We have been asked on numerous occasions when we are out in the field where to see a particular bird in Essex. Below you will find a list of individual birds and the places that you will have a good chance of seeing them. We have not included rarities or one-off sightings but have compiled the list from our own members sightings. The locations mentioned are where we felt that you would have a better than 50% chance of seeing the species listed.
| Please note that we can offer personal guided tours of the best birding spots in the Southend area at the time of your choosing, please click here. |
Red-throated Diver - From Southend Pier, best times are November to February.
Black-throated Diver - Occasionally from Southend Pier November to February.
Great Northern Diver - Occasionally from Southend Pier, best times are November to February.
Little Grebe - Wat Tyler Country Park
Great Crested Grebe - Wat Tyler Country Park or Wakering Ponds behind the Star Lane Brickworks and Southend Pier, November to February.
Cormorant - Abberton or Hanningfield Reservoirs.
Bittern - Rye Marsh RSPB reserve in winter or Fishers Green (Just outside Essex, but we felt that it was important enough for inclusion).
Little Egret - Paglesham Lagoons, in the heronry. Off of Wakering Stairs from Haven Point and Two Tree Island, anywhere towards the marsh areas.
Grey Heron - Wakering Stairs and The Fleet.
Spoonbill - Old Hall Marsh has attracted a Spoonbill for the last two years from May to June.
Greylag Goose - Has bred at Wat Tyler Country Park.
Barnacle Goose - Abberton and Hanningfield Reservoirs in winter.
Brent Goose - Huge concentrations at Old Hall Marsh RSPB reserve, Havengore Island and Two Tree Island.
Shelduck - Anywhere on the River Crouch and from Wakering Stairs
Pintail - Seen for the last two years on the small ponds around The Fleet.
Red-crested Pochard - resident at Hanningfield Reservoir.
Scaup - Paglesham Lagoons in winter and Southend Pier, best times are November to February.
Eider - Out to sea from Gunners Park or Wakering Stairs also could be close in to the pier in winter.
Common Scoter - Out to sea from Gunners Park or Wakering Stairs also could be close in to the pier in winter.
Red-breasted Merganser - River Roach and Crouch in winter.
Goosander - Blue House Farm on the River Crouch early spring.
Marsh Harrier - From the Potton Island bridge towards Havengore Island and also Old Hall Marsh (possibly Wat Tyler).
Hen Harrier - From the Potton Island bridge towards Havengore Island and also Old Hall Marsh mainly in Winter.
Common Buzzard - Has been observed above trees north of Abberton Reservoir. Possible breeding pairs near Brightlingsea.
Hobby - Gunners Park and Wat Tyler Country Park in May - August.
Peregrine Falcon - Wat Tyler Country Park and Wakering Stairs, Haven Point area in winter.
Red-legged Partridge - Oxenham Farm Great Wakering and Wakering Stairs in the fields.
Grey Partridge - Wakering Stairs in the fields.
Water Rail - Two Tree Island EWT reserve in winter and Wakering Stairs.
Oystercatcher - Sizeable flock always from Wakering Stairs.
Avocet - Two Tree Island (breeding), Old Hall Marsh (60 in early June 2000) and The Fleet. 600+ were counted wintering from Coalhouse Fort, East Tilbury.
Golden Plover - Two Tree Island, Benfleet Lagoons.
Grey Plover - Two Tree Island, Benfleet Lagoons.
Lapwing - The Fleet.
Knot - Huge flocks off of Wakering Stairs every winter.
Dunlin - Huge flocks off of Wakering Stairs every winter.
Black-tailed Godwit - Wakering Stairs every winter.
Bar-tailed Godwit - Wakering Stairs every winter.
Curlew - Wakering Stairs every winter.
Whimbrel - Regular migrant at Wakering Stairs and Two Tree Island Spring and Autumn.
Snipe - Hanningfield Reservoir.
Ruff - Sizeable flocks at Abberton Reservoir in the Autumn.
