Bird Reports for June 2003

Monday 30th June 2003
Wat Tyler CP 12.00-12.30: 1 Little Egret, 3 Grey Heron, 2 Green Sandpiper, 1 Cuckoo, Reed Warbler, 1 Bearded Tit. Stuart Bailey.
Westcliff Seafront, 13:10 to 13:40: 6 Mediterranean Gull (1 1st summer, 4 2nd summers and an adult at 4.50pm). Steve Arlow (SOG).

Sunday 29th June 2003
Southend Area, 07:00 to 08:00: 13 Mediterranean Gull (all between Westcliff seafront and Thorpe Bay. 12 Adults and 1 2nd summer. I didn't have the time to give the whole area a proper look at the peak tide so many were probably missed). Steve Arlow (SOG).
Benfleet Creek, 11:00 to 12:30: 10 Common Tern (Plus usual - Avocets on Two Tree Is. lagoon, Reed & Sedge Warblers, Whitethroats. Plus Marsh Frogs and about 6 Marbled White Butterflies). John Wright (SOG).
Canvey Seafront, 12:45 to 15:30: 2 Mediterranean Gull (both adults. One was seen on the field behind the Labworth Cafe before it moved to the seafront where it joined another with an apparent broken leg.), 1 Common Tern (an individual was watched at close range along the seafront that had an all reddish orange bill becoming paler near the tip and lacked any hint of a dark tip). Steve Arlow (SOG).
The Fleet 16.00-18.00: 75+ Avocet, 4 Little Egret, 3 Spotted Redshank, 3 Ruff, 1 Green Sandpiper, 1 adult 1 juvenile Little Grebe, 1 Cuckoo, 1 Turtle Dove. Also 2 Hare. Steve and Corrina Giles.
Wat Tyler Country Park 16.30-17.30: 1 Black-tailed Godwit, 1 Little Ringed Plover, 1 Ruff (male), 2 Redshank, 4 Green Sandpiper, 1 Bearded Tit, 2 Great Crested Grebe, 2 Oystercatcher. Steve Hiscock.
Great Waking Old Tip 20.30 to 21.30: 2 Hobby flying together, 1 Barn Owl, 5 Ruff some with neck plumage, 3 Green Sandpiper, 6 Spotted Redshank. Jeff Elliott.

Saturday 28th June 2003
Seafront Areas, 06:30 to 09:30: 51 Mediterranean Gull. This morning I undertook a count of the Mediterranean Gulls along the foreshore from Westcliff Seafront all the way to Shoebury East Beach. 41 Adults, 5 2nd summers & 5 1st summers. The French Green ringed bird was still at Westcliff along with a metal ringed 2nd summer (581-891). Most of the Med Gulls were east of the pier with 20 alone along the tideline at East Beach - this is a County Record. Steve Arlow (SOG).
Southend, 06:55 to 07:10: 1 Little Owl. John Wright. (SOG).
Paglesham Area, 07:30 to 07:55: 2 Little Owl. 1 Green Woodpecker. John Wright. (SOG).
Shoebury Coastguards, 07:30 to 07:40: 1 Little Egret, 5 Common Scoter (flew up river). Steve Arlow (SOG).
Paglesham, 08:15 to 09:00: 1 Green Woodpecker, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker (Public footpath, East Hall Farm), 1 Cuckoo, 1 Turtle Dove. John Wright (SOG).
Doggetts Farm, 09:30 to 10:30: 1 Green Woodpecker (Juvenile), 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker. John Wright. (SOG).
South Fambridge / Brandyhole, 09.30 - 11.30: Turtle Dove, 3 Reed Bunting, 5 Sedge Warbler, 2 Yellow Wagtail, 3 Common Tern, 2 Little Egret, Curlew (flock x48), Goldfinch, Corn Bunting, 2 Common Whitethroat, 15 Shelduck (including 11 ducklings). Ray Fuller.
Two Tree Island, 10:00 to 10:20: 11 Greenshank (from the slipway), 4 Little Egret (from the slipway), 1 Whimbrel. Steve Arlow (SOG).
Barling Pits, 11:00 to 12:00: 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Kestrel. John Wright (SOG).
Priory Park 15:00 to 16:00: Nice Sighting 2 Spotted Flycatcher (at the eastern end of the park, around the junction of the side stream and the main brook ), 2 Grey Wagtail, Green Woodpecker. Adam and Tim Bennett.
Wat Tyler Country Park, 16:30 to 17:30: 2 Bearded Tit (males), 1 Green Sandpiper, 1 Little Egret, 1 Hobby, 1 Sparrowhawk (a big female (also a Marbled White butterfly at Canvey Tewkes Creek)). Steve Arlow, Paul Griggs (SOG)..

