Please note that with most of Essex being put into Tier 4 from 20th Dec that sites still in Tier 2, including Abberton and Mersea, are not accessible to those outside the Tier 2 area.
The EBwS Bird News provides a summary of sightings for the past 14 days.
- Headline News highlights interesting birds categorised as locally scarce or where the EBwS requires full notes/descriptions
- Reports provides the full details of the sightings submitted to this website as well as other records e.g. from the East London Birders Forum
- Table provides the same information as Reports but in a tabular format
- Photos highlights the latest photos that have been uploaded to the website
Amber indicates a local or uncommon species, red indicates EBwS requires notes, bold red indicates EBwS requires a description.
Bird News - Report of Recent Sightings
Hatfield Peverel, 10:00 to 16:00, Cold, wet and miserable. Pouring down all day.
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Waltham Abbey, 09:00 to 13:00, Light rain (All sightings for Breach Barns arable field near greenhouses)
9 Red-legged Partridge, 12 Yellowhammer (Largest flock I’ve ever seen), 100 Starling (Mixed flock of Starling,Fieldfare,Redwing all approx figures), 75 Fieldfare (Mixed flock of Starling,Fieldfare,Redwing all approx figures), 50 Redwing (Mixed flock of Starling,Fieldfare,Redwing all approx figures), 2 Egyptian Goose
[Melvin Shepherd-Wells]
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Laindon, 08:30 to 10:30, Overcast, raining. Back garden.
1 Blackbird (Female.), 2 Blue Tit, 4 Great Tit, 5 Long-tailed Tit, 9 Chaffinch, 15 Greenfinch, 8 Goldfinch
[Andrew Cox]
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Stanford Warren, 12:00 to 13:00, Light rain
55 Coot (Fishing lake), 6 Mallard (Fishing lake), 1 Great Crested Grebe (Fishing lake), 2 Cormorant (On pylon by fishing lake), 5 Redwing, 1 Dunnock, 2 Great Tit, 4 Blue Tit, 5 Long-tailed Tit, 2 Blackbird, 3 Moorhen (Hassenbrooke River), 6 Goldfinch, 1 Chaffinch, 1 Kingfisher (Pond on the eastern edge of the reedbed south of the fishing lakes)
[Jamie Thornton]
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Langdon Hills NR EWT, 08:30 to 09:30, Misty, murky. Some light rain. Plotlands & Lincewood.
1 Green Woodpecker, 3 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 8 Redwing (At least.), 2 Song Thrush (At least.), 4 Goldcrest (At least.), 6 Long-tailed Tit
[Andrew Cox]
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Wivenhoe, 12:40 to 12:40
1 Merlin (low over field to the north of Keelar's quarry road)
[Keith Brooke]
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Witham, 12:00 to 12:00
1 Red Kite (Over town centre)
[David L Smith]
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Colchester, 11:00 to 12:10, Walk round High Woods
4 Rock Dove / Feral Pigeon, 40 Wood Pigeon, 6 Moorhen, 65 Black-headed Gull, 1 Common Gull, 4 Herring Gull, 4 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 3 Green Woodpecker, 1 Kestrel, 21 Magpie, 6 Carrion Crow, 2 Coal Tit, 17 Blue Tit, 4 Great Tit, 6 Long-tailed Tit, 1 Treecreeper, 1 Wren, 103 Redwing, 3 Robin, 10 Meadow Pipit
[Oliver Cottis]
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Witham, 10:00 to 10:00, Town Centre garden
1 Blackcap (Female), 2 Redwing
[David L Smith]
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Halstead, 09:00 to 13:00
12 Redpoll sp. (On Silver Birch tree behind house )
[Barbara Leport]
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Wivenhoe, 09:00 to 13:00
1 Firecrest (in Alresford Grange wood, singing a little)
[Richard Allen]
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Westley Heights, 08:15 to 09:00, Cloudy, some clear patches. Breezy, cool. Hall Wood only.
3 Green Woodpecker, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 3 Goldcrest (At least.), 1 Treecreeper (At least.), 1 Nuthatch
[Andrew Cox]
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Langdon Hills NR EWT, 08:00 to 08:15, Cloudy, some clear patches. Breezy, cool. Lincewood.
