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.
Layer Breton, 09:30 to 11:00, Dry, windy, cloudy
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Alresford, 09:00 to 13:00
Cuckoo, 6 Bar-tailed Godwit, 10 Dunlin
[Richard Allen]
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Thorndon CP (South), 08:05 to 09:05, Cloudy, breezy, cool.
Buzzard, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker (Adult in flight plus active nest.), 2 Whitethroat (Singing males.), 2 Goldcrest (Singing males.), 2 Treecreeper (Singing males.), 5 Chaffinch (Pair with at least three young.), Yellowhammer (Singing male. Car park hedge.)
[Andrew Cox]
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Russell Green GPs, near Chelmsford, 07:30 to 07:30, Overcast and drizzle
Turtle Dove (On wires & ground near height barrier. From double metal gate opposite monument )
[Brian Bolton]
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Westley Heights, 10:45 to 13:15, Cloudy, mild. Then lightbrain.
2 Swift, 2 Buzzard (Pair with nest.), 6 Great Spotted Woodpecker (At least.), 9 Nuthatch (At least. Adult feeding young in first Hall Wood nest; 2nd adult calling nearby. At least one adult feeding young in the second Hall Wood nest. Pair feeding young in nordic walkers bench nest. At least four birds near car park copse included adult feeding fledged young. No activity at nest hole. No activity at Coombe Wood nest hole.), 3 Treecreeper (Singing males.), 3 Goldfinch (At least.)
[Andrew Cox]
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Ingrebourne Valley, 09:50 to 12:30, cloudy with light rain around noon
4 Shelduck, 2 Shoveler (drakes), 2 Gadwall (pair), 10 Swift, 2 Cuckoo (M+F both heard), 3 Stock Dove, Red Kite, 3 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Green Woodpecker, Kestrel, 20 Ring-necked Parakeet, Swallow, 20 House Martin, 5 Cetti's Warbler (+), 3 Willow Warbler (singing), 5 Reed Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat, 5 Whitethroat, 2 Chaffinch, Greenfinch
[Ben Mapp]
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Mersea Island, 09:00 to 18:00, MC Martin Cock, DU= Dougal Urquhart
15 Swift (Strood channel DU ), 2 Cuckoo (Strood channel DU ), 3 Avocet (Strood channel DU ), 3 Grey Plover (Off cudmore Grove area AF), 4 Ringed Plover (Off east mersea AF), 6 Whimbrel (1 off east Mersea AF, 5 along Strood channel DU ), 8 Curlew (Off east Mersea AF ), 4 Turnstone (Off cudmore Grove area AF ), Knot (Still on stone point AF), 2 Common Tern (Strood channel DU ), 5 Sedge Warbler (2 cudmore Grove area AF, 3 males Strood channel DU ), 3 Reed Warbler (Male Strood channel DU ), 3 Yellow Wagtail (Strood channel DU ), Corn Bunting (Strood channel DU )
[Stephen Entwistle]
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Wrabness, 14:30 to 15:30, Fine
Cuckoo (Seen roosting at same position as last week and photographed. Although I know where to find this bird I have not heard it call and Ive not been able to confirm if it’s a M or F)
[Peter Brittain]
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Langdon Hills NR EWT, 12:00 to 13:00, Sunny, warm. Plotlands.
Swallow, 2 Grey Wagtail (Female feeding fledged young.)
[Andrew Cox]
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Wrabness, 11:00 to 14:30, Warm and sunny
2 Pheasant (Two males fighting ), 2 Turtle Dove, Grey Heron, 5 Little Egret, 2 Jay, 4 Sand Martin, 2 Swallow, 2 House Martin, Chiffchaff, 9 Whitethroat, 2 Nightingale (One singing in car park but hidden), 4 Dunnock, 5 Goldfinch
[Richard Salenius ]
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Great Totham, 09:15 to 09:15, Sunny, warm.
Little Owl (In usual Oak tree, Church Road.)