Friday 27th June 2003
Southend Seafront, 16:15: 1 Mediterranean Gull (adult summer flew east past my office window along the seafront and then at 4.25pm flew back again). Steve Arlow (SOG).

Thursday 26th June 2003
Wat Tyler Country Park, 18.45-19.30: 3 Green Sandpiper, 1 Cuckoo, 1 Turtle Dove, Steve Hiscock.

Wednesday 25th June 2003
Southend Seafront, 12:00 to 12:30: 4 Mediterranean Gull (2 adults (one of which has moulted it inner most primaries), a 2nd summer and a 1st summer). Steve Arlow (SOG).

Tuesday 24th June 2003
The Fleet, Wakering 19.30 - 21.15: 1 Barn Owl, 9 Little Egret, 11 Avocet, 7 Spotted Redshank (summer plumage), 9 Black-tailed Godwit, possible Ruff, 1 Turtle Dove, 1 Cuckoo, 1 Green Woodpecker, female Reed Bunting. For your info, there is a dead Mute Swan underneath the cables, about the same spot as last year. Steve Giles. (I have finally found someone who has taken these power lines seriously. I contacted the MOD conservation officer who has informed me that these cables supply power to the Potton bridge. They will be looking at them tomorrow. Ed).

Monday 23rd June 2003
Priory Park, 13:25 to 13:35: Nice Sighting 2 Spotted Flycatcher. Steve Arlow (SOG).
Westcliff Seafront, 16:40 to 18:00: 10 Mediterranean Gull (2 adult summers, 1 2nd summer and 7 1st summers (including the French Green ringed bird 3LL7 that was here all winter). Steve Arlow, Paul Griggs (SOG).
Southend High School, 18:30 to 18:40: 1 Mediterranean Gull (Ad., full plumage. With Black-headed Gulls on field.). Harry Carmichael (SOG).

Sunday 22nd June 2003
Rochford Golf Course, 07:10 to 11:30: 1 Blackcap (singing), 1 Green Woodpecker, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Corn Bunting (singing). Neil Chambers (SOG). 
Chalkwell Park Drive, Leigh, 12:00 to 12:05: 1 Sparrowhawk (Female, over the garden). John Wright (SOG).
Southend Pier, 12:30 to 14:40: 13 Mediterranean Gull (9 adult summers, 2 2nd summers, 2 1st summers with most on the mud nearer the pier base). Steve Arlow (SOG).
Wat Tyler Country Park 14:00 - 14:30:  Little Ringed Plover, 1 Bearded Tit. Stuart Bailey.

