Bird & Wildlife Watching

Nightingales are a symbol of Spring.  They arrive back in this country in the second half of April and for a few short weeks their song can be heard long after dusk when other birds have fallen silent.

Yet, like too many of our songbirds, their numbers have fallen.  According to the RSPB nightingale numbers have declined by 90% in the last 50 years.  Keats’s “immortal bird” is in danger of disappearing.

That is why we are lucky in Essex to have a site where nightingales are thriving: the Essex Wildlife Trust centre at Fingringhoe on the Colne estuary.

When the Bird and Wildlife group went there earlier in April one of the group heard a nightingale that had literally just arrived from Africa.  Nearly two weeks later when I went there on one of the Trust’s guided walks we heard, according to our guide’s estimate, about eighteen birds singing.  At one point we listened to two birds trying to outdo one another in their effort to attract a mate.  Their stereophonic sparring was unforgettable. You can listen to the nightingale here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NK2_bcQcoD4

It was a fascinating experience wandering around the reserve after dusk, watching the light fade over the water and listening to the nightingales.

It’s probably too late this year to go to Fingringhoe to hear this special symbol of Spring but next year – go if you can.

Frances Harris

Member of Bird and Wildlife Group

On a chilly but sunny morning 16 members met in the Visitors Centre and enjoyed a hot drink while watching the birds on the feeders which included a number of Great Tits, Blue Tits and Chaffinch and a few fortunate members spotted a Bullfinch.

We were hoping to see and hear Nightingales which usually arrive at Fingringhoe around mid-April but the staff in the centre told us that none had yet been seen but one was heard the day before near to the Nightingale Hide.  Walking down to the Hide very little bird song was heard and few birds were seen.  So we then proceeded to the Intertidal area and Hide and on the way 3 Yellowhammers were spotted, also Shelduck, Skylark and Brent Geese.  From the hide we could see a number of Shelducks, Curlews, Magpies and Oyster Catchers.  A flock of Brent Geese flew in and some members saw a Buzzard in the far trees and two smaller birds of prey which we thought were Sparrowhawks.

From the Kingfisher Hide we spotted Pochard, Linnet, Mallard, Tufted Duck, Little Grebe, Little Egret and a Mute Swan on its nest,  and in the woods walking back to the Centre a few members heard a Nightingale, Cetti’s Warbler and Green Woodpecker; and Chiffchaff, Blue Tit and Robin were seen.

Back at the Centre a Great Spotted Woodpecker was seen on the feeder.

Driving out of the Reserve three of us stopped at the gravel pits where Sand Martins breed every year and were told that they had been arriving over the past few days; we spotted a few flying above the pits.  Sand Martins are summer visitors to Britain and Ireland and they appear in Spring in order to breed.  They tunnel into the sand of vertical gravel pit faces to nest between March and September and are fully protected by the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.

A very enjoyable day.

Birds: Pheasant, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Chaffinch, Coot, Bullfinch, Moorhen, Black-headed Gull, Greylag, Shelduck, Yellowhammer, Skylark, Curlew, Godwit, Mallard, Brent Geese, Cormorant, Buzzard, Sparrowhawk, Oyster Catcher, Magpie, Mute Swan, Pochard, Linnet, Mallard, Tufted Duck, Little Grebe, Little Egret, Chiffchaff, Swallow, Robin, Sparrow, Pied Wagtail, Nightingale (heard), Swallow, Grey Partridge, Dunnock, Blue Tit, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Green Woodpecker (heard), Jay, Sand Martin, Rook, Carrion Crow, Cetti’s Warbler (heard), Goldfinch, Wren, Teal.

Butterflies: Peacock, Brimstone

Wild Flowers: Alexanders, Blackthorn, Bluebell, Bugle, Cherry Plum, Daffodil, Daisy, Dandelion, Field Horsetail, Germander Speedwell, Goat Willow, Gorse, Greater Stitchwort, Green Alkanet, Lesser Celandine, Red Dead Nettle, Sticky Storksbill

Other:  Rabbit, Seven-spot Ladybird, Molehill

Joy Deacon

Next meeting:  Wat Tyler Country Park and Pitsea Marshes – Meet in Wat Tyler Car Park at 10 a.m.  

This was one of our lowest turnouts with just 6 members attending (although one did make the effort but got the location wrong) – the poor turnout was not due to the lack of interest but caused by Storm Gareth that brought strong westerly winds with gusts of up to 50 mph.  At times we feared being blown off the seawall (in fact occasionally we did have to hold onto each other to prevent this happening); the wind also meant our binoculars were buffeted and the use of telescopes would have been quite impossible

Meeting in the tearoom some enjoyed coffee and toasted teacakes and then we headed to the lakes so as to avoid a headwind on the seawall.   The water in the canal was rough with some of the waves having white crests; the lake likewise.  Sensibly the bird life was keeping protected from the blasts by sheltering in the lee of the islands and banks.  When we reached the point where we climbed onto the seawall we had become a split group.  Three had gone to look for a lone soul who had wandered off with his camera and two had hunkered down to try to identify the myriad of birds on the exposed mud that had, for the most part, also hunkered down.  In spite of these it was a surprisingly long list of sightings.

