Monday 01 June 2026
14 Little Egret, 1 Glossy Ibis (Seen to fly in from the north and descend, but lost behind vegetation and not seen to land but looked like around the west end of Grass Farm Lagoon. Spent the next four hours looking for it without success. ), 2 Marsh Harrier (pair), 3 Buzzard, 1 Kestrel, 200 Mediterranean Gull (++, many breeding), 4 Yellow Wagtail, 8 Corn Bunting, 1 Essex Skipper (+) [Paul Griggs, Bob Young]
Sunday 31 May 2026
5 Greylag Goose, 26 Canada Goose (flock flew NE), 1 Green Woodpecker, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Blackcap (singing), 1 Whitethroat (singing), 1 Chiffchaff (singing), 1 Painted Lady [Neil Chambers]
3 Cattle Egret (With cattle south of gate to Pantiles), 2 Buzzard (Circling distantly over Hadleigh downs), 3 Cuckoo (+), 1 Yellow Wagtail, 2 Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Corn Bunting (Singing males) [Tim Bourne]
1 Red Kite (Drifted west over my garden.) [Graham Ryland]
3 Red Kite (drifted high NE together), 1 Buzzard, 1 Hobby (over south), 1 Stock Dove, 3 Swift, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Blackcap (singing), 1 Chiffchaff (singing) [Neil Chambers]
7 Canada Goose (flew west), 3 Red Kite (flew west at 09:35), 1 Buzzard [Paul Griggs]
Saturday 30 May 2026
1 Cuckoo, 3 Painted Lady [Matt Bruty]
1 Buzzard, 4 Swift, 2 Red-eyed Damselfly, 2 Blue-tailed Damselfly, 5 Painted Lady [Matt Bruty]
1 Nuthatch, 4 Heath Fritillary, 1 Speckled Wood [Neil Chambers]
4 Great Crested Grebe, 2 Egyptian Goose (pair), 4 Pochard, 2 Tufted Duck, 1 Common Shrew (dead), 1 Red-eyed Damselfly (many), 1 Azure Damselfly (many), 3 Norfolk Hawker (3 or 4), 8 Emperor Dragonfly, 10 Four-spotted Chaser, 2 Black-tailed Skimmer, 1 Red Admiral, 1 Painted Lady [John Wright]
1 House Martin [Matt Bruty]
1 Cattle Egret (adult flew from egret colony and out onto the marshes), 2 Swift, 2 Blackcap, 1 Whitethroat, 1 Chiffchaff, 5 Marsh Frog, 1 Scarce Emerald Damselfly (teneral), 15 Azure Damselfly, 1 Common Blue Damselfly, 6 Blue-tailed Damselfly, 1 Emperor Dragonfly, 1 Four-spotted Chaser, 3 Broad-bodied Chaser, 1 Black-tailed Skimmer, 1 Ruddy Darter (teneral), 1 Large White, 1 Green Hairstreak, 2 Common Blue, 2 Holly Blue, 9 Painted Lady, 1 Small Tortoiseshell, 4 Speckled Wood, 2 Meadow Brown, 5 Small Heath [Neil Chambers]
4 House Martin, 1 Bearded Tit, 2 Emperor Dragonfly, 3 Lesser Emperor (2 males and an apparent ovipositing female), 3 Hairy Dragonfly, 15 Four-spotted Chaser, 10 Black-tailed Skimmer, 11 Red-veined Darter (male showing well along track on NE side of main lagoon, another 10 or so mature male darters over the lagoon must have been this species ), 1 Large White, 2 Holly Blue, 1 Painted Lady, 2 Small Heath [Neil Chambers]
1 Sparrowhawk [Paul Griggs]
2 Egyptian Goose, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Red-eyed Damselfly (+), 1 Common Blue Damselfly (+), 1 Blue-tailed Damselfly (+),
2 Norfolk Hawker, 1 Emperor Dragonfly (+),
1 Four-spotted Chaser (+), 1 Black-tailed Skimmer (+), 5 Painted Lady [Matt Bruty]
2 Great Crested Grebe, 1 Cattle Egret, 1 Wigeon (male.), 2 Sparrowhawk, 1 Buzzard, 2 Kestrel, 1 Peregrine Falcon, 2 Mediterranean Gull, 4 Cuckoo, 1 Barn Owl, 5 Yellow Wagtail, 1 Grasshopper Warbler, 6 Bearded Tit, 1 Corn Bunting, 5 Ruddy Darter, 1 Essex Skipper, 1 Green Hairstreak [Graham Ryland, Graham Oakes]
Friday 29 May 2026
4 Common Pipistrelle, 3 Soprano Pipistrelle [John Wright]
