Bird Reports for November 2001
26/11/01
Two Tree Island 14:00: 1 Short-eared Owl. Andrew Woodhouse, Essex Ranger Service.
25/11/01
Wakering Stairs, Haven Point: 10:27: 7 Little Egret, 1 female Hen Harrier, 1 male Stonechat. Web Author.
Wakering Stairs 1415-1545: 2 Reed Bunting, Stonechat, Little Egret, 2 Kestrel, 1 male Hen Harrier, 1 female Hen Harrier. Steve Hiscock.
Two Tree Island: High Water 07.45hrs 4.6m, overcast, wind light SW, observations 14.30 - 16.40hrs when tide was out: Seen in Hadleigh Ray area from concrete launching ramp on South side of TTI 14.30 - 15.50hrs. Cormorant, Brent Goose, Shelduck, Teal, Oystercatcher, Ringed Plover, Grey Plover, Golden Plover ca 80 roosting on Canvey side of Hadleigh Ray: Lapwing, Knot, Turnstone, Dunlin, Redshank, Black-tailed Godwit, Curlew. Eastern half of TTI in EWT area 15.50 -16.40hrs Little Egret 11, Fieldfare 2. Martin Johnson.
East Tilbury: 2 Little Egrets, 2+ Little Stints with thousands of Dunlins, male Brambling with highly-mobile Chaffinch flock. Up to 300 Avocet. David Jobbins.
Wat Tyler Country Park: immature male Marsh Harrier, Peregrine, Sparrowhawk, Merlin, Green Sandpiper, Snipe, Black-tailed Godwit. David Jobbins.
24/11/01
Hadleigh Marshes 11:00 to 12:00: 2 Water Rail (Calling), 2 Common Snipe, 2 Stonechat. Andrew Woodhouse, Essex Ranger Service.
Two Tree Island High Water 06.23hrs 4.6m, wind light W, light overcast, Obsns 08.30 - 10.50hrs: Cormorant 8, in & beside Hadleigh Ray, Brent Goose ca 500 (485, counted from Belton Way East 08.30 - 08.40hrs feeding on eel grass beds to E, SE & S of saltings), Shelduck 26, on mudflats to SE of TTI and in Benfleet Creek, Mallard 7, 10.40hrs western lagoon of TTI, Wigeon ca 20 to S of TTI saltings, Teal ca 180, (08.40hrs 30 in Leigh Creek to ENE of old sewage farm, 10.45hrs 150 on lagoon at western end of TTI), Oystercatcher, Golden Plover (ca 500 resting in flocks on mudbanks on Canvey side of Hadleigh Ray/Benfleet Creek, Grey Plover, Lapwing, Knot, Dunlin, Redshank, Black-tailed Godwit ca 50, Curlew, Snipe 5, Black-headed Gull, Common Gull, Herring Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull (L.f. graellsii), Great Black-backed Gull. Martin Johnson.
23/11/01
Westcliff Seafront 09:00: 1 adult Ring-billed Gull, 2 Mediterranean Gull (1st winter & 2nd winter). Paul Griggs (SOG).
20/11/01
Canvey Seafront 11:00 to 13:00: 1 Great Northern Diver (On river between Point and Pier), 5 Red-throatedDiver (3 of which were very close in fishing and showing well), 2 CommonGuillemot, 9 Black Scoter, 1 Mediterranean Gull (adult winter), 3 GreatCrested Grebe. Paul Baker. (SOG).
19/11/01
Two Tree Island 16:00 - 16:45: 1 Short-eared Owl, 8 Little Egret. Andrew Woodhouse, Essex Ranger Service.
18/11/01
Two Tree Island: 1 Short-eared Owl Brian Baldock (SOG). Also: 30 Black-tailed Godwit, 1 Common Snipe, 10 Little Egret, 450 Golden Plover, 4 Stonechat (2 pairs, including a very pale adult male - previously thought to be a "Siberian" Stonechat.), 2 Great Crested Grebe, 400 Brent Goose, 2 Green Woodpecker. Paul Griggs, Steve Arlow, Don Petrie (SOG).
17/11/01
Westcliff Seafront: Adult Ring Billed Gull, 2 Mediterranean Gulls. (per SOG).
Shoebury East Beach: 3 Little Egret, 7 Great Crested Grebe. John Wright (SOG).
