JANUARY 2025

As is customary, the first few days of the month saw local birders out in force keen to start their local year lists. In a repeat of 2024, the best New Year’s Day find was a first winter Caspian Gull at Hullbridge. The Velvet Scoter remained on the River Roach at Barling on the 1^st and 2^nd only, while nearby Paglesham Lagoon held five Goldeneye, a measly winter high count at their only regular site. Also on the 1^st nine Long-eared Owls remained at their winter roost site in the south and two Firecrest were in Hockley Woods. As expected, Wallasea Island received a good amount of coverage early in the month with a Black Brant and Pale-bellied Brent Goose both discovered lurking in the Brent Goose throng on the 1^st, along with six Barnacle Geese. A Merlin and two each of Hen Harrier and Short-eared Owl were noted there on the 2^nd and remained all month. The two Chinese Water Deer from last month also reappeared on the 2^nd and were seen sporadically throughout the winter. The 2^nd also saw a Kittiwake pass Gunners Park, a Great Northern Diver off Southend Pier and a month high of just nine Red-throated Divers off Canvey Point, while back on dry land a Brambling was a good find in the set aside at Paglesham Lagoon. The regular female Red-crested Pochard was at Shoebury Park on the 3^rd, before moving back to its usual location of Southchurch Park West. Wintering Water Pipits were represented during the first week of the month by singles at Bowers Marsh and West Canvey Marsh; another single at Vange Marsh on the 3^rd was joined by four more by the month’s end. Three Ruff at Bowers Marsh on the 3^rd were a decent winter count by recent standards and had increased to four by the 11^th. Also at Bowers Marsh on the 3^rd were 18 White-fronted Geese, while that evening six Woodcock were watched leaving their daytime roost at Canvey Wick. The 4^th saw an impressive count of 55 Corn Bunting at the Airport Business Park and the sole Jack Snipe of the winter could still be found at Vange Marsh. Six Ring-necked Parakeets were at their favoured haunt of Thorpe Hall Golf Club on the 5^th, while Red Kites passed over Ashingdon on the 4^th and Shopland on the 6^th. The female Merlin was present again at Bowers Marsh between the 7^th and 20^th and was probably responsible for sightings at nearby Vange Marsh and West Canvey during this time, while the only other record of this species away from Wallasea this winter was at Stambridge on the 8^th. A Goosander on Wallasea on the 7^th and a Red-breasted Merganser there the following day were presumably returning birds given their penchant for the same low tide saltwater pools as in previous years. The 7^th on Wallasea also saw the reappearance of the Dartford Warbler, where it remained until the 21^st, but could be extremely elusive. Another Dartford Warbler was a good find in Gunners Park on the 10^th, but was similarly elusive and was last seen on the 17^th. Two Hen Harriers were at Wakering on the 9^th, the same day two Great White Egrets were at Bowers Marsh, with the only other record this month from Wallasea on the 16^th. Two Woodcock were at Wat Tyler Country Park on the 10^th and 11^th, with a raucous Alexandrine Parakeet adding some exoticism to the proceedings at Gunners Park on the latter date. The following day two Firecrests could still be found at Shoebury, a Long-eared Owl was seen in the south and a Short-eared Owl was hunting Bowers Marsh at dusk. After dark at Bowers Marsh on the 12^th provided the biggest surprise of the month when, courtesy of a thermal imager, a Bittern was found roosting in a large bramble bush! It was conceivably the same as the bird at the end of October 2024 and was seen again the following evening, but not subsequently. Also on the 13^th at Bowers Marsh a Red Kite flew over, and 37 Barnacle Geese came into roost; their number had increased to 50 by the 29^th and several were bearing white neck collars from the North Yorkshire feral population. A pair of Mandarin Ducks added a splash of colour to a private woodland pond near Daws Heath between the 14^th and 18^th and were the first local record for six years. Redpolls were recorded at three sites between the 12^th and 26^th, including four at Pound Wood on the 16^th. Nearby at Tile Wood the two Firecrest could still be found in the extensive holly clumps, while the 16^th also saw a Woodcock in Priory Park and a Spoonbill on Wallasea. The Great Northern Diver was present again off Southend Pier on the 16^th and 17^th. The wandering Black Brant turned up again at Wallasea on the 19^th, where two Short-eared Owls could also still be found. The White-fronted Goose flock at Bowers Marsh had dwindled to five by the 29^th, when the first two Ravens of the year flew over. Also on the 29^th the Goosander and Red-breasted Merganser were still keeping company on Wallasea, and the month was seen out with two Short-eared Owls at Lower Raypits.