[Malcolm Corbett]
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Thurrock Thameside Nature Park (EWT), 09:00 to 13:15, Fine and sunny, E breeze, falling tide
2 Canada Goose (Golden Gates), 3 Greylag Goose (Golden Gates), 2 Egyptian Goose (Golden Gates), 50 Shelduck (Mucking Flats), 2 Gadwall (Pair on the pit to the south of the tip), 7 Pochard (Four, three drakes, on the pit to the south of the tip, the rest, including two drakes, Golden Gates), 2 Cuckoo (Pair), 6 Moorhen (Two on the pit to the south of the tip,the rest Golden Gates), 25 Coot (Eight on the pit to the south of the tip, the rest Golden Gates), 6 Little Grebe (On the pit to the south of the tip), 5 Great Crested Grebe (Two on the pit to the south of the tip, the rest Golden Gates), 2 Oystercatcher (Mucking Flats), 13 Curlew (Mucking Flats), Sparrowhawk (Golden Gates), Red Kite (Over south), 5 Cetti's Warbler (Mainly Golden Gates. Plus a recently fledged young there.), 3 Chiffchaff (Golden Gates), 6 Stonechat (Pairs near the VC, at the west end of the approach road, and by the railway line), Corn Bunting (In song on the VC approach road), 28 Tufted Duck (Two, one drake, on the pit to the south of the tip, the rest, including 14 drakes, Golden Gates)
[Paul Larkin]
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Ashdon, 09:00 to 10:30, Sunny
Barn Owl, 5 Swallow, Goldfinch
[Phil Harling ]
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Manningtree, 08:00 to 16:00, River Stour to Flatford and return - highlights
3 Cuckoo (+ Heard), 2 Marsh Harrier, Red Kite, 6 Buzzard (+), 2 Kestrel, 3 Hobby, Nightingale (Heard), Bullfinch (Female)
[David L Smith]
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Langdon Hills NR EWT, 07:15 to 08:15, Sunny, warm.
2 Black-headed Gull, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Green Woodpecker, Lesser Whitethroat (Singing male.), 11 Whitethroat (Pair with at least three young close to visitor centre. Six other singing males.)
[Andrew Cox]
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Stanford Warren, 07:00 to 08:00, Fine and sunny, E breeze, falling tide
3 Canada Goose (In Stanford Creek), Pochard (Drake), 2 Cuckoo (Pair), Buzzard, 7 Cetti's Warbler, 2 Chiffchaff, 2 Tufted Duck (Pair)
[Paul Larkin]
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Frinton-on-Sea, 05:30 to 09:00, W1 becoming SE by 0800, high cloud, v hazy. Selected totals, movement to north unless stated
627 Dark-bellied Brent Goose (18 flocks heading east and away, all prior to 0630 (folloiwng 363 and 244 over the past two days)), 18 Common Scoter, Red-rumped Swallow (Single north over the Greensward at 0834)
[Paul Brayshaw]
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Mersea Island, 09:00 to 13:00, Seen by Dougal Urquhart
Cuckoo (Golf house area ), 7 Avocet (Golf house saltings pools ), 20 Sanderling (Some in full summer plumage ), 6 Common Tern (Off golf house, / stone point )
[Stephen Entwistle]
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Colchester, 20:30 to 20:45
12 Swift (Over breeding site)
[Graham Barber ]
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Wrabness, 16:30 to 17:30, Warm, clear; EWT reserve
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Great Totham, 16:30 to 17:15, Sunny, warm, light W wind.
Cuckoo (Calling. Totham Pit area.), 2 Green Woodpecker (Scrub adj. Totham Pit.), 2 Swallow (Pair, Gt. Totham Hall), Nightingale (Singing. Hall Road adj. Totham Pit.)
