Sunday 16 December 2018

Wallasea Island (RSPB), 11:00 to 13:50, Clear initially but clouded over
2 Marsh Harrier, 1 Hen Harrier (Ring tail), 1 Buzzard, 2 Short-eared Owl [Andrew Armstrong]

Saturday 15 December 2018

Hadleigh Downs, 10:40 to 13:55, and Benfleet Creek
1 Little Egret, 1 Kestrel, 2 Avocet, 1 Snipe, 2 Green Woodpecker, 5 Skylark, 1 Redwing (h) [Paul Griggs]

Thursday 13 December 2018

Bowers Marsh (RSPB), 08:15 to 11:35
24 Pintail, 13 Pochard, 1 Marsh Harrier, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Kestrel, 5 Snipe, 51 Fieldfare, 14 Redwing, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 1 Yellowhammer (female) [Graham Ryland, Graham Oakes]

Wednesday 12 December 2018

Highlands Boulevard, Leigh, 12:10 to 12:10
1 Grey Wagtail [Paul Griggs]

Chalkwell Park Drive, Leigh, 08:30 to 08:35
1 Sparrowhawk [John Wright]

Tuesday 11 December 2018

Wallasea Island (RSPB), 14:25 to 16:00, Calm, sunny just from White Gate
2 Marsh Harrier (juv and ad male), 1 Hen Harrier (ringtail hunting south of Grass Farm), 3 Short-eared Owl (at least), 40 Linnet (+), 140 Corn Bunting (+, in combined flock with Linnets, counted from photo) [Jeff Delve]

Bowers Marsh (RSPB), 08:15 to 13:00
2 Little Egret, 530 Wigeon (+), 17 Pintail, 3 Marsh Harrier, 3 Water Rail (one seen), 13 Dunlin, 77 Snipe, 3 Curlew, 3 Green Sandpiper, 2 Stonechat, 70 Fieldfare (+), 11 Redwing, 3 Cetti's Warbler, 2 Bearded Tit, 11 Long-tailed Tit [Graham Ryland, Graham Oakes]

Coombe Wood, 08:00 to 08:30
1 Blackcap (female, eating ivy berries in the same bush as the Firecrest), 1 Firecrest (male, in the holly and ivy by my back window ) [Jeff Saward]

Hockley Woods, 08:00 to 11:00, Heavy overcast early on, brightening later
1 Firecrest (Male in small yew along east side before black and white house), 1 Nuthatch (On right just past stream, same area as in spring), 2 Treecreeper, 1 Redpoll sp. (Flew over calling) [Jeff Delve]

Monday 10 December 2018

Wallasea Island (RSPB), 15:40 to 16:15
1 Marsh Harrier, 1 Peregrine Falcon (Juvenile . ), 1 Barn Owl, 2 Short-eared Owl [Dudley Shayler]

Highlands Boulevard, Leigh, 10:20 to 10:50
1 Grey Wagtail [Paul Griggs]

Bowers Marsh (RSPB), 09:00 to 12:30
1 Shelduck, 7 Pintail, 12 Pochard, 6 Tufted Duck, 4 Dunlin, 12 Snipe, 6 Curlew, 50 Fieldfare (plus), 10 Redwing, 1 Bearded Tit, 1 Yellowhammer (male) [Graham Oakes]

Sunday 09 December 2018

Wallasea Island (RSPB), 14:30 to 15:30
2 Little Egret, 2 Marsh Harrier (+), 1 Buzzard, 4 Short-eared Owl (showing superbly well), 40 Corn Bunting [Paul Baker]

Eastwood, 13:50 to 13:55
1 Little Owl [Neil Chambers]

Hockley Woods, 13:15 to 14:15
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Goldcrest (along east side gardens in tit flock), 2 Firecrest (males) [Paul Baker]

Southend Airport, 13:00 to 13:00
1 Little Owl [Paul Baker]

Hockley Woods, 10:15 to 13:15
1 Buzzard (Calling), 8 Redwing (+), 10 Goldcrest (+), 3 Firecrest (2m, 1f. In Holly/Ivy from east side track from car park between playground and mock Tudor house), 1 Coal Tit, 2 Nuthatch (Presumed pair), 6 Treecreeper [Tim Bourne]