One bird we heard and briefly saw we later identified as a Cetti’s Warbler.  We are used to hearing sudden, explosive outburst but today it was slightly different.  Later, at home, a member went onto the BTO’s website and listened to many recordings of this warbler and she and I both agreed it was most likely a Cetti’s Warbler.  Some interesting facts on the website say of this little bird ‘that it is unique amongst British birds in having only 10 tail feathers’ (I can’t find out how many is normal but I am sure someone reading this will let me know) and unusual also in ‘laying bright red eggs’ – there is always something new to learn.

We had planned to go on to Chigborough Lakes but we had tired of the wind and dark clouds threatened, so we cut the outing short.  Despite the poor conditions we all enjoyed the day.

Birds: Robin, Cetti’s Warbler, Wood Pigeon, Collared Dove, Magpie, Golden Plover, Redshank, Oystercatcher, Moorhen, Coot, Black-tailed Godwit, Teal, Wigeon, Mallard, Tufted Duck, Shelduck, Brent Geese, Little Egret, Cormorant, Black-headed & Lesser Black-backed Gulls

Flowers: Gorse, Wild Violet, Cherry Plum, Blackthorn.

Next Meeting: Wednesday April 10^th – Fingringhoe Wick Reserve meet 10.00 in the Visitor Centre

Diane Caulkett

Arriving at the car park a Kestrel was seen hovering. It was a bright but cold morning and 12 members met in the warmth of the Visitors Centre and enjoyed a hot drink.

On the way to the first hide we heard and watched Skylarks. The Skylark is a small brown bird renowned for its display flight and song. Also, birds on the feeders included Bluetit, Goldfinch, and Great Tit. From the first hide we saw a large number of Wigeon Teal, Tufted Duck and Mallard.

On the way to the next hide we spotted two Egyptian Geese, and from the hide we were fortunate to see a Black-necked Grebe (a first for the Group), also Black Swan, Mute Swan, Greylags, Canada Geese, Black-tailed Godwit, Teal and Wigeon.

At the third hide there were a very large number of Coots, Goosander, Shoveller, Gadwall, Goldeneye, Great-crested Grebe, Little Grebe and some of the above mentioned. Outside the hide and on the way back to the Visitors Centre we watched small birds in the trees including Linnet and Wren.

After having our lunch we saw on the sightings-board that Scaup and Long-tailed Duck had been seen on the Layer de la Haye Causeway. We managed to spot the Scaup but, unfortunately, the Long-tailed Duck eluded us, which was a disappointment as some of us had never seen one.

At the Layer Breton Causeway we were delighted to see (with the aid of a telescope) several male and female Smews at the far end of the Reservoir. These are beautiful ducks and in winter the male, in particular, is stunning and one of the most attractive ducks. Also, we were very pleased to see a number of Pochards which we seem to be seeing less and less in recent years and we are told that Pochards migrating to the UK has declined by 60% since the 1980s.

There were also a large number of Cormorants in the trees; every spring since 1981 Cormorants have nested in the trees around the Reservoir. This is an unusual sight and is one of the few places in Britain where they do this.
Altogether 49 species of bird were seen which I think could be a record for the group and we all agreed that it had been a very good day.

Birds: Skylark, Goldfinch, Chaffinch, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Sparrow, Starling, Robin, Wren, Linnet, Pied Wagtail, Reed Bunting, Magpie, Crow, Jackdaw, Wood Pigeon, Pheasant, Kestrel, Marsh Harrier, Gadwall, Teal, Wigeon, Shoveler, Tufted Duck, Goldeneye, Smew, Mallard, Pintail, Pochard, Shelduck, Goosander, Scaup, Great-crested Grebe, Little Grebe, Black-necked Grebe, Coot, Moorhen, Lapwing, Redshank, Black-tailed Godwit, Mute Swan, Black Swan, Egyptian Goose, Greylag Goose, Canada Goose, Grey Heron, Cormorant, Black-headed Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull.

Flowers: Gorse

Next meeting: 13 March 2019 – Heybridge Basin and Chigborough Lakes.