[Malcolm Corbett]
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Old Hall Marshes NR RSPB, 14:15 to 16:15, Warm (20C), sunny, high tide. Sightings with David. Highlights
7 Mute Swan (Adult with 6 cygnets), 2 Cuckoo (1 seen and heard; 1 just heard), 20 Avocet (Some with chicks), 20 Lapwing (Some with chicks), 2 Grey Heron (Flying together), Great White Egret, Little Egret, 2 Marsh Harrier, Barn Owl (Flying in field by car park), Kestrel, Blackcap, Whitethroat
[Winifred Simmonds]
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Frinton-on-Sea, 13:00 to 14:00
Mediterranean Gull (Full summer adult west end on seafront SE), 2 House Martin (House Martins & swallows flying around toilets west (tennis club end. SE)
[Stephen Entwistle]
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Mersea Island, 12:00 to 17:00, Seen by MC = Martin Cock
36 Swift (Strood fields DU), 5 Cuckoo (3 ray Island, 2 firs chase caravan park DU), 2 Sandwich Tern (Flyover stone point MC), 8 Little Tern (Seen off east Mersea stone point MC), 3 Sedge Warbler (Strood channel DU ), 3 Reed Warbler (Strood channel DU ), Nightingale (Singing on ray Island heard from Strood channel mersea DU), 2 Yellow Wagtail (Along Strood channel DU ), Corn Bunting (Strood channel DU ), 3 Reed Bunting (Strood channel DU )
[Stephen Entwistle]
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Fingringhoe Wick NR EWT, 11:30 to 17:00, High tide c15:20 (also 4+ Green Hairstreak and 1 Painted Lady)
2 Dark-bellied Brent Goose, Barnacle Goose, 2 Swift, Cuckoo (1 male seen and at least 2 others heard), 9 Grey Plover, Little Ringed Plover (Furneaux Lane), 4 Curlew (+), 4 Knot, 6 Dunlin, 2 Redshank, Mediterranean Gull (Heard only), Marsh Harrier, Red Kite, 6 Buzzard (+), 3 Kestrel, 50 Sand Martin (+ Furneaux Lane), 10 Swallow (+), Cetti's Warbler (Heard only ), Garden Warbler (1 male seen and at least 3 others heard), Lesser Whitethroat (Heard only), 2 Song Thrush (+), 8 Nightingale (+ singing males), Bullfinch (Heard only)
[David L Smith]
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Coggeshall, 11:00 to 12:30, Overcast before sun came out
Swift, Cuckoo (Heard, not seen), 12 House Martin, 6 House Sparrow, Greenfinch (Heard, not seen)
[Nico Devereaux]
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TL4803, 10:30 to 10:45, Sunny
Firecrest (Singing away, moved south of Epping Ongar Railway in to Green Acres Burial Ground.)
[Thomas Simon]
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Naze, The, 06:00 to 09:00, overcast with showers, warm, southerly wind; 21 species in song
2 Cuckoo (1 singing ), 4 Mediterranean Gull, Sparrowhawk, Barn Owl (Quartering the common first thing - first for a while), 5 Sand Martin, 4 Cetti's Warbler (Singing, 1 on the common, 1 sycamore clump, 2 John Weston Reserve ), 2 Willow Warbler, 7 Chiffchaff (Singing ), 4 Sedge Warbler (Singing), 5 Reed Warbler (Singing ), 7 Blackcap (Singing ), 2 Lesser Whitethroat (Singing ), 11 Whitethroat (Singing ), 3 Song Thrush (Singing ), Spotted Flycatcher (NE corner of common ), Wheatear (On the common )
[Brian Combes]
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Beeleigh, 15:00 to 15:15, Sunny with a warm breeze.