Saturday 21st June 2003
Gunners Park - Shoebury 08:15 to 08:45: leucistic Blackbird, 3 Mistle Thrush, 1 Song Thrush, 1 Kestrel. Web Author.
Wakering Stairs 09:00 - 10:00 (public road only): 12 Long-tailed Tit, 1 Turtle Dove, 2 Yellowhammer, 1 Kestrel, 2 Cuckoo. Web Author.
South Fambridge / Brandyhole, 09.40 - 11.55: 5 Common Whitethroat, 6 Reed Bunting, 4 Sedge Warbler, Common Tern, Little Egret, 3 Yellow Wagtail, 6 Shelduck, Curlew, Corn Bunting. Ray Fuller.
Wat Tyler Country Park, 10:30 to 11:50: 2 Mediterranean Gull (adult summer and 1st summer), 1 Black-headed Gull (a partially leucistic bird with whitish wing tips), 1 Green Sandpiper. Steve Arlow (SOG).
Wat Tyler Country Park, 13:35 to 14:25: 1 Mediterranean Gull (adult summer), 2 Bearded Tit (Nearby, a Hobby at Oozedam Farm, Fobbing). Paul Baker (SOG).
Chalkwell Park Drive, Leigh, 14:00: 1 Mediterranean Gull (Adult over the garden). John Wright (SOG).
Wakering Stairs, 15:00 to 15:40: 6 Little Egret (in Havengore Creek). Steve Arlow (SOG).

Friday 20th June 2003
Southend Areas: 3 Little Owl. Steve Arlow.
Paglesham Churchend, 18:00 to 20:30: 1 Hobby, 200 Swift, 20 Swallow, 1 Cuckoo, 1 Green Woodpecker, 5 Black-tailed Godwit (flew over going south). Steve Arlow (SOG).

Thursday 19th June 2003
Hole Haven Creek 10:30 - 10:45: 1 Little Egret, 1 Grey Heron, 1 Sparrowhawk, Swallow. Stuart Bailey.
Rochford Golf Course, 19:30 to 21:10: 1 Green Woodpecker, 1 Whitethroat (singing), 1 Blackcap (singing). Neil Chambers (SOG).

Wednesday 18th June 2003 
Priory Park, 13:15 to 13:40: Nice Sighting 2 Spotted Flycatcher, 1 Green Woodpecker. Paul Griggs, Don Petrie (SOG).

Tuesday 17th June 2003 
Southend Seafront, 14:00 to 15:40: 2 Mediterranean Gull (adult summers present on or around the old Gasworks Pier all afternoon, seen from my office window. I was working, honest). Steve Arlow (SOG).

Monday 16th June 2003 
Southend Old Gasworks, 14:00: 1 Mediterranean Gull (adult summer flew past the old gasworks pier and past my office). Steve Arlow (SOG).

Sunday 15th June 2003
Southend Seafront, 04:55: 1 Mediterranean Gull (adult summer just along seafront from the Sealife Centre). Steve Arlow (SOG).
Two Tree Island, 05:15 to 09:50: Confirmed Sighting 1 Grasshopper Warbler (the bird east of the flying field appears to have moved closer to the car park and was on the north side of the gravel track. It was singing only occasionally and showed only twice (poorly) whilst I was there.), 60 Swift, 1 Little Egret, 35 Avocet, 3 Greenshank, Skylark. Steve Arlow (SOG).
Priory Park 10:00 - 10:30: 3 Robin, 6 Greenfinch, 5 Blackbird, 1 Song Thrush, 1 Green Woodpecker, 2 Great Tit, 3 Carrion Crow, Nice Sighting 2 Spotted Flycatcher. Richard Mander.
Wat Tyler Country Park, 11:10 to 12:55: 4 Mediterranean Gull (2 adult summers, 1 2nd summer and a 1st summer), 1 Yellow-legged Gull (2nd summer), 1 Cetti's Warbler, 1 Little Ringed Plover, 1 Herring Gull (red ringed bird on left leg with what appeared to read as KFJ though heat haze didn't help in reading the ring). Steve Arlow (SOG).
The Fleet, Wakering 12:00: Common Buzzard over (being mobbed by crows flying towards Barling) also Hobby. Lee Ebbs.
Wat Tyler Country Park 13:00 - 16:30: On the Fleet; 2 Little Egret, 4 Oystercatcher, 2 Common Tern, 4 Heron, 2 Ringed Plover, 1 Mediterranean Gull, 50 Lapwing, 1 Water Rail (heard), 6 Pair of Shoveler, 4 Pair of Shelduck, 1 Cuckoo (heard), many Reed Warblers, 1 Great Crested Grebe, Tufted Ducks. In the Park; 1 Whitethroat, 2 Wren. Martin Itter.
Leigh on Sea 15:00: 1 Common Buzzard flew west over my garden being mobbed by a Carrion Crow, it was in heavy tail moult. Paul Griggs (SOG).
Wat Tyler Country Park 15:00 - 16:30: 1 Great Crested Grebe, 2 Little Egret, 4 Grey Heron, 1 Water Rail (heard), Oystercatcher, 2 Ringed Plover, 1 Mediterranean Gull, 2 Common Tern, Reed Warbler. Stuart Bailey.