2 Green Woodpecker, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker (Both drumming.), 1 Goldcrest, 1 Nuthatch
[Andrew Cox]
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Little Baddow, 15:50 to 16:50, Cold, overcast
1 Nuthatch, 1 Green Woodpecker, 5 Meadow Pipit, 6 Lesser Redpoll (Flew overhead), 1 Kingfisher, 2 Teal, 12 Wren, 8 Long-tailed Tit, 2 Fieldfare, 4 Redwing, 1 Grey Heron, 20 Carrion Crow (+), 30 Rook (+), 5 Dunnock, 10 Moorhen (+), 7 Stock Dove, 15 Wood Pigeon (+), 7 Blue Tit (Also potential water vole. Recognisable plop into water from river bank. )
[David Pallash]
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Wormingford, Colchester, 15:30 to 16:00, Cloudy
33 Golden Plover (All sightings on north side of Wormingford airfield), 25 Lapwing, 30 Linnet, 50 Skylark, 30 Fieldfare, 5 Redwing, 1 Buzzard
[Steve Hallam]
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Doddinghurst, 15:30 to 15:45, Cold, dull, muddy
1 Green Woodpecker, 8 Yellowhammer (At least. Hedges in fields between Days Lane & Doddinghurst Rd. Pair in tree in garden on Days Lane. ), 1 Great Tit (Very vocal everywhere)
[Ian Swanson]
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Wivenhoe, 15:15 to 16:15, Calm, chilly
3 Fieldfare (Essex University grounds), 19 Lapwing (Arable field near University), 30 Red-legged Partridge (Arable fields near University), 22 Mallard (University lakes)
[Marsh Stitchman]
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Wivenhoe, 15:15 to 15:15, Fine and still
1 Greenshank (On the mud with redshank at bottom of Bath street)
[Graham Upton]
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Billericay, 15:00 to 16:15, Footpaths and roads west to Mountnessing Church
9 Robin, 6 Greenfinch, 14 Blackbird, 4 Redwing, 2 Kestrel, 26 Fieldfare, 3 Pied Wagtail, 1 Dunnock, 7 Blue Tit, 3 Great Tit, 1 Stock Dove, 37 Black-headed Gull, 1 Little Egret, 2 Green Woodpecker, 2 Chaffinch, 1 Cormorant, 2 Moorhen
[Simon Satchell]
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Fordham, 15:00 to 15:00, Cloudy
1 Bullfinch
[Steve Hallam]
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Wrabness, 14:00 to 14:55, Cold, cloudy, little wind, tide out
2 Great Crested Grebe, 3 Red-breasted Merganser, 8 Goldeneye, 17 Brent Goose (13 on flood by horse field), 8 Redwing, 1 Song Thrush
[Simon Banks]
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Langdon Hills NR EWT, 13:00 to 14:00, Cloudy and very cold
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Alresford, 12:19 to 12:19
2 Raven (@ Plumptons Farm, In Cattle field.)
[Darrell Stile]
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Writtle, 11:00 to 13:00, Overcast and cold. Selected highlights only.
4 Teal (Titchmarsh Reservoir), 1 Pintail (Drake still present on Writtle Duckpond.), 3 Green Woodpecker, 1 Little Egret (River Can)
[Andrew Allen]
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Brightlingsea, 10:00 to 10:00, Frozen, low temperatures, no sun
1 Curlew
[Susie Jenkins]
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Leez Reservoir, 09:00 to 13:00
20 Reed Bunting (feeding on set aside / game cover), 40 Yellowhammer (feeding on set aside / game cover)
[Neil Murphy]
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Laindon, 09:00 to 12:00, Overcast,frosy, cold. Back garden.
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker (Eating sunflower hearts.), 2 Collared Dove, 1 Dunnock, 1 Robin, 30 Redwing (At least. Mostly sitting in surrounding trees. At least the same number had flown over moments before.), 1 Fieldfare (Sitting in a tree overlooking garden, immediately behind.), 2 Blue Tit (Looks to be a pair.), 3 Great Tit, 9 Chaffinch (At least.), 17 Greenfinch (At least.), 11 Goldfinch (At least.)
[Andrew Cox]
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Hanningfield Reservoir, 09:00 to 10:30, Cold
1 Goosander, 1 Kingfisher, 15 Goldeneye, 1 Little Owl (IN USUAL OAK TREE NEAR BUTTSBURY CHURCH)
[Trevor Bufton]
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Limbourne Creek, Blackwater Estuary, 08:00 to 10:00, High tide, Frosty & overcast. Northey Island causeway - Mundon wash sluice/southey creek.