2 Wigeon, 25 Gadwall, 2 Shoveler, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 3 Reed Warbler, 1 Blackcap, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Greenfinch (singing), 1 Azure Damselfly, 1 Emperor Dragonfly [Neil Chambers]
1 Kestrel, 8 House Martin, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 10 Greenfinch [Bob Young]
7 Cattle Egret, 12 Little Egret, 1 Buzzard, 2 Marsh Frog, 10 Azure Damselfly (10+), 3 Common Blue Damselfly, 6 Blue-tailed Damselfly, 2 Emperor Dragonfly, 3 Black-tailed Skimmer, 2 Painted Lady, 1 Meadow Brown [John Wright]
Thursday 28 May 2026
90 Dark-bellied Brent Goose (c. on the Thames rising tide before flying east) [Marc Outten]
8 Stock Dove, 6 Swift, 1 Green Woodpecker, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 House Martin, 3 Mistle Thrush (singing male and what appeared to be a juv with another adult), 2 Blackcap (singing), 2 Chiffchaff (singing), 1 Greenfinch, 1 Banded Demoiselle, 1 Small Heath [Neil Chambers]
5 Great Crested Grebe (pair with 3 young), 2 Egyptian Goose, 5 Pochard, 2 Tufted Duck, 1 Cetti's Warbler (singing), 1 Greenfinch, 6 Red-eyed Damselfly, 1 Azure Damselfly, 1 Common Blue Damselfly (plenty of each), 3 Blue-tailed Damselfly, 4 Norfolk Hawker (males), 5 Emperor Dragonfly, 2 Hairy Dragonfly, 10 Four-spotted Chaser, 2 Scarce Chaser (males), 1 Black-tailed Skimmer, 1 Painted Lady, 1 Speckled Wood [Neil Chambers, Paul Baker, Paul Griggs]
1 Cuckoo (singing), 1 Nightingale (singing), 1 Large Red Damselfly, 5 Azure Damselfly, 1 Common Blue Damselfly, 1 Broad-bodied Chaser, 2 Holly Blue, 1 Red Admiral, 1 Painted Lady [Neil Chambers]
2 Cuckoo, 4 Swift, 1 Reed Warbler (singing), 1 Whitethroat, 3 Reed Bunting, 1 Corn Bunting (singing), 1 Slow-worm, 1 Emperor Dragonfly, 1 Broad-bodied Chaser (male), 1 Brown Argus, 2 Painted Lady [Paul Baker, Paul Griggs]
1 Little Egret (east) [Paul Griggs]
1 Holly Blue, 1 Painted Lady [Jeff Kinnerman]
1 Great Crested Grebe, 2 Wigeon (pair.), 1 Mediterranean Gull, 3 Common Tern, 1 Cuckoo, 1 Grasshopper Warbler, 1 Blackcap, 2 Chiffchaff, 3 Bearded Tit, 1 Brown Argus, 2 Painted Lady, 1 Small Tortoiseshell, 2 Meadow Brown [Graham Ryland, Graham Oakes]
Wednesday 27 May 2026
3 Cuckoo (two males and a female calling around the house), 1 Painted Lady [Paul Baker]
1 Little Egret, 1 Garganey (drake flew in to Pantile), 2 Buzzard, 1 Kestrel, 1 Mediterranean Gull, 3 Cuckoo (+, including a pair), 1 Lesser Whitethroat (h), 1 Black-tailed Skimmer (teneral), 5 Brown Argus (+), 2 Painted Lady, 1 Peacock Butterfly, 3 Small Heath [Paul Griggs, Bob Young]
1 Red Kite (heading south) [Paul Griggs, Bob Young]
1 Buzzard, 5 Ringed Plover, 2 Dunlin, 70 Black-tailed Godwit (c.), 3 Mediterranean Gull (+), 3 Painted Lady [Paul Griggs, Bob Young]
1 Little Egret (flew north) [Paul Griggs, Bob Young]
1 Buzzard, 1 Kestrel (f), 1 Mediterranean Gull, 5 Swift, 6 Skylark, 12 Swallow, 2 House Martin, 3 Yellow Wagtail (pair+m ), 3 Song Thrush, 1 Mistle Thrush (Rankins C.C ), 1 Cetti's Warbler (h), 2 Reed Warbler (h), 5 Blackcap (h), 12 Whitethroat, 2 Chiffchaff (h), 3 Greenfinch, 1 Corn Bunting (Waldens ), 1 Red Admiral, 2 Painted Lady, 9 Small Heath [Jeff Kinnerman]
Tuesday 26 May 2026
1 Glossy Ibis (flew east over the main lagoon, the saline lagoon and over to West Canvey Marsh, at 20:25), 15 Black-tailed Godwit, 1 Barn Owl, 1 Grasshopper Warbler (reeling), 1 Northern Water Vole [John Wright]
1 Buzzard (flying east) [John Wright]
1 Red Kite (flying west) [Paul Griggs]
6 Yellow Wagtail, 3 Corn Bunting (singing), 1 Common Seal, 2 Painted Lady [Paul Baker]