FEBRUARY 2025

The beginning of the month saw an apparent influx of Short-eared Owls with six at Fleet Head on the 1^st and quartets on Wallasea on the 2^nd and Lower Raypits on the 5^th. Also at Fleet Head on the 1^st were a Black Brant, four Great White Egrets and a Spoonbill while over on Wallasea the Goosander and Merlin were both present, where at least three Hen Harriers remained all month. Finally on the 1^st Vange Marsh played host to three Water Pipits and a Jack Snipe, which was present until the 6^th only, and the wandering Merlin which put in a brief appearance. A Firecrest could still be found in Hockley Woods on the 2^nd, the same day a Hen Harrier began a 16 day stay on Vange Wick. Away from Wallasea the roving male Hen Harrier popped up at Lower Raypits on the 5^th and Wakering Stairs on the 9^th. Seven White-fronted Geese on Blue House Farm on the 4^th to the 6^th were viewable with patience from South Fambridge. Two Ravens cronked their way over Rayleigh on the 5^th with a single over West Canvey Marsh the following day, but the most unlikely sighting of the month concerned a migrant Long-eared Owl which was photographed on a Southend seafront pub roof on the 6^th. A Merlin was at Paglesham Lagoon on the 9^th along with just three Goldeneye; the last Goldeneye of the winter was seen there on the 16^th. Three Gannets and two Kittiwakes were the highlight of a seawatching session at Canvey Point on the 10^th, in what was the poorest first winter period out in the estuary for many years. The Ring-necked Parakeet flock at Thorpe Hall Golf Club had increased to nine by the 11^th, and away from this favoured site singles were seen this month at Shoebury East Beach and Rayleigh. Scanning of the Brent Goose flocks at Fleet Head on the 15^th revealed the presence of two Black Brants and a Pale-bellied Brent Goose, the same day a large set aside field on the north side of Hockley revealed three Yellowhammers, 200 Linnets, 150 Chaffinches and 75 Corn Buntings. The 16^th was a busy day, with a visit to Southend Pier producing a Shag, two Great Northern Divers and a winter high count of just ten Red-throated Divers, while along the coast the first three Common Scoters of the year were present off Wakering Stairs. A Woodcock was also flushed there, while two Redpoll were at nearby Wakering Common. Two Siskin passed over Rochford Golf Course, with single Red Kites doing likewise at Stambridge and Daws Heath. The wintering Water Pipit at West Canvey Marsh was last seen on the 17^th with the final report from Vange four days later. New Short-eared Owls appeared at South Fambridge from the 17^th to 26^th and on Two Tree Island on the 19^th. A Red-breasted Merganser took up station off Shoebury East Beach between the 19^th and 22^nd and nine White-fronted Geese visited Wallasea between the 20^th to 22^nd. Common Sandpiper is a scarce winterer locally, so one at Wat Tyler Country Park on the 21^st was well received; other wintering waders during this period comprised six Spotted Redshanks, eight Greenshanks and five Green Sandpipers, while wintering warblers included 13 Blackcaps, all at garden feeders, and 10 Chiffchaffs. The 22^nd saw single Woodcocks at Hawkwell and Canvey Wick, and a pair of Long-eared Owls on territory at a site in the south. The first butterfly of the year, predictably a Red Admiral, was on the wing in Hockley on the 24^th while the following day a record breaking group of five Ravens overflew Wallasea Island. Garden feeders on the 25^th played host to a Hawfinch in Thundersley and a Brambling in Canewdon. Bowers Marsh on the 27^th was the place to be for anser aficionados with 24 White-fronted Geese and 64 Barnacle Geese vying for grazing rights amongst the resident Canadas and Greylags.