Nightingale (Nightingale see moving between low hedges and calling. )
[Michael Lane]
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Wrabness, 13:45 to 16:30, Sunny. High Tide
Cuckoo (Male), 3 Turtle Dove, 2 Buzzard, 2 Green Woodpecker, Jay, 3 Whitethroat
[Peter Brittain]
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Chignall St James, 10:30 to 11:30, Warm, gentle breeze
2 Lapwing, Sparrowhawk, 3 Buzzard, Kingfisher, 3 Chiffchaff (Heard), Whitethroat (Heard), Wheatear, Yellowhammer
[Stuart Anderson]
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Billericay, 10:00 to 10:15, Cloudless blue sky
2 Swift (Hawking insects high over the town)
[John Smart]
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Mersea Island, 09:00 to 13:00
Cuckoo (Martins west Mersea garden MC), 2 Sparrowhawk (Cudmore Grove pond hide SE ), Cetti's Warbler (Cudmore Grove pond hide SE ), 2 Blackcap (2 singing cudmore Grove pond hide SE, nearby 10+ azures damselflies. )
[Stephen Entwistle]
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Russell Green GPs, near Chelmsford, 07:30 to 08:00, Sunny and warm
5 Egyptian Goose (2 adults & 3 surviving youngsters ), 2 Oystercatcher (2 adults 2 chicks on island), 16 Common Tern (Probably more ), 2 Chiffchaff, 2 Blackcap, Lesser Whitethroat (Singing close to monument ), Whitethroat
[Brian Bolton]
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Naze, The, 06:30 to 10:30, warm, clear, southerly wind, rising tide; 21 species in song
Cuckoo (Singing), 5 Cetti's Warbler (Singing, 1 on the common, 1 sycamore clump, 3 John Weston Reserve ), 5 Chiffchaff (Singing ), 2 Sedge Warbler (Singing ), Reed Warbler (Singing ), 4 Blackcap (Singing ), 3 Lesser Whitethroat (Singing ), 21 Whitethroat (Singing), 3 Song Thrush (Singing), Spotted Flycatcher (South of John Weston Reserve ), Wheatear
[Brian Combes]
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Great Notley, 21:00 to 21:00, Fading light, fine and dry, warm
5 Swift (Possibly more. Low pass over village. No sign at usual nesting site. )
[Paul Everett]
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Coggeshall, 17:30 to 18:45, Partly Cloudy, Only Highlights!!!
13 Swift (Around Graveyard.), Swallow (Seems to be hanging around near Graveyard.), House Martin (Above Graveyard.), Chiffchaff (Only heard.)
[Zane Sargent ]
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Kelvedon Hatch, 09:00 to 13:00
4 Raven (Looks like the Kelvedon Hatch Ravens have fledged. At least four - presumed two adults and two juveniles - were active on the BT mast yesterday morning, with much calling and short flights. Today (May 17) there has been no activity and it is assumed they have dispersed. I have not posted news while they were nesting but assume it is OK now. The site is very secure.)
[David Jobbins]
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Mersea Island, 09:00 to 13:00
Gadwall (Along Strood channel DU), 32 Swift (Strood DU), 3 Avocet (Strood channel DU ), 6 Swallow (Shop lane SE also 4+ holly blue, m brimstone, lots orange tip,red admiral ), 2 Chiffchaff (Shop lane SE ), 3 Sedge Warbler (Males Strood channel DU ), 4 Blackcap (Shop lane SE), Lesser Whitethroat (Shop lane SE ), Nightingale (Singing shop lane MC SE), 5 Yellow Wagtail (A pr meeting lane MT also painted lady, 3 Strood channel DU )
[Stephen Entwistle]
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Naze, The, 06:30 to 11:30, warm, clear becoming overcast, SW wind, rising tide; 21 species in song
18 Swift (2 north, 16 over town), 2 Cuckoo (1 singing ), 4 Grey Plover, 2 Whimbrel, 58 Dunlin, 2 Common Sandpiper (1 seen, 1 heard), Marsh Harrier, Green Woodpecker, 5 Sand Martin, 15 Swallow (10 north including a group of 7), 4 House Martin, 8 Cetti's Warbler (Singing, 2 on the common, 1 sycamore clump, 1 by cricket pitch, 3 John Weston Reserve, 1 decoy ponds ), 6 Chiffchaff (Singing ), 4 Sedge Warbler (Singing ), 9 Reed Warbler (Singing ), 10 Blackcap (Singing ), 3 Lesser Whitethroat (Singing ), 28 Whitethroat (Singing ), 2 Spotted Flycatcher (1 double hedge, 1 sycamore clump ), Nightingale (Singing, Sunny Point ), 2 Wheatear, 2 Chinese Muntjac
[Brian Combes]
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Wrabness, 13:45 to 13:46, Overcast and Drizzle
2 Swift (Over Garden ), 3 Turtle Dove (First time I’ve seen all three together.), 3 Little Egret, Green Woodpecker, 2 Whitethroat, 10 Blackbird (Maybe more most Unusual )
[Peter Brittain]
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Copford, 13:00 to 13:00
Nightingale
[Emma Robinson]
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Stour Reserve, 10:25 to 13:20, Cloudy, Only Highlights!!!