1 Cattle Egret, 1 Kestrel, 2 Cuckoo, 6 Yellow Wagtail, 1 Grasshopper Warbler (reeling south end of saline lagoon), 6 Bearded Tit, 2 Corn Bunting (singing males), 1 Marsh Frog (1+ many heard), 1 Common Lizard, 2 Northern Water Vole, 10 Azure Damselfly, 5 Hairy Dragonfly, 4 Painted Lady, 1 Small Tortoiseshell [John Wright]
Monday 25 May 2026
4 Red Fox (dog Fox, 2 vixens, 1 cub ) [John Wright]
1 Glossy Ibis (Flew on to lagoon for several mins only at 20:20. Again on lagoon sleeping, from southern viewpoint, at 21:25), 1 Egyptian Goose (Flew over), 16 Ringed Plover (2 small groups mobile around lagoon), 1 Cuckoo, 1 Barn Owl, 1 Grasshopper Warbler (Still reeling from same location), 1 Corn Bunting (Singing from landfill) [Tim Bourne]
1 Cetti's Warbler (singing loudly right beside Essex marina car park), 1 Reed Warbler (singing by car park) [Paul Baker]
4 Dark-bellied Brent Goose, 1 Marsh Harrier (male), 1 Buzzard, 1 Turtle Dove (brief flight view), 1 Nightingale, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 4 Painted Lady [John Wright]
4 Great Crested Grebe, 2 Common Tern, 6 House Martin, 1 Cetti's Warbler [John Wright]
Sunday 24 May 2026
2 Nightingale (Singing) [Lee Ebbs]
2 Barn Owl (hunting across the eastern new wet grassland area), 6 Common Pipistrelle (track south side of Belton Hills west) [John Wright]
1 Barn Owl, 1 Grasshopper Warbler (Reeling continuously late on from the north side of the Saline Lagoon ), 3 Daubenton's Bat, 8 Common Pipistrelle, 10 Noctule Bat (+), 5 Red Fox, 9 Northern Water Vole (incl. 3 pups) [Tim Bourne]
1 Painted Lady [Matt Bruty]
2 Whimbrel (flew NE), 1 Cuckoo (singing), 9 Swift, 10 House Martin, 1 Brown Argus [Neil Chambers]
0 Glossy Ibis (no sign), 40 Black-tailed Godwit, 1 Cuckoo (singing), 6 Swift, 4 Yellow Wagtail, 2 Bearded Tit, 2 Painted Lady, 1 Small Heath [Neil Chambers]
1 Buzzard, 5 Mediterranean Gull, 2 Common Tern (high overhead, heading south), 1 Cuckoo, 1 Painted Lady [Paul Baker]
3 Marsh Harrier, 1 Buzzard, 2 Kestrel, 6 Oystercatcher (3 pairs), 2 Turtle Dove, 2 Cuckoo, 1 Nightingale, 3 Sedge Warbler, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 20 Whitethroat (+) [Marc Outten]
1 Buzzard, 110 Black-tailed Godwit, 3 Cuckoo (2 males, 1 female), 2 Lesser Whitethroat, 1 Corn Bunting, 1 Common Lizard, 11 Painted Lady [John Wright]
4 Great Crested Grebe, 1 Buzzard, 2 Ringed Plover, 28 Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Cuckoo, 1 Barn Owl, 10 Bearded Tit, 1 Corn Bunting, 1 Common Lizard, 12 Azure Damselfly, 1 Blue-tailed Damselfly, 4 Hairy Dragonfly [Graham Ryland, Graham Oakes]
1 Red-throated Diver (in full breeding plumage), 15 Great Crested Grebe, 80 Dark-bellied Brent Goose (flew east), 7 Common Scoter (flew west then back east), 4 Sandwich Tern, 7 Common Tern, 1 Little Tern (appeared to fly in from mid river then flew towards East Beach), 1 Cuckoo (singing), 1 Cetti's Warbler (singing), 1 Reed Warbler (singing) [Neil Chambers]
2 Mediterranean Gull, 1 Cuckoo (singing), 1 Green Woodpecker, 4 Nightingale (singing) [Neil Chambers]
Saturday 23 May 2026
1 Cuckoo [Matt Bruty]
1 Sparrowhawk, 4 Mediterranean Gull (Over calling), 2 Cuckoo (+), 4 Nightingale (+ singing or calling), 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 1 Four-spotted Chaser [Tim Bourne]
5 Swift, 1 Green Woodpecker, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Skylark (singing), 1 Mistle Thrush, 4 Painted Lady, 1 Small Heath [Neil Chambers]