250 Dark-bellied Brent Goose, 200 Shelduck, 100 Pintail, 2 Rock Pipit (Mundon wash sluice), 1 Water Rail (calling from mundon wash), 1 Green Sandpiper (feeding in ditch), 200 Linnet (feeding between Limbourne creek & mundon road houses), 1 Marsh Harrier (m crossing southey creek), 1 Buzzard (resting on south tip of northey island & buzzed by harrier briefly)
[Tony Kennelly]
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Writtle Park, 16:00 to 16:00, cold, misty
1 Buzzard, 2 Raven (on telecoms mast west of park)
[John McLaughlin]
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Doddinghurst, 14:30 to 15:30, Cold, dull, foggy
1 Buzzard, 3 Ring-necked Parakeet (Flying along Brook Lane), 1 Green Woodpecker (Brook Lane), 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker ((Yesterday, Days Lane)), 1 Song Thrush (Garden), 1 Goldcrest (Wood between Dagwood & Days Lanes), 1 Coal Tit (Garden), 6 Long-tailed Tit (At least, Garden (yesterday)), 1 Treecreeper (Dagwood Lane wood, with Goldcrest), 2 Greenfinch (Garden), 1 Bullfinch (Male in hedge between Playing Field & Brook Lane )
[Ian Swanson]
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Langdon Hills NR EWT, 14:15 to 14:45, Overdast, murky. Cold. Plotlands.
4 Mute Swan (Flew off westwards. Lake mostly frozen.), 1 Grey Heron, 25 Mallard, 20 Black-headed Gull (At least.), 1 Green Woodpecker, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 10 Redwing (At least.), 1 Fieldfare, 7 Long-tailed Tit (At least.), 1 Kestrel
[Andrew Cox]
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Hatfield Peverel, 11:00 to 15:00, Dry, overcast, cold
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Wrabness, 10:50 to 12:10, Cold, little wind; mist over estuary plus low tide meant no birds visible on water.
83 Black-tailed Godwit (Feeding on half-frozen flood), 1 Raven (By lane between reserve and woodland burial site)
[Simon Banks]
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Great Oakley, 10:40 to 10:45, Cold fog frost -1 day
200 Fieldfare (In apple trees in stones green road), 50 Redwing (With fieldfares in apple trees)
[Kevin Tunnicliffe]
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Brightlingsea, 10:00 to 10:30, The tide was out the Brent Geese flew over along the creek. The Dunnock & Robin were on Mill Lane
12 Turnstone, 4 Bar-tailed Godwit, 1 Redshank, 26 Brent Goose, 1 Reed Bunting, 1 Dunnock, 2 Robin
[Susie Jenkins]
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Laindon, 09:00 to 12:00, Overcast. Cold. Back garden.
1 Robin, 1 Dunnock, 1 Blackcap (Male.), 2 Blue Tit, 2 Great Tit, 3 Long-tailed Tit, 1 House Sparrow, 1 Jay, 1 Stock Dove, 10 Chaffinch (At least.), 16 Greenfinch, 2 Goldfinch
[Andrew Cox]
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North Weald, 15:45 to 16:00, Crisp clear
39 Lapwing (In arable field Church lane near the cemetery ), 2 Mistle Thrush
[Melvin Shepherd-Wells]
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Wivenhoe, 15:00 to 16:00, short walk along Colne estuary
4 Little Grebe, 2 Great Crested Grebe, 2 Little Egret, 7 Shelduck, 20 Avocet, 1 Grey Plover, 30 Lapwing, 18 Dunlin, 20 Curlew, 5 Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Green Woodpecker (feeding on flooded meadow anthills), 3 Skylark, 5 Meadow Pipit, 1 Rock Pipit, 2 Stonechat, 20 Reed Bunting (at least in flock together over saltmarsh)
[Marsh Stitchman]
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Wivenhoe, 13:00 to 13:00
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Norsey Wood, Billericay, 11:30 to 13:00, Sunny
7 Siskin, 3 Coal Tit
[Jan Lewis]
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Hatfield Peverel, 10:00 to 16:00, Dry, part cloud
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Hanningfield Reservoir, 10:00 to 12:00, Cold Northerly Wind, Brightening up by Midday
4 Goosander (Feeding near to RAWL hide, but mobile), 10 Goldeneye (Small flock of males and females - quite mobile), 1 Great Northern Diver (Close to, in front of RAWL hide, preening and fishing), 20 Teal (Small flocks feeding in margins, easily flushed), 20 Wigeon, 20 Gadwall
[Ben Green]
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Tilbury, 10:00 to 11:00, Light west wind, broken cloud, LT
5 Shelduck (On foreshore in front of the fort), 5 Avocet (On foreshore in front of the fort), 2 Redshank (On foreshore in front of the fort), 52 Teal (On STW outfall), 3 Gadwall (On STW outfall), 8 Mallard (On STW outfall)
[Paul Larkin]
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Brightlingsea, 09:30 to 09:40, grey. cold
11 Skylark
[Susie Jenkins]
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Waltham Abbey, 09:00 to 13:00, Bright crisp & sunny... all sightings Breach Barns
1 Raven (Flew to Pylon), 1 Red Kite, 10 Red-legged Partridge, 1 Common Gull, 6 Fieldfare, 7 Redwing
[Melvin Shepherd-Wells]
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Langdon Hills NR EWT, 08:00 to 08:30, Cloudy. Lincewood.
