Bird Reports for November 2000
01/11/00 - Hadleigh Country Park (in car park) 13.40: Firecrest observed in trees. Web Author. Lapland Bunting reported at Rainham by barges 10.54. Two Tree Island: 3 Wrens, 3 Goldcrests, numerous Robins, Greenfinch, Goldfinch and Chaffinch, 1 Kestrel, 1 Green Woodpecker, 4 Little Egrets and Turnstone off the slipway. Huge movements of Woodpigeons, the usual large group of Teal on the sewerage farm and 1 Grey Heron. Observer: Terry Strong
03/11/00 - Two Tree Island: 1 Jay, 1 Kestrel, 1 Green Woodpecker (Fighting off the unwanted attentions of a Magpie) 1 Stonechat, numerous Wrens, Robins, Blackbirds, Goldfinches, Greenfinches, Chaffinches, Linnets & Reed Buntings, 1 Skylark, 2 Song Thrushes, 3 Fieldfare and 1 Little Grebe. Observer: Terry Strong.
04/11/00 - Hadleigh Country Park 10.30: 2 Sparrowhawk, 3 Goldcrest. Observer: Web Author. Wakering Stairs, Haven Point 15:30: 10 Little Egret, Hen Harrier (female), 4 Stonechat. Also observed were a skein of 37 Pintail flying east to west, 36 females led by one very lucky male! Observers: Web Author & Steve Arlow (SOG). Two Tree Island: Good numbers of Greenfinches & Goldfinches, a few Chaffinches and Reed Buntings. 3 Grey Herons on sewerage farm with Teal and Mallard. Observer: Terry Strong. Shoebury Coastguards: 4 Common Scoter. Observer: Paul Baker (SOG).
05/11/00 - Butts Hill Pond EWT Reserve: male Firecrest. Approaching Canewdon from the west driving eastwards, ignore first turning to the church, but take next left. Up to top of road, turn right, then immediately left. Take first left after 50m, then first right after 30m into Butts Paddock. The pond is at the end of this short road. Observer: Nick Green EBWS. Two Tree Island: 2 Green Woodpeckers flushed by the Ball collecting machine on the Golf range sat together on fence in front of us, large numbers of lapwing and Golden Plovers on recently planted Winter Wheat fields. Observer: Terry Strong. East Tilbury: The first Short-eared Owl of the winter was flushed by a (sympathetic) dog walker with a Pointer. Also observed were two Jack Snipe flushed from the "dry lagoons" - apparently there were five together there on November 4th, with a Merlin also reported. On the river, 35+ Kittiwakes up river in a sudden squall, 40 Brent Geese, and on the foreshore, a few Avocet and a Little Egret. Passerines included two Stonechats. A loafing Common Seal made an unusual record - they are sometimes seen in the river itself but rarely hauled out on the mud. Observer: David Jobbins.
06/11/00 - Southend Seafront: 1 Mediterranean Gull (not on usual beach, but further towards the Arches), Large numbers of Sanderling (c60+), 1 Common Gull, Numerous Blackheaded Gulls & Turnstones. Observer: Terry Strong.
08/11/00 - Hadleigh Country Park 13.30: Coal Tit, 3 Long-tailed Tit, Chaffinch, Goldcrest. Observer: Web Author.
09/11/00 - Hadleigh Country Park: 13 Fieldfare observed flying over. Observer Steve Brown, Essex Ranger Service. 27 Thrush sp. seen flying south 13.30, possible Fieldfare also 4 Goldcrest. Observer: Web Author
10/11/00 - Two Tree Island: 2 Little Egrets and a Rock Pipit on lagoon, also Stonechat. Report of 7 Avocets on lagoon yesterday. Observer: Andrew Woodhouse, Essex Ranger Service. 2 Kestrel, 5 Wrens, numerous Robins, Greenfinches, Reed Buntings. Larger than usual numbers of Blackbirds, 3 Fieldfares, Very large flock Goldfinches (c60-80), 1 Green Woodpecker, 1 Little Egret, Nice group of Knot out from pillbox. Observer: Terry Strong. Owl observed on the EWT area; the observer could not make out the species due to heavy mist. Please email us if you see any Owls on Two Tree. Canvey Seafront: 1 Great Northern Diver and 1 Kittiwake flew close inshore upriver. Observer: Paul Baker (SOG).
12/11/00 - Wakering Stairs 09.30 - 13.30 (Wildfowl Count): Little Egret 1, Brent Goose 320, Wigeon 56, Pintail Duck 23, Shoveler 1, Hen Harrier 1 (male), Sparrowhawk 1, Grey Plover 380, Bar-tailed Godwit 120, Curlew 560, Redshank 20, Turnstone 10, Knot c.70, Dunlin c.700, Stonechat 1, Linnet 20, Reed Bunting 6. Observer: Web Author. Two Tree Island: 3 Grey Heron, 3 Little Egret, good numbers of Knot. 8+ Goldcrest in Leigh Library Gardens early afternoon. Observer: Terry Strong. Rolls Farm, Tollesbury: female Common Scoter, male Red-breasted Merganser. Abberton Reservoir: drake Canvasback from Layer Breton causeway looking due west. Observers Nick Green, Greg Bond, Bruce Brown EBWS).
13/11/00 - Hadleigh Country Park 13:35: 23 Long-tailed Tits in car park. Observer: Web Author. Two Tree Lagoon: Kingfisher. Observer: Andrew Woodhouse, Essex Ranger Service.