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The Naze at Walton, 09:45 to 13:00, Cool, windy. Slight drizzle just before and after visit. Tide quite high and rising.
8 Ringed Plover, Curlew, 11 Turnstone (All waders except Curlew were feeding along tideline.), 24 Sanderling, 17 Dunlin, Kestrel, Swallow, Cetti's Warbler (singing), 2 Chiffchaff (singing), 2 Blackcap (singing), 2 Lesser Whitethroat (singing), 8 Whitethroat (singing)
[Simon Banks]
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Southminster, 09:00 to 15:00, Sunny with odd light shower
2 Cuckoo, Turtle Dove (Purring intermittently and showing well from power lines)
[Tony Thomas]
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Mersea Island, 09:00 to 13:00, Seen by Dougal Urquhart
4 Red-legged Partridge (2 Bowers hall farm, 2 Strood. ), Shoveler (Bowers hall marsh ), 8 Pochard (4 Oyster fishery, 4 Strood channel ), 26 Swift (Strood channel ), 10 Whimbrel (Along Strood channel ), Common Sandpiper (Off maydays seawall ), Hobby (Over on Langenhoe behind pewit Island ), Sedge Warbler (Along Strood channel ), Yellow Wagtail (Bowers hall marsh ), 4 Yellowhammer (2prs Bowers hall seawall )
[Stephen Entwistle]
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Beckton, 09:00 to 13:00, Cloud/Rain, East wind.
30 Swift, Cuckoo, Kittiwake (Imm), 15 Common Tern, Buzzard
[Gary A James]
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Ashdon, 09:00 to 13:00, Cloudy
12 Swift (Flying around church )
[Phil Harling ]
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Friday Wood, 07:00 to 13:00, Dull, cloud, drizzle
2 Egyptian Goose, 2 Shelduck (pair), 4 Mallard, 4 Cuckoo (including one female), 2 Stock Dove, Water Rail, 2 Little Egret, 2 Buzzard, Tawny Owl (calling at 11.25), Kingfisher (along river south of wood), 18 Rook (Abberton Manor), Raven, 5 Cetti's Warbler, 2 Long-tailed Tit, 2 Sedge Warbler, 4 Reed Warbler, 12 Garden Warbler (singing males southern area of wood and Berechurch ), Lesser Whitethroat, 26 Whitethroat, Nuthatch, 13 Nightingale (singing males, at least 32 singing males in general area), Siskin (flew over Berechurch Marsh calling), 2 Reed Bunting
[Andrew Goodey]
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Billericay, 06:50 to 08:30, organised morning walk around Lake Meadows park
10 Mallard (inc pale yellow duckling), 2 Swift, 2 Rock Dove / Feral Pigeon, 4 Stock Dove, 5 Great Crested Grebe (pair with 3 young), Great Spotted Woodpecker (male), 2 Coal Tit, 5 Long-tailed Tit, Chiffchaff (singing), 3 Blackcap (singing), 2 Nuthatch (possibly more), Chaffinch
[Ben Mapp]
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Russell Green GPs, near Chelmsford, 19:00 to 19:30, Fine, slight breeze
4 Canada Goose (1 pair with 1 gosling plus a lone adult.), 2 Mute Swan, 5 Egyptian Goose (Pair and 3 young), 3 Little Grebe, 2 Great Crested Grebe, 50 Black-headed Gull (+ and 4 chicks on Island), 17 Common Tern (nesting on island), Chiffchaff (Heard), 16 Tufted Duck
[Paul Everett]
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Copford, 17:00 to 18:00
Cuckoo, Red Kite, 2 Buzzard
[Emma Robinson]
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Stanway Green, 11:00 to 16:30, sightings from Colchester Zoo, mainly flyovers
