Bird Reports for July 2000
01/07/00 - Abberton Reservoir: Two Red-crested Pochard, Marsh Harrier and three Little Egret have been reported.
04/07/00 - Ruff are back at Old Hall Marshes with up to six being reported. Also Green Sandpiper and five Greenshank.
07/07/00 - Red Kite reported at Eves Corner, Danbury early morning. We are awaiting confirmation of a Red-necked Phalarope reported at Old Hall Marshes also early morning.
08/07/00 - Four Mediterranean Gulls (two adults and two first summer) have been seen regularly roosting on the playing fields of Southend High School for Boys. Two Little Owls have become a regular sight sitting on telegraph poles by a bend in the road just before the Plough and Sail public house at Paglesham.
09/07/00 - Wat Tyler CP, 10.30: One Ruff, one Little Egret. Wakering Stairs, 17.00: Two Whimbrel from Haven Point plus two Marsh Harrier towards Havengore Island. Also 30 Greenshank. Turnstone, Golden Plover, Dunlin, and Black-tailed Godwit all in summer plumage. Red-necked Phalarope is still being reported from Old Hall Marshes at Pennyhole Bottom.
11/07/00 - Paglesham Little Owls confirmed again as being on telegraph poles on the way to the Plough and Sail Public House. Just before the pub there is a right hand bend in the road just before South Hall Farm. Straight on leads to East Hall and it is from this bend that the Owls can usually be seen.
12/07/00 - Vange Marsh: Fifteen Ruff, Eleven Greenshank, five Green Sandpipers, Hobby and fifteen Common Sandpipers reported.
16/07/00 - Wakering Stairs 1735: Substantial numbers of returning Godwits and Curlews observed. Also single Hobby hawking across bushes. Pomarine Skua observed at East Tilbury, Lingering mid-river off Coalhouse Fort 10.40am, 121 Black-tailed Godwits and 80 Avocets.
17/07/00 - Last week I saw one Spotted Flycatcher in Priory Park Southend, I first saw one there in the middle of June so lets hope they are breeding there. Today I went to Watt Tyler for a walk. We didn't see much bird life, the highlight was seeing juvenile Little Grebe and a parent Little Grebe feeding a recently hatched chick (observer: Phil Anderson). Juvenile Red-necked Phalarope has been at Elmley, Kent all this week along with a Long-eared Owl.
18/07/00 - A Nightjar picked up recently in East Tilbury Docks has been taken into care, it will be released (weather dependant) on Wednesday 19th July at Thorndon Country Park, South West of Ingrave, at 9.30pm. from the second car park which is beyond the visitors centre. A minimum donation of 1 is required to attend this event. The bird has a standard BTO ring. Further up to date information on this and other rare birds in the region is available to any caller by dialling Birdlink East Anglia on 0900 2209 230.
18/07/00 - A very pleasant hour between 1945 and 2045 was spent just past the security entrance on Wakering Stairs. The sun at this time of year is just right for this location. Species observed: Grey Heron, Oystercatcher, Lapwing, a pair of Turtle Dove, Swift, Skylark, Swallow, House Martin, Dunnock, Whitethroat (+ juveniles), Willow Warbler, Linnet, Yellowhammer (x6) and Corn Bunting. The highlight of this hour was a Barn Owl visible most of the time hunting across the fields.
19/07/00 - White Stork reported yesterday at Abberton Reservoir in mown field by Roy King Hide. (from feedback) Pomarine Skuas (3) at Coalhouse Fort on July 11 at approx 11.45 - 12.00. These were sub-adult/second summer birds although one had quite advanced plumage (no visible spoons though). The sequence of sightings this Spring/Summer has been remarkable - the birds seem to favour Mucking Bay/Lower Hope Point to Coalhouse Fort. Observer: David Jobbins.
20/07/00 - (from feedback)I have just come back from Cornhill Meadows by Waltham Abbey near Fishers Green. My sightings were: three Green Sandpipers and three Little Ringed Plovers. Also B.H.Gulls, Lapwings, Herons, a Pheasant, a flock of Goldfinch feeding the young on thistles, Sand Martins flying overhead and the usual woodland Tits, blackbirds, wren etc. Observer: D Messenger. Wakering Stairs, 20.05: Sparrowhawk and Barn Owl observed.
26/07/00 - Whimbrel, East Tilbury. Also 12 Bar-tailed Godwit, 33 Avocet, 7 Grey Plover, 5 Turnstone. Two Temminck's Stint, Old Hall Marshes.