Southend Ornithological Group Bird News

Records submitted in the last 14 days, most recent first. Amber indicates scarce, red indicates rare (Essex requires notes or a description), magenta indicates non-native.

Wednesday 03 December 2025

Wat Tyler Country Park, 13:45 to 14:00
1 Bittern (Cracking views on the edge of the reed bed on the fleet. ), 1 Marsh Harrier [Marc Outten]

South Fambridge, 12:00 to 12:00
30 Chaffinch, 1 Corn Bunting [Paul Baker]

Tuesday 02 December 2025

Wallasea Island (RSPB), 09:15 to 12:00
1 Great White Egret, 1 Egyptian Goose, 4 Marsh Harrier, 1 Hen Harrier (adult female), 1 Buzzard, 3 Kestrel, Female Peregrine, Wallasea RSPB (John Wright) (43869 bytes) Female Peregrine, Wallasea RSPB (John Wright) (43158 bytes) 1 Peregrine Falcon (female), 5 Stonechat, 1 Field Vole [John Wright]

Bowers Marsh (RSPB), 07:45 to 11:00
3 Great White Egret, 15 Pintail, 2 Marsh Harrier, 1 Buzzard, 1 Kestrel, 1 Peregrine Falcon, 1 Water Rail (heard), 5 Ringed Plover, 120 Grey Plover, 200 Dunlin (+), 1 Snipe, 8 Black-tailed Godwit, 26 Bearded Tit, 2 Raven [Graham Ryland, Graham Oakes]

Sunday 30 November 2025

Paglesham Lagoon, 14:00 to 16:00
3 Egyptian Goose (On field west of lagoon), 11 Pintail, 1 Aythya sp. (Drake still), 1 Scaup (Drake still), 4 Goldeneye (3 drakes and female on the river), 1 Red-breasted Merganser (Female on river), 1 House Sparrow (Female) [Steve Arlow]

Saturday 29 November 2025

Wat Tyler Country Park, 15:45 to 16:45
5 Snipe (+, over calling at dusk), 3 Woodcock (Over at dusk) [Tim Bourne]

Wallasea Island (RSPB), 11:15 to 14:30
1 Great White Egret, 2 Spoonbill (still present on Darwin Lagoon), 19 Barnacle Goose (Marsh Flats), 2 Marsh Harrier, 1 Peregrine Falcon, 4 Stonechat [Steve Arlow]

Friday 28 November 2025

Highlands Boulevard, Leigh, 12:30 to 12:30
1 Grey Wagtail [Paul Griggs]

Rochford, 09:45 to 09:50
1 Blackcap (male in garden) [Steve Arlow]

River Roach, 08:30 to 13:20, Coombes Farm to Bartonhall Creek and return to Mill Lane
6 Little Egret, 1 Marsh Harrier (m), 1 Kestrel (f), 17 Avocet, 250 Golden Plover (+), 12 Grey Plover, 250 Lapwing (c), 205 Knot (c), 3 Black-tailed Godwit, 45 Curlew, 2 Turnstone, 1 Kingfisher (BC ), 13 Skylark, 11 Meadow Pipit, 4 Rock Pipit, 2 Stonechat (pair,Waldens ), 1 Song Thrush (h,CF), 4 Redwing, 2 Mistle Thrush (one at CF the other at Rankins Cricket Club ), 1 Cetti's Warbler (h), 15 Corn Bunting (single group ), 1 Weasel [Jeff Kinnerman]

Thursday 27 November 2025

South Fambridge, 15:00 to 16:15, from the pillbox with JW and JD
40 Barnacle Goose, 1 Kestrel, 25 Avocet, 1 Green Woodpecker, 2 Meadow Pipit, 2 Stonechat (usual pair), 3 Fieldfare, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 1 Greenfinch, 1 Reed Bunting [Paul Baker]

South Fambridge, 11:00 to 11:00
1 Peacock Butterfly [Paul Baker]

Hockley/Hawkwell, 08:20 to 08:20
1 Grey Wagtail (flew over Hockley High Street) [Neil Chambers]

Wednesday 26 November 2025

South Fambridge, 15:10 to 15:10
1 Black-throated Diver (Slowly drifting upstream on the incoming tide. Constantly diving but showing well in the sun), 2 Stonechat (pair still along borrowdyke at end of garden), 1 Fieldfare (perched in tree by garden), 25 Chaffinch [Paul Baker]