Pomarine Skua - Regularly sighted from Canvey Point and Coalhouse Fort, East Tilbury following ships up the Thames.
Mediterranean Gull - Common on Southend Pier roost in winter.
Little Tern - Havengore Island and Old Hall Marsh RSPB reserve.
Sandwich Tern - Abberton and Hanningfield Reservoirs on Autumn migration.
Common Tern - Southend Seafront, Southend Pier and Wakering Stairs. Breeding at Old Hall Marsh RSPB reserve and Abberton Reservoir.
Arctic Tern - From Southend Pier in late Summer and Autumn .
Black Tern - Abberton Reservoir in Spring and Autumn on migration.
Little Auk - Southend Pier in Winter, especially after storms.
Guillemot - Southend Pier in Winter, especially after storms.
Turtle Dove - Wakering Stairs, ponds behind Star Lane Brickworks, Wakering and Wat Tyler Country Park.
Cuckoo - Barling Gravel Pits and Wakering Stairs.
Long-eared Owl - The Fleet in winter.
Short-eared Owl - Two Tree Island and Wakering Stairs in winter.
Barn Owl - Wakering Stairs and alongside River Crouch.
Little Owl - Wakering Stairs and alongside River Crouch.
Kingfisher - The Fleet in winter and Barling Gravel Pits in Summer.
Green Woodpecker - Hadleigh Country Park.
Great Spotted Woodpecker - Hadleigh Country Park.
Lesser Spotted Woodpecker - Hadleigh Country Park, early Spring before the trees have their leaves is best.
Rock Pipit - Rock Pipits were always seen on Two-Tree Island, around the slipway, on the shore just below the sea-wall in the winter months between the mid-seventies and the late nineties. Confirmation is needed that this is still the case.
Yellow Wagtail - The Fleet.
Nightingale - Fingringhoe Wick from late April through to the end of May.
Wheatear - Gunners Park EWT reserve on Spring and Autumn migration. Also at Haven Point on Wakering Stairs Mid August.
Whinchat - Wakering Stairs and Two Tree Island.
Stonechat - Two Tree Island in the early Spring and Summer.
Redwing - The Fleet and Edwards Hall Park.
Fieldfare - The Fleet and Edwards Hall Park.
Ring Ouzel - Has been seen in Gunners Park and Barling Gravel Pits on migration in early Spring.
Lesser Whitethroat - Gunners Park and Wakering Stairs in early Spring and Summer.
Sedge Warbler - Two Tree Island and Barling Gravel Pits in early Spring and Summer.
Grasshopper Warbler - Wat Tyler Country Park in early Spring and Summer.
Cetti's Warbler - Friars Park, Shoebury and around ponds at the back of Star Lane Brickworks in Spring.
Reed Warbler - Wat Tyler Country Park and Star Lane Brickworks, Wakering in Spring.
Goldcrest - In pine trees at Edwards Hall Park, late Summer.
Firecrest - Friars Park, Shoebury and Gunners Park on migration
Spotted Flycatcher - Gunners Park, Summer.
Coal Tit - Norsey Woods, Billericay.
Long-tailed Tit - Wakering Stairs, Gunners Park and Wat Tyler Country Park.
Bearded Tit (Reedling) - Have bred in Wat Tyler Country Park in 1999 and 2000.
Nuthatch - Belfairs and Hockley woods.
Jay - Hadleigh Country Park and Belfairs woods.
Linnet - Gunners Park Spring and Summer.
Redpoll - Hockley Woods
Hawfinch - Sighted in Hockley Woods in 1999 and we are awaiting confirmation for 2000.
Snow Bunting - Blue House farm and Wakering Stairs on Autumn migration.
Yellowhammer - First set of bushes past security checkpoint on Wakering Stairs every Summer.
Corn Bunting - sizeable flock on The Fleet in Autumn.
Click here for details of the best places to see birds in the local area.
*All images on this page appear courtesy of the RSPB image library: http://www.rspb-images.com
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