Joy Deacon

What can be a better start to the New Year than a day in the sunshine with a group of cheerful friends?  It was the day of our New Year lunch, preceded by two hours bird watching.  Eleven of us gathered at Madison Heights, Maldon where, on arriving, I found them enjoying café lattes and cappuccinos.  We left the warm and went out into the bright, cold day and, taking a footpath that led between the new housing and farmland, we reached the track leading to Northey Island.

The first delight of the day was a field where over 100 Lapwing were feeding – on closer inspection through binoculars and telescopes, we realised that in the middle of the group were an even greater number of Golden Plover.  When the birds rose up it was the Lapwings that, in their somewhat untidy fashion, landed first and shortly after the Golden Plover once more settled in their midst.  Also in the field were three Egyptian Geese, a Little Egret and a pair of Pheasants.  With the bright sun low on our right it was perfect for viewing the waders on the exposed mud of the River Blackwater.  The tide was slowly making but the whole extent of the causeway to Northey Island was visible.  We didn’t cross over (just in case!) but spent a long time viewing the numerous birds and were pleased to see Avocet (100), Dunlin in equally large numbers and other waders including Curlew and Godwit and ducks of varying types.

The cold got the better of us and we moved on along the seawall towards the Promenade Park.  There was nothing on the lake beside the seawall but the pleasure on this stretch was the chatter of Brent Geese as they flew low overhead (where’s the camera when you want it?)  It was our intention to walk back via the park waterfront but we were drawn to a newly built lookout (part of the Saltmarsh Project) and climbed the steps where we read the informative notices and enjoyed the view – a perfect spot for a G&T on a summer’s evening – bring your own chair.

Our time had run out, so we went directly back to Henry’s Steakhouse where three more members joined us.  The carvery was excellent and the other dishes, I am told, were good too.  Over lunch we formulated a plan for the forthcoming season.

This day will be hard to beat but I’m sure, weather permitting, February’s outing to Abberton Reservoir will not disappoint.

Birds: Sparrow, Wood Pigeon, Robin, Magpie, Pheasant, Crow, Dunnock, Golden Plover (150), Avocet (100), Dunlin (100), Lapwing (100), Redshank, Curlew, Black-tailed Godwit, Teal, Wigeon, Pochard, Shelduck, Brent Geese, Canada Geese, Egyptian Geese, Ringed Plover Little Egret.

Flowers: Groundsel, Yarrow, Red Deadnettle.

Diane Caulkett

Seventeen members met in the Visitors Centre at Hanningfield Reservoir.  The weather was once again very kind to us; the sun was shining and it was a lovely morning to be out.

We enjoyed a cup of coffee in the Visitors Centre which looks out over the Reservoir.  On the Reservoir we could see a large number of Tufted Ducks, Mallard and Canada Geese.  On and around the feeders we spotted Blue Tit, Great Tit, Wood Pigeon and a Grey Squirrel

From the first hide we could see a large number of Tufted Ducks and Canada Geese and among them we spotted Wigeon, Shoveler, Gadwall, Goldeneye, Little Grebe, Greylag, Egyptian Geese and a number of Cormorant on a raft at the far side of the Reservoir.  We were also delighted to see two male and one female Goosander, and one of our members was told by staff in the Visitors Centre that this was the first time in 30 years that Goosanders had been seen on Hanningfield Reservoir.

Walking to the next hide we spotted a lone bird sitting on a branch of a tree and had some difficulty identifying it.  After a lot of discussion, and ruling other species out, we agreed it must be a Fieldfare although some of the markings were not typical of a Fieldfare.  Also  Fieldfares are usually seen in large flocks and it is very rare to see just one.

Also spotted in the woodland were Great Spotted Woodpecker, Robin and Blackbird.

On our way back to the Visitors Centre we were delighted to see Goldcrests flying from tree to tree.  Goldcrests are Britain’s smallest bird and Hanningfield Reservoir is one of the places we go to where you are almost certain to see them.

After leaving the Centre four members stopped on the Causeway and were very fortunate to see two Bean Geese; also a solitary Goldeneye, five male and one female Goosander and a large number of Lapwing and Teal.  Also in a field near the Reservoir two members saw Pink-footed Geese.

Altogether a very productive and enjoyable morning.

Birds: Blackbird, Robin, Goldcrest, Fieldfare, Blue, Great & Long Tailed Tits, Crow, Magpie, Wood Pigeon, Great Spotted Woodpecker,  Mallard, Teal, Wigeon, Shoveler, Tufted Duck, Gadwall, Goldeneye, Goosander, Mute Swan, Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe, Pink-footed, Egyptian, Canada, Greylag & Bean Geese, Grey Heron, Little Egret, Redshank, Lapwing, Cormorant, Black-headed, Lesser Black-backed Gulls.

 Other: Grey Squirrel

 Next Meeting:  9 January 2019 – Maldon and Christmas lunch – details to follow

Joy Deacon