18/11/00 - Gunners Park 10.00: 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Green Woodpecker, 5 Goldcrest. Many Goldcrest also heard calling from trees all the way along Thorpe Hall Avenue. Web Author. Wakering Stairs, Haven Point, early morning: 1 Merlin, 1 Green Woodpecker, 2 Stonechat. Observer: S Giles. Many Goldcrest observed on Two Tree Island, also Ring-billed Gull by Rossi's on Westcliff Seafront. Observer: Terry Strong.
19/11/00 - Two Long-eared Owls have been sighted back on the lake island at Fishers Green Observer: D.Messenger.
20/11/00 - Westcliff Seafront, near Rossi's: Ring-billed Gull and Mediterranean Gull. Observer: Terry Strong.
21/11/00 - Two Tree Island 13.35 - 13.45: Short-eared Owl back on Two Tree! Observer: John Leeming. Keep a watch for these lovely owls in future as there was a pair that spent the winter on the island last year, this was in spite of the obvious disturbance from walkers. The best place to look is, late afternoon, around the area of the Model Aeroplane field. Shoebury Coastguards: 1 Sub adult Gannet flew high East and 1 adult Kittiwake. Gunners Park: 1 Stonechat, 1 Green Woodpecker, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker and a Fox. Friars Park: 2 Green Woodpeckers, 5 Goldcrest, 2 Muscovy Ducks and 2 Mute Swan. Observer: Paul Baker (SOG).
22/11/00 - Two Tree Island 13.30: 2 adult Gannets observed over sea towards pier. Observer: Web Author. Reports of over 20 Little Egret roosting on Two Tree Island Nature Reserve, they seem to fly in at dusk in twos and threes. Also a reliable report of a Bittern on the fleets, supplied by a wildfowler exercising his dogs. They seem to be regular visitors along the creek and country park as this is not the first time he has reported them to me. Reported by Steve Brown, EWT. 70 Acre Lake, Fishers Green: 2 Long-eared Owl, 8 Barnacle Geese, 3 Knot ( a long way off course from the estuary!), 2 Water Rail, plus Yellowhammer and Goldcrest. Hanningfield Reservoir: 1 Kittiwake, 2 Pintail, 5 Snipe, 6 Goldeneye, 1 Barnacle Goose, perhaps 30 Goldcrest. Observer: Paul Baker (SOG).
24/11/00 - Westcliff Seafront: Second winter Caspian Gull, 3 adult Mediterranean Gulls, 1 Ring Billed Gull. Two Tree Island (West side): 3 Little Egrets, 1 Kingfisher sitting on the concrete sluice on the North Bank of the lagoon and viewable from the hide, 35 Corn Buntings, 1 Green Woodpecker, 4 Stonechats, plus a reliable report of Short Eared Owl again from Harry Carmichael (SOG). Observer: Paul Baker (SOG).
25/11/00 - Hanningfield Reservoir: 4 Goldeneye, 2 Pintail, Coal Tit (heard), 9 Long-tailed Tit, 2 Black Swan, Goldcrest, 1 Sparrowhawk. The new Centre and hide is now open. The hide is well worth a visit for its commanding views. Web Author. Hockley Woods: 1 Nuthatch, 7 Goldcrest. Observer: Paul Baker (SOG).
28/11/00 - Two Tree Island: Pair of Red-breasted Merganser on lagoon right in front of hide swimming in the 10 inches of water. Also a Little Egret, Kingfisher and the Short-eared Owl flew over. Observer: Andrew Woodhouse Essex Ranger Service. Reported from yesterday were: juvenile Snow Bunting on the lagoon, a Peregrine on the farmland and a flock of around 20 Bar-tailed Godwit in the Creek. Canvey Seafront: 1 Black-throated Diver, 1 Red-throated Diver, approx 40 Kittiwake, 2 adult Mediterranean Gulls, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 2 Red-breasted Merganser and a Grey Wagtail nearby. Observer: Paul Baker (SOG).
29/11/00 - Gunners Park: 3 Goldcrest and a Green Woodpecker. Fleet Head: 1 Green Woodpecker, 8 Corn Buntings, 1 Green Sandpiper, 1 Little Egret, 1 Black-tailed Godwit, Wakering Tip looking over to Rushley Island: 1 ringtail Hen Harrier, and in Middle reach (creek which separates Potton from Rushley), 2 Red-necked Grebes, 58 Avocet. Southend Pier: 6 Mediterranean Gulls (2 adult, 4 1st winter) of which 2 of the 1st Winters were carrying green plastic leg rings which I was able to read through the scope. It is likely they were ringed as chicks in France - ring numbers were A00 and E02, 1 Guillemot on sea, 1 Razorbill flew East, 1 Red-throated Diver. Observer: Paul Baker (SOG).
30/11/00 - Two Tree Island: On the West side:- 3 Stonechats (2m+1f) 1 Short-eared Owl (Now being seen on a daily basis near its new roosting site). On the lagoon, 1 Little Egret, 1 Kingfisher utilising the commotion of 2 feeding Black Necked Grebes. The Short-eared Owl flew over the lagoon hotly pursued by Magpies. Nothing much on the East side except an all White duck (Not albino) with a bright orange bill along with a Mallard on Borrow Dyke and 2 Green Woodpeckers. Observer: Terry Strong. Also at Two Tree late afternoon: 4 Little Grebe, 1 Little Egret and Kingfisher. 10 Little Egrets on roost at dusk Observer: Andrew Woodhouse, Essex Ranger Service.