Saturday 14th June 2003
Two Tree Island (West), 07:30 to 09:30: Confirmed Sighting 2 Grasshopper Warbler (Reeling and showing well, both East & West of the model aircraft field), 1 Stonechat (Male), 30 Avocet, 4 Oystercatcher, 3 Ringed Plover. John Wright (SOG).
Rochford Golf Course, 08:00 to 12:20: 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Green Woodpecker, 2 Blackcap (singing), 1 Whitethroat (singing), 2 Stock Dove. Neil Chambers (SOG).
South Fambridge / Brandyhole, 09.25 - 11.50: 2 Common Whitethroat, 2 Sedge Warbler, Common Tern, 2 Turtle Dove, Reed Bunting, Kestrel, 2 Yellow Wagtail, Sparrowhawk, Little Egret. Ray Fuller.
Benfleet Creek, 09:35 to 11:00: 1 Hobby (Benfleet Creek & Hadleigh Downs. In hot pursuit of a Skylark which got away. The Hobby then flew over the creek to Canvey Is. ), 2 Little Egret, 100 Lapwing (Of interest a Common Seal was going up the creek on the tide and was almost at Benfleet Yacht Club. Plus near by also a female Adder, Bee and Pyramadal Orchids). John Wright (SOG).
Fleet Head, 10:30 to 11:20: 4 Spotted Redshank (all in full summer plumage), 2 Black-tailed Godwit, 4 Little Egret. Steve Arlow (SOG).
Two Tree Island (East), 11:05 to 11:55: 1 Cetti's Warbler (Sang briefly). John Wright (SOG).
Highlands Boulevard, Leigh, 12:15: 1 Sparrowhawk (also Lime Hawk Moth in the garden). Paul Griggs (SOG).
 Two Tree Island 16:30 - 18:45: Hobby hunting insects, quartering the bushes in the middle of the island at 18:00 and again at 18:30. Also two Little Egrets on the mud, well to the south of the eastern tip. David Lee.
 The Wick Country Park 16:30 - 17:30: Hobby hawking dragonflies across and around the lake. also 2 Turtle Doves. David Hope.
 The Fleet 15:00 - 15:45: 1 Little Egret, 3 summer plumage Spotted Redshank, 1 Kestrel. Web Author.

Friday 13th June 2003
Southend Seafront, 14:40: 1 Mediterranean Gull (1st summer flew past my office window by the old gas works pier). Steve Arlow (SOG).
Fleet Head, 18:00 to 20:00: 4 Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Spotted Redshank (summer plumaged), 5 Turtle Dove, 1 Hobby (hunting near the barns), 2 Cuckoo, 3 Avocet, 2 Little Egret. Steve Arlow, Paul Griggs (SOG).
Canewdon: 1 Hummingbird Hawkmoth in my garden in Canewdon today. Jeff Delve.

Wednesday 11th June 2003
Southend Seafront, 13:10 to 13:50, between the pier and the corporation pier: 3 Mediterranean Gull (1 adult summer and 2 first summer). Don Petrie,
Steve Arlow, Paul Griggs (SOG).

