tide line at low water), 1 Black Swan (in with group of 15 mute swan), 8 Bewick's Swan (Flew in from the west around 12:00 and flew along Allhallows shoreline and dropped onto the mud flats, rested awhile then moved a short distance before landing again. Odd flight behaviour (whiffling like geese to land directly onto the mud and take off near vertical when they moved) aroused suspicion. Despite poor visibility and distance appeared to be very horizontal stance and with straight necks when erect though mostly asleep. Eventually took off and headed back west to drop behind seawall. Presume the same 8 seen at Northward Hill a few miles away yesterday.), 15 Pintail, 5 Little Gull (2 adults and 3 1st winter), 4 Kittiwake, 1 Puffin (flew up river at 9:25) [Terry Blackwell, Jeff Delve]