MARCH 2025

The month opened with the regular Red-crested Pochard back at its favoured location of Southchurch Park West after having bounced around the other parks in the south east of the area for the previous two months. Also on the 1^st two Hen Harriers could still be found patrolling Wallasea Island, with the male regularly seen all month. Two Firecrests were still in Hockley Woods between the 1^st and 6^th, with a Brambling recorded twice there during the same period. Short-eared Owls were present at three sites on the 2^nd, with Lower Raypits and Wallasea hosting three or four birds all month. Also at Lower Raypits on the 2^nd was a flock of 90 Corn Buntings which contained an impressive nine Yellowhammers, and the first of 22 Red Kite sightings this month was made from South Fambridge. Two Great White Egrets were at Bowers Marsh on the 2^nd with three or four others in the Wallasea / Potton / Fleet Head area during the month. White-fronted Geese were seen for the final time on the 3^rd with 21 at Bowers Marsh, while the following day Barnacle Goose numbers peaked at 66; by the 9^th only a single bird remained. Four Black-necked Grebes returned to their traditional site of Bowers Marsh on the 5^th, but only two remained all month. Singles of Spoonbill and Raven were at Bowers Marsh on the 6^th, with the same combination duplicated on Wallasea two days later. A Woodcock was seen at Wat Tyler C.P. on the 7^th, while nearby the last of the winter roosting Long-eared Owls was present. Three Siskins passed over Gunners Park on the 8^th, and the first Little Ringed Plover of the year arrived at Lower Raypits the following day. The 13^th saw a Common Sandpiper in Benfleet Creek and a mightily impressive sight of 160 Corn Buntings at Lower Raypits which had attracted the unwanted attention of a Merlin. On the 15^th a Gannet and Red-throated Diver, the last of a dreadful winter for seabirds, passed Southend Pier. Also on the 15^th a single Woodcock was at West Canvey Marsh, with two at Wakering Stairs the following day, while the 17^th produced a Common Scoter on the River Roach at Wallasea and two Siskins on a garden feeder in Canewdon. Early spring migration was now in full swing, starting with a Crane which flew over Wallasea on the 21^st; this presumably also accounts for the belated report of one photographed on Potton Island ‘in late March’. While regular in autumn, Tree Pipit is a rare spring visitor so two present briefly at Bowers Marsh on the 23^rd were a nice surprise. A Black Redstart on the 23^rd was typical in timing, but at the highly unusual location of the end of Southend Pier, but one on Wallasea the same day was more normal in both regards. Two separate pairs of Ravens, at Wallasea and Wakering Stairs, were presumably part of the quintet from last month. The first Yellow Wagtail of the year was present on Wallasea on the 25^th and showed some characteristics suggestive of the iberiae form ‘Spanish Wagtail’, while the four White Wagtails also present there were more classic in appearance, and the Chinese Water Deer were seen again. The first two Emperor Moths of the year were attracted to lure in Rochford on the 26^th, the same day two Bramblings were present in a Canewdon garden on the 26^th with one present the following day. As they moved off to cooler climes the first summer migrants began to trickle in with the first Swallow at Shoebury East Beach on the 26^th, followed by three Sand Martins over Ashingdon and a Wheatear at Lower Raypits on the 29^th. A Merlin was at Lower Raypits on the 29^th, the same day a pair of Black-necked Grebes returned to a site in the south where they remained all spring. Four Little Ringed Plovers were now present at Lower Raypits on the 30^th, and the month was seen out by an influx of Red Kites with nine well distributed sightings on the 30^th and 31^st; while some duplication cannot be discounted, a late March movement certainly ties in with previous years. The butterfly count rose to six with the addition of Small Tortoiseshell and Small White.