1 Green Woodpecker, 3 Great Spotted Woodpecker (At least. Two drumming.), 1 Goldcrest (At least.), 1 Coal Tit (Heard calling.), 1 Nuthatch (Heard calling.)
[Andrew Cox]
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Thaxted, 14:15 to 14:30, Cloudy and still
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Stanford Warren, 11:45 to 12:45, Mostly cloudy
50 Coot (At least, fishing lake), 2 Moorhen (Fishing lake), 1 Mute Swan (Fishing lake), 2 Canada Goose (Fishing lake), 10 Tufted Duck (Fishing lake), 7 Mallard (5 on fishing lake, 2 on pond in reedbed south of the fishing lakes), 3 Cormorant (Fishing lake), 1 Great Crested Grebe (Fishing lake), 50 Fieldfare (At least), 1 Cetti's Warbler (Heard), 4 Blue Tit, 1 Great Tit, 1 Long-tailed Tit, 5 Goldfinch, 4 Chaffinch, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 3 Blackbird, 3 Magpie, 3 Robin
[Jamie Thornton]
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Langdon Hills NR EWT, 08:45 to 09:30, Cloudy, damp. Then starting to clear. Great Berry/Plotlands.
1 Green Woodpecker, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 12 Redwing (At least.), 13 Fieldfare (At least.), 5 Goldfinch (At least.)
[Andrew Cox]
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Mersea Island, 00:00 to 00:00
1 Bearded Tit (Strood channel DU), 2 Great Northern Diver (Victoria esplanade AF), 1 Eider (Off st Peter's beach DU), 1 Red-necked Grebe (Off monkey steps AF), 1 Red-breasted Merganser (Coast to monkey steps AF), 1 Purple Sandpiper (Off cudmore grove R brown)
[Stephen Entwistle]
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Abberton Reservoir, 14:45 to 16:00, Vile.
2 Great White Egret, 2 Smew (at last, a male and female off Layer Breton), 1 Scaup
[David Allen]
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Tilbury, 14:00 to 16:00, Strong NE wind, some rain, HT
105 Common Scoter (On the water in Gravesend Reach), 2 Kittiwake (Adult and first winter on the Thames), 1 Little Gull (Adult lingering on the Thames), 1 Mediterranean Gull (Adult on the Thames)
[Paul Larkin]
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Wivenhoe, 12:30 to 13:30, Wet, chilly, medium tide, rising
1 Curlew, 7 Black-tailed Godwit, 3 Redshank, 12 Grey Plover, 2 Ringed Plover, 7 Dunlin, 14 Teal, 3 Little Grebe, 26 Black-headed Gull, 1 Common Gull, 6 Herring Gull, 2 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 1 Meadow Pipit
[Marsh Stitchman]
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Hanningfield Reservoir, 11:45 to 12:00, Rain
1 Black-throated Diver (From Rawl Hide)
[Andrew Ducat]
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Great Notley, 11:00 to 11:00, Damp, overcast
1 Bullfinch (Male in bushes on footpath between Green and London Road)
[Paul Everett]
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Dovercourt, 10:48 to 11:35, Steady rain, cold wind - could be summer.
1 Cetti's Warbler (Singing from flooded pit by recycling centre), 1 Stonechat (Rough ground by pit), 1 Sanderling (Spit seaward of caravan park)
[Simon Banks]
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TL7205, 09:45 to 15:30, overcast NE winds with drizzle; observations except lunch break
1 Sparrowhawk, 32 Greenfinch, 4 Redwing, 2 Coal Tit (1 continental race - grey backed, more prominent wing bar and uniform underparts when compared to 1 British race; fed in conifers unlike British race that used feeders)
[Sean Gregory]
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Langdon Hills NR EWT, 09:45 to 10:15, Cloudy, breezy. Light rain. Plotlands.