Barling Marsh / River Roach: 72 Mute Swan, 10 Little Egret, 25 Great Crested Grebe, 2 Goldeneye, 1 female Red-breasted Merganser, 1 Kingfisher. John Wright (SOG).
Ashurst Avenue, Southend: Great Spotted Woodpecker in garden. First I've seen in this garden in 16 years. Terry Amies.
16/11/01
Southend Pier. 4 Mediterranean Gulls inc. A00 and E02, 1 Kittiwake, 2 Red-throated Divers, 1 Rock Pipit, 20+ Turnstones. Joy Park.
Shoebury East Beach 15:30 (as tide was dropping): small area of exposed mud was carpeted with 1000's of waders - Oystercatchers, Dunlin, Redshank, a few Spotted Redshank, Bar-tailed Godwit, Knot, Curlew, Turnstone. All rapidly dispersed as they followed the tide out, even though they were constantly being joined by more birds. Joy Park.
Wat Tyler Country Park 14:30: 2 Little Egret. Robin Guppy.
15/11/01
Heybridge Basin: Little Auk off Heybridge Basin this morning. Russell Neave.
Hanningfield Reservoir: 5 immature Shag, female Smew, female Scaup, female Red-breasted Merganser. No sign of Velvet Scoter by afternoon. John Atfield.
Trimley Marshes: Snowy Owl reported still present.
14/11/01
Southend Pier 10:00 - 13:00: 1 Little Auk, 2 Guillemot, 9 Red-throated Diver, 11 Mediterranean Gulls (3 ad, 5 2ndW, 3 1stW), 24 Common Scoter, 7 Great Crested Grebe, 6 Eider. Harry Carmichael (SOG). Plus there was a pager report of 2 Little Auks, 3 Little Egret, 7 Common Scoter off Canvey Point.
13/11/01
Battlesbridge Area: 2 Little Egrets on the mud flats between Battlesbridge and Sth Woodham. Jacky Joyner.
East Tilbury: 4 Brambling (3f/1m) with 50+ Chaffinch west of fort. Vince Kinsler (SOG).
Wat Tyler Country Park: 3 Green Sandpiper, 1 Black-tailed Godwit,1 Sparrowhawk. Vince Kinsler (SOG).
Hadleigh Castle area: 13 Curlew, Sandpit hill half a mile west of Hadleigh Castle feeding on the grass 11.30 - 12.10. Roger Shinn.
Hanningfield Reservoir: 3 drake Velvet Scoter still reported.
12/11/01
Trimley Marshes: Snowy Owl still present today. Come off A14 at Trimley villages. Head eastwards towards Trimley St Mary and after a mile, turn right (south) for the railway station on the aptly named Station Road. Go past railway station and over railway line and continue to end of road and Searson's Farm. Park sensibly here. Then you have a 2 mile walk down to the viewing point. Look for a wooden platform on your left which overlooks all of the reserve. At the back of this, climb over a metal fence onto the seawall itself. Best thing to do, considering the light direction, is to head towards the estuary and walk a further 600 yards or so. Then you should be within 100-200 yards of the bird, which tends now to roost out in a gravel area west of the main docks area. Nick Green EBWS.
11/11/01
Wakering Stairs: 1 1st year Snow Bunting, 2 pairs of Stonechat, Vince Kinsler (SOG).
East Tilbury: Little Egret, 4 Little Stints (8 reported), Turnstone, 5 Black-tailed Godwit, Golden Plover. Paul Wood had 2 Peregrines
and up to 3 Bramblings with Chaffinch flock. Also 2 Red-throated Diver up river. Also a Grey Seal. David Jobbins.
10/11/01
Wakering Stairs 14:00 - 17:00: 7 Little Egret, 50+ Golden Plover, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Barn Owl, 3 Stonechat, 3 1st winter female Snow Bunting. Harry Carmichael, Steve Giles, Web Author.
Southend Pier 08.30 - 10.15: 25 Common Scoter, 1 Red-throated Diver, 6 Mediterranean Gulls: 3 adults, 1 2ndW, 2 1stW. John Wright (SOG).
Fleet Head, Wakering: 3 Little Egret, 9 Ruff, pair of Stonechat. John Wright (SOG).
Hadleigh Country Park: 2 Redpoll. Andrew Woodhouse, Essex Ranger Service.
East Tilbury: 2 Brambling with Chaffinch flock S of Coalhouse Fort; 160 Avocets; ring-tailed Hen Harrier over from Kent; Guillemot on the river. David Jobbins.