Tuesday 10th June 2003 
Southend Seafront, 08:15: 1 Mediterranean Gull (adult summer over the Sealife centre car park). Steve Arlow (SOG).
Southchurch, 08:35: 1 Peregrine Falcon. Paul Griggs

Monday 09th June 2003
 Ashingdon, 07:10 to 07:15: 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker (pair in the garden). (Also Green Woodpecker most days). Neil Chambers (SOG).
Southend Seafront, 11:50 to 11:50: 1 Mediterranean Gull (adult flew past my office window). Steve Arlow (SOG).
Two Tree island 20:00 - 20:25: Confirmed Sighting 1 Grasshopper Warbler 300m. north of previous sighting near lone polar tree, Willow Warbler, 2 male Corn Bunting, 30+ Avocet. John Bronze.
Benfleet Creek 20:30: 1 Hobby (flew east along creek and then up to Benfleet Downs). Andrew Bridge.

Sunday 08th June 2003
Rochford Golf Course, 08:00 to 11:20: 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Green Woodpecker, 2 Whitethroat (singing), 1 Blackcap (singing), 1 Oystercatcher. Neil Chambers (SOG).

Saturday 07th June 2003
 South Fambridge / Brandyhole, 09.40 - 11.55: 3 Reed Bunting, 4 Common Whitethroat, 5 Corn Bunting, 2 Little Egret, Yellow Wagtail, Cuckoo, 6 Shelduck, Swift, Swallow, 3 Goldfinch, 2 Sedge Warbler, 8 Greylag Goose. Ray Fuller.
Wakering Stairs, 10:30 to 11:30: 4 Little Egret. John Wright (SOG).
Vange Marsh, 16:30 to 17:30: 1 Little Egret. John Wright (SOG).

Wednesday 04th June 2003 
Two Tree Island (West), 18:25 to 19:15: 1 Hobby (On view most of the time giving an excellent display catching and eating insects on the wing.). John Wright (SOG).
Two Tree Island, 20:00 to 21:30: Confirmed Sighting Grasshopper Warbler, some 100 yards or so West of the model aircraft field. Calling pretty much continuously, although drowned out for much of the time by the large number of singing Skylarks in the vicinity!), seen in the hemlock. Adam and Tim Bennett.

Tuesday 03rd June 2003
Priory Park: 1 Grey Wagtail in the brook near the fishing ponds. Phil Anderson.
Priory Park 13:00: Nice Sighting 2 Spotted Flycatcher. Steve Sanford.
Upper Raypits 17:00 - 17:20: 1 Hobby. Dave Goddard.

Monday 02nd June 2003 
Two Tree Island (West), 11:00 to 12:00: Confirmed Sighting 1 Grasshopper Warbler. Two Tree Island (East), 10:00 to 11:00: 1 Brent Goose. Andrew Woodhouse Essex Ranger Service.

Sunday 01st June 2003
 Two Tree Island 07:00 - 09:15: Confirmed Sighting 2 Grasshopper Warbler. One, seen at 7:15 reeling on bushes 50 yards east of the model airplane field. Second seen at 7:35 reeling in the hemlock about 150 yards west of the aircraft field. Also one Brent Goose! on the mud about 400 yards south of the eastern tip of the island. David Lee.
 Wat Tyler Country Park 14.00 - 15.15: 1 Marsh Harrier, 1 Hobby, 2 Common Tern, 1 Bearded Tit. Steve Hiscock.
Wat Tyler Country Park 14:15 - 15:00: 1 Marsh Harrier,1 Hobby, 3 Little Egret, Cuckoo, 3-4 Bearded Tit. Kevin Rees.
Two Tree Island, 20:00 to 21:15: Confirmed Sighting 2 Grasshopper Warbler (Both birds still singing; the west bird showing well and the east bird not at all), 1 Stonechat (male), 1 Corn Bunting (singing). Neil Chambers (SOG).