1 Garganey (Pantile), 1 Hobby, 2 Cuckoo, 1 Orange-tip [Matt Bruty]
5 Great Crested Grebe (pair with 3 young), 2 Egyptian Goose, 3 Pochard (2 drakes), 1 Swift, 3 Reed Warbler (singing), 20 Red-eyed Damselfly, 20 Azure Damselfly, 10 Common Blue Damselfly, 3 Blue-tailed Damselfly, 2 Emperor Dragonfly, 3 Hairy Dragonfly, 20 Four-spotted Chaser, 1 Scarce Chaser (imm male in SE corner of main lake), 1 Black-tailed Skimmer, 2 Small White, 2 Painted Lady, 1 Speckled Wood [Neil Chambers]
7 Brimstone, 1 Heath Fritillary, 1 Speckled Wood [Matt Bruty]
1 Jay, 2 Slow-worm, 1 Wood Mouse, 1 Painted Lady [John Wright]
30 Turnstone, 1 Common Tern, 2 Little Tern (Two birds off Barge Pier), 3 Cetti's Warbler (Heard), 2 Chiffchaff (Singing) [Lee Ebbs]
Friday 22 May 2026
1 Little Owl (St Nicholas' church gravyard), 1 Western Hedgehog (St Nicholas' church graveyard), 3 Red Fox, 1 Badger [John Wright]
75 Dark-bellied Brent Goose, 1 Barn Owl, 1 Nightingale, 20 Rabbit [John Wright]
6 Swift [Jeff Kinnerman]
2 Marsh Harrier (M&F), 2 Buzzard, 2 Kestrel, 5 Black-tailed Godwit,
5 Yellow Wagtail (including a variant. Maybe one of its grandparents was a Channel Wagtail.), 6 Corn Bunting, 2 Common Lizard, 19 Common Seal, 6 Brown Argus [John Wright]
1 Song Thrush, 1 Brown Argus [Matt Bruty]
3 Great Crested Grebe, 1 Spoonbill, 1 Pink-footed Goose, 1 Buzzard, 120 Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Cuckoo, 1 Barn Owl, 2 Yellow Wagtail, 8 Bearded Tit, 1 Corn Bunting, 1 Hairy Dragonfly, 1 Green-veined White, 10 Small Heath [Graham Ryland, Graham Oakes]
Thursday 21 May 2026
1 Red Fox, 3 Badger [Neil Chambers]
1 Daubenton's Bat, 8 Common Pipistrelle (8+), 15 Soprano Pipistrelle (15+), 2 Chinese Muntjac (buck & doe), 2 Wood Mouse [John Wright]
1 Red Kite (again over North Fambridge), 1 Marsh Harrier (male on BHF), 1 Cuckoo (male around the garden all day), 1 Yellow Wagtail, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 1 Slow-worm [Paul Baker]
3 Swift [Matt Bruty]
1 Peregrine Falcon, 79 Black-tailed Godwit (on saline lagoon), 3 Cuckoo, 1 Corn Bunting, 1 Common Lizard, 2 Northern Water Vole [John Wright]
3 Pochard (BC ), 2 Buzzard, 1 Kestrel (f), 3 Grey Plover, 46 Black-tailed Godwit, 3 Whimbrel (BC), 2 Mediterranean Gull, 1 Cuckoo (h,distant S of the river), 8 Skylark, 11 Swallow, 3 Yellow Wagtail (incl a pair), 1 Song Thrush (ML), 2 Mistle Thrush (Rankins C.C.), 1 Cetti's Warbler (h), 1 Sedge Warbler (h), 1 Reed Warbler (h), 2 Blackcap (h), 3 Lesser Whitethroat (h), 4 Whitethroat, 2 Chiffchaff (h), 1 Greenfinch (h), 1 Corn Bunting (BC), 1 Painted Lady, 6 Small Heath [Jeff Kinnerman]
Wednesday 20 May 2026
1 Red Kite (over North Fambridge ), 1 Buzzard, 1 Osprey (Flew in from the east along ridgeline to the north of BHF. Alighted briefly in tree on wooded slope and then on pylon before continuing WNW) [Paul Baker]
3 Slow-worm, 1 Wood Mouse [John Wright]
3 Wigeon, 1 Buzzard, 1 Peregrine Falcon, 1 Water Rail (heard.), 2 Common Tern, 2 Cuckoo, 3 Yellow Wagtail, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 6 Bearded Tit, 1 Greenfinch, 1 Corn Bunting, 1 Northern Water Vole [Graham Ryland]
2 Buzzard, 2 Kestrel, 18 Bar-tailed Godwit (flew from Grass farm lagoon and headed north) [John Wright]
2 Common Pipistrelle [John Wright]
Tuesday 19 May 2026
1 Marsh Harrier (male), 1 Hobby (finally, my first one of the year.), 1 Common Seal (thrashing around in the Crouch, almost breaching at times) [Paul Baker]
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