1 Sparrowhawk (Female.), 2 Green Woodpecker (Both calling.), 4 Mute Swan (Usual family.), 1 Fieldfare (At least.), 12 Redwing (At least.), 1 Goldfinch
[Andrew Cox]
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WigboroWick Farm, St Osyth, 09:00 to 19:15
1 Tundra Bean Goose (With Greylags this morning)
[Clive Atkins]
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Boreham, 08:15 to 09:20, Boreham Patch Birding circuit-very muddy|; Cool NNE, force 2, rain showers later; good visibility
1 Jack Snipe (On edge of Boreham Meads; NFY and only 2nd recent record.), 5 Snipe (Boreham Meads), 32 Wigeon (Trifarm Pit), 2 Gadwall (First for 3 days), 6 Tufted Duck (5 MM), 1 Water Rail (Calling by bridge in ditch but not seen; also seen & heard 4th & 3rd January), 42 Goldfinch (On garden feeders (have added extra!!) currently highest winter count pm 4th), 22 Wood Pigeon (Under garden feeders, highest winter count pm 4th), 3 Stock Dove (2MM, 1F under garden feeders with first winter sighting on 1st Jan), 1 Blackcap (Male feeding on apples placed on apple tree pm 4th. 3rd winter sighting.), 12 Mute Swan (7 were immatures, flew west along the Chelmer 09.15), 1 Little Egret (Adult showing signs of breeding plumage on Trifarm Pit 1st and 2nd January. ), 125 Fieldfare (Flew high W along Chelmer on 3rd in several flocks; found just 2 this am ), 15 Skylark (Flew west along Chelmer am on 3rd; none seen today.), 72 Lapwing (On rapidly diminishing flood.), 5 Great Crested Grebe (On Trifarm Pit), 2 Lesser Black-backed Gull (2 graelsii adults in winter plumage briefly on flood 08.30. ), 2 Green Woodpecker (Around Trifarm Pit )
[Graham Ekins]
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Mersea Island, 00:00 to 00:00
3 Snow Bunting (Stone point (DU)), 90 Greylag Goose (Grazing fields park DU ), 1 Red-necked Grebe (Off kingsland road MC)
[Stephen Entwistle]
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Goldhanger, 15:30 to 16:00, Approaching HT. Cold E wind.
350 Dark-bellied Brent Goose (circa. On river.), 1 Little Egret (Playing field.), 6 Meadow Pipit (Sea wall.)
[Malcolm Corbett]
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Tilbury, 14:15 to 15:15, Strong NNE wind, rain, HT
1 Dunlin (On foreshore in front of the fort), 38 Redshank (On foreshore in front of the fort), 8 Shelduck (On foreshore in front of the fort), 22 Avocet (Just east of the P Stn site), 1 Kittiwake (1st winter up river)
[Paul Larkin]
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Hanningfield Reservoir, 11:00 to 12:30, Cold, windy, rain
1 Black-throated Diver (Juvenile showing well in front of RAWL hide. Also visible from Point Hide and distantly from causeway )
[James Hudson]
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Langford, near Maldon, 11:00 to 11:30, Overcast; all sightings on a flooded field behind the back garden
1 Buzzard (attempted to capture a lone black-headed gull on the water), 1 Green Sandpiper (feeding on flooded field)
[Stephen Shelley]
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Tiptree, 09:15 to 09:45, Drizzle.
30 Fieldfare (circa. On ploughed field adjacent to Tiptree Heath.), 1 Song Thrush (Tiptree Heath.)
[Malcolm Corbett]
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Mersea Island, 09:01 to 13:01, Seen by Dougal urquhart at maydays farm from seawall
1 Pale-bellied Brent Goose, 800 Dark-bellied Brent Goose, 1000 Golden Plover, 70 Grey Plover, 3 Marsh Harrier, 50 Dunlin, 1 Stonechat, 10 Fieldfare, 1000 Knot, 1 Red-breasted Merganser
[Stephen Entwistle]
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Highwood, Mill Green, 09:00 to 10:00, Cold and Dull.