Gunners Park, 14:10 to 16:15, Cool, light winds. High tide 15:50
1 Slavonian Grebe (Off Gogs Berth at high tide ), 8 Black-necked Grebe (Between pier and coastguards, mostly as groups of 5 and 3), 1 Razorbill (1st W seen earlier nr Barge Pier I finally caught up with at East Beach by the boom), 1 Rock Pipit (Gogs Berth) [Jeff Delve]

Bowers Marsh (RSPB), 09:30 to 11:00, RSPB working on the islands
3 Great White Egret, 10 Egyptian Goose (north of the Manorway), 1 Marsh Harrier (imm female), 2 Sparrowhawk, 1 Buzzard, 2 Kestrel, 8 Bearded Tit [John Wright]

River Roach, 08:25 to 13:05, Coombes Farm to Bartonhall Creek and return to Mill Lane
3 Little Egret, 2 Sparrowhawk, 1 Buzzard, 1 Kestrel (m), 100 Avocet (c), 2 Ringed Plover, 350 Golden Plover (c), 5 Grey Plover, 10 Lapwing, 81 Knot, 34 Black-tailed Godwit, 72 Curlew, 1 Little Owl (Hampton Barns viewed from BC), 1 Kingfisher (BC), 8 Skylark, 8 Meadow Pipit, 2 Rock Pipit, 2 Stonechat (pair,Waldens), 6 Fieldfare (BC), 1 Redwing, 2 Mistle Thrush (Rankins Cricket Club), 1 Cetti's Warbler (h), 8 Corn Bunting (incl 7 at BC ) [Jeff Kinnerman]

Victoria Road, Rayleigh, 02:20 to 02:20
2 Tawny Owl (+, making a racket again!) [Neil Chambers]

Tuesday 25 November 2025

South Fambridge, 15:10 to 15:10
1 Black-throated Diver (Drifting out on the tide. Found by David Curle from BHF.) [Paul Baker]

Gunners Park, 12:00 to 13:00
7 Great Crested Grebe, 2 Black-necked Grebe, 1 Shag, 1 Stonechat [Lee Ebbs]

Wallasea Island (RSPB), 12:00 to 16:15, Bright but chilly NW wind. 7C. Hi tide 15:11 4.7m
2 Spoonbill (Darwin from Caroline’s hide), 21 Barnacle Goose (Main group 18 plus 3. 5 with white neck collars and 8 with yellow leg rings all too faraway to read), 18 Dark-bellied Brent Goose (All with large Canada snd Greylag flock), 1 Red-breasted Goose (Adult still marsh flats west of Saltpan ), 2000 Wigeon (+, Huge flocks on Saltpan/grass farm and also on lagoons), 50 Pintail (+, Darwin and Fitz ), 3 Marsh Harrier (1st W. Female and male all from hide), 3 Buzzard (Inc 2 squabbling over dead pintail on Saltpan), 3 Kestrel, 350 Golden Plover (+, On Grapnells fields in lovely sunlight ), 500 Dunlin (+, Pool Marsh), 2 Snipe, 250 Black-tailed Godwit (+, Most on Pool M), 1 Greenshank (Heard only), 3 Rock Pipit [Jeff Delve]

Highlands Boulevard, Leigh, 08:15 to 08:15
1 Peregrine Falcon (flew north) [Paul Griggs]

Monday 24 November 2025

Victoria Road, Rayleigh, 23:40 to 23:45
1 Tawny Owl (male hooting) [Neil Chambers]

Bowers Marsh (RSPB), 10:00 to 13:00
1 Little Egret, 3 Great White Egret, 30 Pintail (plus), 6 Pochard, 1 Scaup, 1 Marsh Harrier, 40 Avocet, 1 Ringed Plover, 50 Grey Plover, 400 Dunlin, 1 Ruff, 3 Snipe, 40 Black-tailed Godwit [Graham Oakes]

Sunday 23 November 2025

Wallasea Island (RSPB), 11:15 to 15:05
1 Great White Egret, 2 Spoonbill (still on Darwin Lagoon), 19 Barnacle Goose (on Marsh Flats (several with neck collars)), 1 Red-breasted Goose (adult of suspect origin still with the Canada Goose flock on Marsh Flats), 2 Egyptian Goose (on Marsh Flats), 6 Marsh Harrier, 3 Hen Harrier (male and two ringtails), 1 Buzzard, 2 Little Stint (on Salt Pan - west of Grass Farm Lagoon (scoped from Sonya's Shelf)), 1 Ruff (on Salt Pan west of Grass Farm Lagoon), 10 Stonechat, 1 Song Thrush (by car park late afternoon) [Steve Arlow]