Wallasea Island (RSPB), 09:45 to 16:20, Overcast with light showers early clearing later and sunny periods, breezy westerly turning northerly. Leading Chelmsford RSPB Local Group
10 Cormorant (+), 10 Little Egret (+), 3 Grey Heron, 20 Mute Swan (+), 60 Greylag Goose (+), 400 Canada Goose (+, Grass Farm, Jubilee, east fields), 1 Barnacle Goose, 200 Dark-bellied Brent Goose (+), 500 Shelduck (+), 1000 Wigeon (+, epecially Jubilee), 10 Gadwall (+, Jubilee), 1000 Teal (+), 1 Mallard, 10 Pintail (+, Jubilee), 6 Shoveler (Pool Marsh), 6 Marsh Harrier (min - in to roost late on and ad male earlier), 1 Hen Harrier (ringtail over Pool Marsh probably ad female), 1 Buzzard (assassin bird on post nr south wall), 8 Kestrel (+), 1 Pheasant (numerous), 70 Oystercatcher (+), 6 Ringed Plover (with Dunlin on Pool Marsh), 2000 Golden Plover (+, absolute minimum, maybe double that), 500 Grey Plover (+), 2000 Lapwing (+, absolute minimum, maybe double that), 1500 Dunlin (+), 3 Snipe (fly overs), 50 Black-tailed Godwit (+), 50 Curlew (+), 100 Redshank (+), 20 Black-headed Gull (+), 1 Common Gull, 60 Herring Gull (+), 3 Stock Dove (Jubilee), 20 Wood Pigeon (+, north fields), 1 Barn Owl (female in from west hunting wild bird cover c.4pm), 4 Short-eared Owl (+, probably 5 or even more, one hunting short grass area near White Gate late afternoon), 100 Skylark (+, encountered everywhere in small groups), 10 Meadow Pipit (+), 2 Rock Pipit (south wall), 1 Pied Wagtail (car park), 10 Carrion Crow (+), 500 Starling (+, at least one significant flock), 10 House Sparrow (+, bushes near white gate), 60 Linnet (+, several small flocks ), 12 Reed Bunting (+), 40 Corn Bunting (+, in mixed flock over wild bird cover) [Jeff Delve]

Saturday 08 December 2018

West Canvey Marsh (RSPB), 09:45 to 13:45
1 Marsh Harrier (fem), 2 Peregrine Falcon (High over together, calling), 2 Jack Snipe (At pools by 3rd hide), 8 Snipe, 1 Curlew, 50 Fieldfare (+), 30 Redwing (+) [Tim Bourne]

Bowers Marsh (RSPB), 08:30 to 11:30
1 Shelduck, 9 Pintail, 8 Pochard, 6 Tufted Duck, 1 Ruff, 3 Curlew, 1 Stonechat, 15 Fieldfare, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 2 Corn Bunting [Graham Oakes]

Chalkwell Park Drive, Leigh, 01:00 to 02:00
1 Badger [John Wright]

Thursday 06 December 2018

Highlands Boulevard, Leigh, 11:20 to 11:20
1 Grey Wagtail [Paul Griggs]

Canvey Point, 08:25 to 09:35, with NC most of the time
1 Shag, 2 Common Scoter, 1 Mediterranean Gull (adult), 2 Guillemot (including one flying around the Point & creek at very close range), 1 Rock Pipit [Paul Baker, Neil Chambers]

Vange Marsh (RSPB), 07:40 to 08:00
2 Jack Snipe (Along east side - thanks JD & NC for directions.), 10 Fieldfare, 30 Redwing, 2 Cetti's Warbler (singing) [Paul Baker]

Tuesday 04 December 2018

Hockley Woods, 18:00 to 19:00
3 Tawny Owl (at least 3 calling birds eventually in NW section of wood) [Jeff Delve]

Bowers Marsh (RSPB), 11:30 to 13:00, just from benches - lots of large gulls to work through
12 Pintail (with usual mix of shoveller, Wigeon, Teal, Mallard and Gadwall), 12 Pochard, 4 Tufted Duck, 2 Snipe, 50 Skylark (+, on wet field near entrance by the game crop), 50 Meadow Pipit (+), 30 Pied Wagtail (+), 10 Reed Bunting (+) [Jeff Delve]

Wat Tyler Country Park, 10:30 to 11:15, from scrape hide and down to marina, overall very quiet
50 Fieldfare (+, marina end of fleet), 4 Song Thrush, 9 Redwing [Jeff Delve]

Vange Marsh (RSPB), 08:30 to 10:00, Frosty start but bright and calm. Just the eastern side to viewing point and back
40 Wigeon (+), 18 Pintail, 1 Marsh Harrier (ad female), 1 Buzzard (on post next to Vange Creek), 400 Lapwing (+), 2 Jack Snipe, 4 Snipe, 30 Black-tailed Godwit (+), 10 Fieldfare, 100 Redwing (+, early on - dispersed later), 4 Cetti's Warbler (singing birds at different locations) [Jeff Delve]

Bowers Marsh (RSPB), 08:00 to 13:30
2 Little Egret, 100 Greylag Goose (plus), 17 Pintail, 8 Pochard, 6 Tufted Duck, 1 Water Rail, 15 Grey Plover, 125 Dunlin, 4 Snipe, 1 Curlew, 1 Green Woodpecker, 100 Fieldfare (plus), 6 Redwing, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 3 Bearded Tit, 30 Reed Bunting (plus), 4 Corn Bunting [Graham Oakes]

Highlands Boulevard, Leigh, 07:50 to 08:05
20 Fieldfare (+, west) [Paul Griggs]