10 Yellowhammer (Mixed Flock in trees next to my office. My local farmer has sown wild bird mix in the adjacent field and this has made a major difference this winter.), 6 Brambling (Mixed flock with Yellowhammers.), 1 Bullfinch (Male bird in hawthorn bush. )
[Matthew Davison]
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Langdon Hills NR EWT, 08:00 to 08:30, Overcast, breezy. Some light rain.
1 Sparrowhawk (Male.)
[Andrew Cox]
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Mersea Island, 00:00 to 00:00, Both sightings seen by Martin cock
1 Purple Sandpiper (Shingle/stoney spite looking east fron steps to stone point east Mersea. About 3hrs before high tide it slowly gets covered. The spite is covered about 1 1/2 hr before high tide. To late then.), 3 Snow Bunting (On end of stone point east Mersea )
[Stephen Entwistle]
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TL7608, 15:00 to 15:35, Cold, slight drizzle, overcast
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Copt Hall, Little Wigborough, 14:40 to 16:10, Occasional drizzle.
122 White-fronted Goose (flew in around 3.), 1 Pale-bellied Brent Goose, 480 Dark-bellied Brent Goose (all in same field with white fronts), 110 Golden Plover (same field by sea wall), 1 Long-tailed Duck (Salcott Channel), 50 Knot, 40 Grey Plover, 60 Dunlin, 23 Red-breasted Merganser, 2 Little Grebe, 1 Snipe, 2 Yellowhammer, 2 Reed Bunting, 1 Little Egret
[David Allen]
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Russell Green GPs, near Chelmsford, 14:15 to 14:45, Cold and dull
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Hamford Water, 13:00 to 15:30, mid, drizzle, grey not too windy
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Witham, 12:45 to 13:00, Town centre
1 Red Kite (Untagged adult)
[David L Smith]
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Mersea Island, 11:45 to 16:30
1 Purple Sandpiper (Stoney split 2 hours before high tide .near steps to stone point DU AF ), 4 Snow Bunting (Stone point DU ), 5 White-fronted Goose (Golf house flooded fields DU AF SE), 1 Red-necked Grebe (Victoria esplanade neil Murphy ), 13 Common Scoter (3 off park AF, 8 off west Mersea AF ,2 off Victoria esplanade DU ), 2 Eider (Victoria esplanade MC DU), 2 Great Northern Diver (Victoria esplanade MC DU), 2 Goldeneye (1pr off Victoria esplanade(none last year) DU), 1 Shag (Victoria esplanade MC), 7 Bar-tailed Godwit (2 of cobmarsh Island, 5 west Mersea AF), 7 Red-breasted Merganser (Off west Mersea AF)
[Stephen Entwistle]
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Woodham Walter, 11:30 to 13:00, Overcast
1 Lesser Spotted Woodpecker (TL79099 06679 Woodham Walter Common), 3 Nuthatch, 2 Treecreeper, 2 Coal Tit, 25 Redwing
[Jan Lewis]
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Hanningfield Reservoir, 11:00 to 12:00
1 Black-throated Diver (Showing well with Binoculars from RAWL Hide )
[Les Finn]
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Lawford, near Manningtree, 10:35 to 13:20, Cold; starting clear, but intermittent rain coming in from south. Tide halfway to fairly high
1 Barnacle Goose (With Canadas, upriver of A137), 2 Egyptian Goose (Flood between A137 and railway), 800 Black-tailed Godwit (Estimate), 2 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 1 Greenshank (Feeding just opposite footpath from main road to estuary upriver of Co-op Fiveways), 1000 Knot (Estimate), 120 Avocet (Accurate estimate), 5 Stock Dove, 500 Dunlin (Estimate), 200 Lapwing (Estimate: about half each side of A 137), 4 Ringed Plover, 6 Little Grebe, 5 Pintail
[Simon Banks]
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Layer Breton, 10:30 to 13:00
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Kelvedon Hatch, 10:30 to 10:30, clear and still
2 Raven (pair on BT mast, perched half way up), 1 Peregrine Falcon (also on BT mast. Flew around but got some but little response from Ravens. Maybe they live side by side comfortably out of the breeding season.)