APRIL 2025

Two Spoonbills were still at Bowers Marsh on the 1^st, the same day Ravens flew over Wat Tyler C.P. and South Fambridge. An early Nightingale was in song at Canvey Wick on the 2^nd and heralded the start of the return of the common summer passerines over the following fortnight, albeit in low numbers due to the persistent north easterly wind. As a reminder winter wasn’t quite over, a White-fronted Goose dropped into Lower Raypits on the 4th, with a Short-eared Owl there the same day and another on Wallasea. The male Hen Harrier was also seen on Wallasea on the 4^th, with a ringtail at West Canvey Marsh three days later. Five Redpoll flew over Benfleet on the 5^th, with three Siskins over Wakering Stairs the following day. The 6^th also saw the first of 11 sightings of Red Kite during the month. Bowers Marsh on the 9^th held three each of Spoonbill and Black-necked Grebe, with the first Grasshopper Warbler of the year there two days later. A Black Redstart in a Westcliff garden on the 10^th was a nice find, with the fourth and final bird of a good spring for this species on Wallasea on the 15^th. In the meantime, a Long-eared Owl was seen in the south on the 11^th and 12^th with another site nearby holding two pairs. Two Red-breasted Mergansers were on the sea off Gunners Park on the 11^th, with a Siskin over Hadleigh Downs on the 11^th and two more over Wakering Stairs on the 13^th. A Wheatear in Gunners Park on the 12^th was the first of just six this month. There continued to be plenty of Raven sightings in the Wallasea / Fleet Head area, with four on Wallasea on the 15^th. A Grasshopper Warbler was a brief visitor to Two Tree Island on the 16^th, with two Red-breasted Mergansers on Wallasea the same day. Just one bird was present on the 17^th, when an Osprey and the male Hen Harrier were both seen there, but the highlight of the day was the two Cranes which flew over mid-afternoon before apparently spending the evening at Layer Marney. Interestingly a single Crane was seen flying south over Fleet Head on the 18^th, the same day the first Hobby of the year flew over Canvey Wick. Any skua in spring is a rare treat, so a Great Skua past Gunners Park on the 18^th was well received; five Sandwich Terns and six Arctic Terns also passed by. Also on the 18^th a Glossy Ibis which flew from Rochford Golf Course was a big surprise, but less so the two Short-eared Owls still present on Wallasea the following day. A further Short-eared Owl could still be found scouring the rough grassland at Lower Raypits between the 22^nd and 26^th. An Arctic Skua and 28 Arctic Terns flew past Canvey Point on the 23^rd, the same day the first Turtle Dove of the year pitched down in the unlikely location of Shoebury East Beach. Yellowhammers are becoming an increasingly scarce sight, so reports of duos at three sites towards the end of the month was encouraging. Just a single Great White Egret continued to tour the Bowers / West Canvey Marshes area, and an impressive 20 Nightingales were reported to be in song at Canvey Wick on the 27^th. There was a small pulse of Grasshopper Warblers on the 27^th and 28^th with single birds at Wakering Stairs and Benfleet Creek, and two at West Canvey Marsh. The latter site was the place to be on the 28^th when a Garganey and a Curlew Sandpiper, a very good spring record, were both present before a pair of Black-winged Stilts dropped in early afternoon. As is their wont they were typically very mobile, being seen at Vange Marsh on the evening of the 28^th, Bowers Marsh the following morning before returning to West Canvey Marsh where they were present on and off until the 30^th before disappearing. The warm weather towards the end of the month saw the first odonata on the wing on the 27^th, as well as Green Hairstreak, Wall Brown and two early Brown Argus bringing the 2025 butterfly count to a healthy 17.