Bluehouse Farm Area: 6 Twite on seawall, Yellowhammer, Stonechat, female Sparrowhawk. Large numbers of Wigeon, Pintail and Brent Geese. Also 3 Golden Plover. Also a fox and 3 Sika Deer. No sign of Spoonbill reported in area. Marco Johnston.
Hanningfield Reservoir 10.00: 3 Velvet Scoter, male Pintail, Goldeneye, three pairs Shoveler, Goldcrest. j. Bronze. Also: 3 Velvet Scoter, 1 Pintail, 2 Avocet, Goldeneye, 1 Goosander and 1 Snipe, Shoveler, Teal, Wigeon. David Doo.
Abberton Reservoir 09:30: Grey Phalarope reported east of Layer-de-la-Haye causeway. Also Great Northern Diver, Black-necked Grebe and Snow Bunting.
09/11/01
Trimley Marshes: Snowy Owl is reported as viewable from Trimley Marshes SWT at 60 yards range on ground at top of embankment.
07/11/01
For information: Steve Arlow of SOG reported on a Mediterranean Gull with a yellow ring of 31P on the Pier in September, we now have a part of its history which is as follows:
31P yellow left
London EP10680
Copt Point, Folkestone, England, 5105N 0112E 22/02/2001
observed on same place by Raymond Henson on 23-28/2/2001, 05/03/2001
observed at Frinton-on-sea, Essex, GB on 2/4/2001 by Elizabeth Huxley
06/11/01
Hanningfield Reservoir: 3 Velvet Scoter reported.
05/11/01
Hanningfield Reservoir 10:15: 3 Velvet Scoter, Goldeneye. Web Author.
Shoebury East Beach 15:30: 6 Mediterranean Gull on boom, 1 male Red-breasted Merganser, 5 Common Scoter, 6 Great Crested Grebe, Sanderling, Common Ringed Plover, Turnstone, 11 Fieldfare seen to roost in bushes by entrance road. Web Author.
Victoria Avenue: Male Peregrine (hotly pursued by pre-roosting starlings) flew south along Victoria Avenue, Southend, heading towards the estuary at 4pm. John Wright (SOG).
Southend Pier: 11 Mediterranean Gulls ( five 1stWinters, four Adult Winters and two 2nd Winters). 2 of the adults are the German IAO1553 and Czech EX35054 Praha while the two 2nd Winters are A00 & E02. Non of the 1st Winters were rung. Also present was an Adult Kittiwake with another out in the river and a Rock Pipit. Steve Arlow (SOG).
Friars Park Shoebury: Firecrest reported.
East Tilbury: 260+ Avocets, Mediterranean Gull, Peregrine, Merlin and Little Egret, plus two Brent Geese high downriver. The Peregrine had apparently disappeared over to Kent and was on its return when I saw it at about 12.55. It had flushed the Avocet flock off the water and was stooping at it. David Jobbins.
03/11/01
Hanningfield Reservoir: 3 Velvet Scoter at this morning viewed from Rawl hide between 10am and 11am. Also good numbers of Teal, Wigeon. A number of Shoveler and 3 Goldeneye. David Doo.
Butts Hill Pond, Canewdon: Kingfisher (first for five years). Jeff Delve.
Westcliff Seafront opposite Rossi's: ad Ring-billed Gull and 3+ adult Mediterranean Gulls.
Shoebury East Beach: Adult Mediterranean Gull, 7 Little Egrets. John Wright (SOG).
Wakering Stairs: 8 Little Egrets, Guillemot, Red-throated Diver, Great Crested Grebes, Eider, Ringtail Hen Harrier, Sparrowhawk, 2 Green Sandpipers, Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 pairs of Stonechats. Steve Arlow, John Wright (SOG).
Two Tree Island (East): 12 Little Egrets roosted and 12 Egrets flew across the estuary towards North Kent. To watch the egrets coming in to roost without disturbing them stand on the very eastern end of the island by the metal gate and only leave when it is completely dark. In this way the birds aren't disturbed when you walk back along the track south of the roost. John Wright (SOG).
The Fleet, Wakering: 2 Green Sandpipers, 24 Ruff, 1 Snipe, 2 Rock Pipits and a pair of Stonechats. At Fleet Head and at Shoebury East Beach there was a Herring Gull with a white wing tag on the right wing with the AH7 on it. Steve Arlow (SOG).