[Andrew Stroud]
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Hanningfield Reservoir, 10:15 to 13:00
1 Black-throated Diver (From RAWL hide still)
[David Jobbins]
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Naze, The, 10:00 to 14:00, Cold, rain showers
1 Merlin (near Stone Point), 1 Short-eared Owl (on marsh north of Cormorant Creek), 1 Marsh Harrier (Horsey), 2 Red-breasted Merganser (Stone point), 200 Cormorant (+ Oakley beach)
[Martin Richards]
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Fingringhoe Wick NR EWT, 09:30 to 12:00, With Annette Adams (82 species seen) Selected highlights
2 Great White Egret (Geedon Saltings (Reserve tick ✔️)), 1 Water Rail, 21 Lesser Redpoll, 6 Bullfinch, 1 Peregrine Falcon (Female), 12 Red-breasted Merganser, 1000 Knot, 300 Avocet, 250 Fieldfare, 100 Redwing, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 2 Sparrowhawk, 4 Buzzard, 3 Marsh Harrier, 24 Corn Bunting, 2 Yellowhammer
[Steve Grimwade]
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Good Easter, 09:00 to 09:15
1 Peregrine Falcon (12th record locally since 2006 and first since 31/12/15), 45 Redwing (been in garden for a week demolishing Cotoneaster and Holly berries)
[Martin Henry]
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Langdon Hills NR EWT, 08:15 to 09:15, Cloudy, some clear patches. Chilly. Plotlands.
1 Kestrel, 1 Green Woodpecker, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 20 Redwing (At least. Scattered.), 50 Fieldfare (In trees around new centre area.), 6 Long-tailed Tit (At least.)
[Andrew Cox]
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Epping, 18:30 to 18:30, Cold, still, patchy cloud
50 Pied Wagtail ((no's easily in the region of 50). Roosting in the tree outside The Speak Easy bar on High Street)
[Graham Pentelow]
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Abberton Reservoir, 15:00 to 16:20, Chilly, light wind, Highlights only
1 Red-necked Grebe (Hide bay from Layer Church), 35 White-fronted Goose (Came in to roost at LBC just after dusk with Beans), 6 Tundra Bean Goose (in to roost with Whitefronts), 3 Goosander, 1 Great White Egret (LBC), 2 Grey Wagtail (1 each at LBC and LDLH), 1 Sparrowhawk (Chased by Crow at LBC)
[Marsh Stitchman]
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Writtle, 15:00 to 16:00, Becoming overcast. Only certain species recorded.
2 Wigeon (Pair on Titchmarsh Reservoir), 4 Grey Heron (Titchmarsh Reservoir)
[Andrew Allen]
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Wormingford, Colchester, 15:00 to 15:45, Cloudy, frosty, still
9 Golden Plover (In arable field on south side of airfield), 2 Raven (Flying east to west along northern side of airfield)
[Steve Hallam]
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Epping, 14:20 to 14:20, Bright, sunny spells
1 Red Kite (Drifted low over gardens, Crows Road)
[Graham Pentelow]
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Mersea Island, 13:00 to 16:00
1 Purple Sandpiper (Start of stone point stoney split near steps on rising tide.(seen by visiting birder)), 1 Black-throated Diver (Off cudmore grove country park. MT SE DCurle), 3 Great Northern Diver (1 off coopers. 2 off Victoria esplanade DU), 4 Snow Bunting (On stone point D curle + loads birders), 70 Fieldfare (Opp meeting lane DU), 12 Redwing (Off meeting lane DU), 200 Great Crested Grebe (Off boating lakes East Mersea DU), 1 Mediterranean Gull (Off boating lake DU), 45 Sanderling (Off waldegraves DU), 1 Kingfisher (Strood channel (JB)), 3 Slavonian Grebe (Off cudmore grove country park (green meadow)south west of carpark SEwest)
[Stephen Entwistle]
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Abberton Reservoir, 13:00 to 13:00, Very cold, sunny (14.00-15.00 visit)
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Holland Haven, 12:00 to 13:00, Still, high tide, quite chilly 4-5 C
2 Tundra Bean Goose (with Greylags), 7 Purple Sandpiper (On shore by outfall, very tame), 70 Wigeon (On sea), 3 Great Crested Grebe (On sea), 1 Redwing (no doubt more in area)
[Marsh Stitchman]
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East Mersea, 11:00 to 12:00, Dry, overcast and cold.