3 Canada Goose, Cormorant, Grey Heron, 2 Sparrowhawk, Red Kite, 8 Buzzard (+), 20 Swallow, 20 House Martin, 5 Chiffchaff, 2 Blackcap (males in nature area), Whitethroat (nature area), 4 Greenfinch
[Ben Mapp]
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Mersea Island, 11:00 to 11:30, AF= Andy field, DU = Dougal Urquhart
2 Grey Partridge (Maydays MC ), 4 Swift (Express drive SE), 2 Cuckoo (1 Male shop lane seawall AF , 1 maydays DU ), 4 Whimbrel (Coopers beach saltings AF), 2 Common Tern (Off maydays DU ), 2 Marsh Harrier (Shop lane to meeting lane AF), 11 Buzzard (1 Shop lane to meeting lane AF , 10+ over on Langenhoe DU), Hobby (Over on Langenhoe DU), 6 Reed Warbler (Maydays DU ), 8 Whitethroat (Shop lane to meeting lane AF ), 2 Spotted Flycatcher (Entrance to reeves hall farm from galv gate SE), Corn Bunting (Maydays DU)
[Stephen Entwistle]
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Maldon, 10:00 to 15:00
20 Swift (pair entered nesting space in high street building), Red Kite (seen over St.Peter's Hospital (am) & over my garden (pm)), 2 Buzzard (pair circling over maldon seen from my garden), Peregrine Falcon (seen over fullbridge heading towards heybridge)
[Tony Kennelly]
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Langford, near Maldon, 10:00 to 11:00, Sunny, warm
7 Mallard (mother still with six ducklings), 2 Cuckoo (at least; one seen close-to in trees along canal before being chased off by jackdaw with a second heard calling at the same time; another seen later in the canal trees from Ulting Lane), Grey Heron, Buzzard (heard, not seen), Great Spotted Woodpecker, Green Woodpecker, Cetti's Warbler (heard, not seen), 2 Blackcap, 4 Whitethroat (at least)
[Stephen Shelley]
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Beckton, 07:30 to 10:30, Sun/Cloud Light wind
Swift, 2 Cuckoo, 3 Oystercatcher, 4 Mediterranean Gull (adults), 15 Common Tern, Buzzard, Skylark
[Gary A James]
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Naze, The, 06:00 to 12:00, warm, SW breeze, clear, rising tide; 24 species in song
3 Swift (In off), Cuckoo (Singing ), 5 Grey Plover, 2 Curlew Sandpiper (On Walton Hall Marshes, just south of main east-west drain, first spring birds here for me since 2017), 4 Sanderling, 15 Dunlin, Greenshank, 4 Mediterranean Gull, 3 Sparrowhawk, 2 Buzzard, 5 Sand Martin, 17 Swallow, 9 House Martin, 8 Cetti's Warbler (Singing, 2 on the common, 1 sycamore clump, 1 cricket pitch, 1 decoy ponds, 3 John Weston Reserve ), 2 Willow Warbler (1 singing ), 5 Chiffchaff (Singing ), 7 Sedge Warbler (Singing ), 8 Reed Warbler (Singing ), 3 Blackcap (Singing ), Lesser Whitethroat (Singing ), 28 Whitethroat (Singing ), Song Thrush (Singing ), Spotted Flycatcher (East of decoy ponds), Nightingale (Singing Sunny Point ), 4 Wheatear, 2 Chinese Muntjac
[Brian Combes]
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Bradwell Bird Observatory (BBO), 05:00 to 06:30
Cuckoo (singing male by othona), 3 Little Egret, Sparrowhawk (2 fast hunting flights through), Kestrel (female on the chapel), Lesser Whitethroat (singing male near to the pond), Wheatear (female on pillbox between carpark & Obs), 4 Yellow Wagtail, 8 Corn Bunting
[Tony Kennelly]
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Latchingdon, 04:35 to 04:40
Little Owl (on telegraph pole between fambridge road & LADS)
[Tony Kennelly]
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