Saturday 22 November 2025

Canvey Point, 14:30 to 15:30, Overcast & drizzle, brisk SW wind, falling tide
38 Pintail (five separate flocks upriver), 3 Mediterranean Gull, 1 Rock Pipit [Neil Chambers]

Southchurch Park West, 14:20 to 14:30
1 Red-crested Pochard (female still present on the old boating lake) [Steve Arlow]

Gunners Park, 11:45 to 13:45, challenging!!!
1 Slavonian Grebe (By eastern block house, flew in from East Beach area), 7 Black-necked Grebe (a group of 4 and a group of 3 between the coastguards and the jetty viewed at the same time, so no double counting ) [John Wright]

South Fambridge, 11:45 to 13:30, From steps 1.5 miles east & back
4 Little Grebe, 3 Great Crested Grebe, 150 Pintail (on Bridgemarsh), 2 Kestrel, 30 Avocet, 1 Skylark, 7 Meadow Pipit, 6 Linnet, 1 Reed Bunting [Neil Chambers]

Southend Pier, 10:30 to 13:30
9 Red-throated Diver, 1 Great Northern Diver (adult feeding to the east of the pier head), 30 Great Crested Grebe (at least), 1 Greylag Goose (flew south), 2 Common Scoter (females between the pier head and Thorpe Bay), 16 Mediterranean Gull, 1 Guillemot (drifted upriver on the tide) [Steve Arlow]

South Fambridge, 10:00 to 10:00
2 Sparrowhawk (one around garden, another on BHF), 1 Green Woodpecker [Paul Baker]

Friday 21 November 2025

Wallasea Island (RSPB), 14:35 to 15:15
1 Red-breasted Goose (Marsh Flats), 1 Marsh Harrier, 2 Kestrel, 1 Peregrine Falcon [Neil Chambers]

Gunners Park, 13:00 to 14:00
1 Red-throated Diver, 5 Great Crested Grebe, 5 Black-necked Grebe (between barge pier & coastguards), 1 Stonechat (fem in reserve), 2 Cetti's Warbler [Neil Chambers]

Gunners Park, 12:15 to 15:30, High Tide 12:50, cool 5C but calm and sunny
Close encounter (Jeff Delve) (52758 bytes) Fishing close in along groins (Jeff Delve) (80395 bytes) 1 Red-throated Diver (Moulting adult very close in fishing along groins), 19 Little Grebe (On lake), 20 Great Crested Grebe (well scattered along coast), Extreme crop (Jeff Delve) (55400 bytes) Extreme crop (Jeff Delve) (64323 bytes) Extreme crop (Jeff Delve) (79043 bytes) 1 Slavonian Grebe, 5 Black-necked Grebe (Again off Coastguards), 200 Sanderling (+), 200 Dunlin (+), 1 Rock Pipit, 1 Stonechat (female on reserve) [Jeff Delve]

Wallasea Island (RSPB), 10:00 to 12:00
16 Barnacle Goose, 1 Red-breasted Goose (still on marsh flats. ), 2 Egyptian Goose (pair still on marsh flats), 2 Marsh Harrier, 1 Hen Harrier (ringtail hunting western end), 1 Sparrowhawk [John Wright]

West Canvey Marsh (RSPB), 07:45 to 14:15, incl views over Bowers Marsh and East Haven Creek
1 Little Egret (EHC&BM), 1 Pink-footed Goose, 4 White-fronted Goose (over,NE ), 2 Dark-bellied Brent Goose, 37 Pochard, 2 Marsh Harrier (m,f ), 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Buzzard, 25 Lapwing, 1 Snipe, 1 Common Sandpiper (EHC), 12 Skylark (c), 11 Meadow Pipit, 2 Rock Pipit (EHC), 1 Stonechat (m), 5 Fieldfare, 4 Redwing, 6 Cetti's Warbler (h), 1 Goldcrest (h), 7 Bearded Tit, 2 Greenfinch (pair), 1 Red Fox (BM) [Jeff Kinnerman]

Victoria Road, Rayleigh, 00:15 to 00:20
1 Tawny Owl (male hooting) [Neil Chambers]

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