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East Mersea, 11:00 to 12:00, Cold and dry
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Old Hall Marshes NR RSPB, 10:00 to 15:45, Cold. Mostly cloudy but cloud cleared mid afternoon. Selected highlights, lots of wildfowl and waders
12 Little Grebe (Salcott Channel), 2 Great Northern Diver (One at mouth of Salcott Channel, one off West Mersea), 113 White-fronted Goose (flew over from NE towards the Blackwater 11:15 then returned midday and appeared to land between Salcott Channel and Wigborough), 7 Barnacle Goose, 2 Eider (Female type off tip of reserve), 1 Long-tailed Duck (further up Salcott Channel than recent reports), 16 Red-breasted Merganser, 3 Marsh Harrier (+), 1 Buzzard, 1 Peregrine Falcon, 1 Kestrel, 1 Greenshank (Heard), 2 Barn Owl (Hunting at far end, one 1:15 - 1:45, the other 1:30 - 1:45), 1 Water Pipit (On pools within reserve not too far from metal caged structure in Salcott Channel ), 11 Stonechat, 2 Cetti's Warbler (Heard), 24 Corn Bunting (+ birds arriving and may have been joined by more gathering to roost beside dyke adjacent to Salcott Channel towards west end)
[James Davidson]
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Tilbury, 10:00 to 11:00, Overcast, NW wind, rising tide
9 Gadwall (On STW outfall), 286 Teal (31 on STW outfall, 255 up towards Coalhouse Point), 11 Mallard (On STW outfall), 46 Avocet (Just E of the P Stn site)
[Paul Larkin]
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Mersea Island, 10:00 to 11:00
1 Red-necked Grebe (Now off kingsland road (monkey steps direction coast rd)), 2 Eider (Off kingsland road looked out to Nass post), 8 Red-breasted Merganser (Off kingsland road ), 1 Shag (On end off cobmarsh Island flew towards hard 0)
[Stephen Entwistle]
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Hanningfield Reservoir, 09:45 to 10:00, Still, cold, dull
1 Black-throated Diver (Easily viewable with binoculars directly in front of RAWL hide. Diving frequently.)
[Andrew Wilson]
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Epping, 09:15 to 09:15, Cloudy, fine
2 Ring-necked Parakeet (Flying SE across Kendal Avenue towards Station Road & tube station)
[Graham Pentelow]
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Horsey Wade, Hamford Water, 09:00 to 13:00, mid tide, misty
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Naze, The, 07:45 to 12:00, northerly wind, cold, overcast with light rain at first, rising tide
4 Redwing, 35 Blackbird, 7 Greenfinch, 3 Chinese Muntjac, 3 Song Thrush, 1 Sparrowhawk, 4 Goldcrest, 1 Marsh Harrier, 1 Fieldfare, 22 Chaffinch, 2 Rock Pipit, 6 Linnet (Stone Point ), 23 Skylark (Saltmarsh towards Stone Point )
[Brian Combes]
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Limbourne Creek, Blackwater Estuary, 07:45 to 09:45, Northey Island Causeway - Mundon Wash Sluice
1 Little Owl (in barn), 1 Sparrowhawk (in barn), 2 Kestrel, 1 Barn Owl (by causeway), 2 Marsh Harrier, 1 Buzzard (On Northey island), 1 Little Egret, 2 Rock Pipit (by sluice), 1 Green Sandpiper (In field south of southey creek), 1 Greenshank (Southey Creek), 1000 Starling (Flying over SW from Chigborough roost), 150 Linnet, 1 Kingfisher (For once flew away in short hops & from at a much closer distance than usual so nice long views but shame it was early on & so dark still.), 100 Dark-bellied Brent Goose, 200 Shelduck, 40 Fieldfare, 20 Redwing, 40 Magpie
[Tony Kennelly]
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Abberton Reservoir, 07:10 to 16:00
3 Cattle Egret (In roost and later seen in nearby fields (4 seen later)), 4 Great White Egret, 1 Scaup (Female), 4 Long-tailed Duck, 1 Smew (Redhead), 39 Goosander, 2 Red-necked Grebe, 5 Bewick's Swan, 1 Raven (Heard near Abberton Church), 6 Tundra Bean Goose, 30 White-fronted Goose, 1 Barnacle Goose, 2 Peregrine Falcon, 5 Marsh Harrier, 2 Sparrowhawk, 4 Buzzard, 5 Kestrel, 8 Egyptian Goose, 1 Chiffchaff, 4 Stonechat, 500 Fieldfare (300 on Nature Reserve and at least 200 east side Wigborough Bay), 3 Grey Wagtail, 2 Corn Bunting, 3 Yellowhammer, 3 Ruff, 80 Dunlin, 1 Green Sandpiper, 1 Kingfisher, 1 Black Swan
[Steve Grimwade]
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Birch Lake, 07:00 to 07:00
1 Tawny Owl (Flew across road)
[Steve Grimwade]
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