Winter watching (1 Viewer)

[wildlifelove]

Sounds good to me, very hard knowing what the bird is..

 

[Steve_Halstead]

I concur the closed bird pic looks chaffinch looking at markings but would have expected double barring on the top side of the wing.

Then again I am very new to this and will naturally bow to your greater knowledge mate.

 

[wildlifelove]

Have to wait for the experts to take one look and know what it is straight away.

 

[The sniper]

Posted on the other thread,could be brambling I suppose but more likely chaffinch

 

[Frinton BO]

Looks like Linnet to me, which would match with habitat, size and brown colour noted in flight. Call can be very helpful to aid identification with fast moving flocks of finches and similar.

 

[Fozzybear]

Colouration does look good for Linnet, though I'm not very hot on id-ing in those situations unless there's a clear indicator to look for!

 

[Fozzybear]

Good news! Had a small wonder along the river this morning just up to the road Bridge to kill off a bit of time, nothing much to note...Had a whitethroat tho so there still here. Was looking out for the king fisher or little grebes.

Whitethroats do seem to hang around longer than you expect - I would imagine the late birds are juveniles.

Saw five Little Grebes a few days ago up at Moulsham Mill - they haven't been around for ages but appear to be gathering again, which is typical on the river. I remember going many months without seeing one and then suddenly about 25 appeared in one spot by Barnes Mill.

From this week:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A4qy52bZ3hI

 

[wildlifelove]

Whitethroats do seem to hang around longer than you expect - I would imagine the late birds are juveniles.

Saw five Little Grebes a few days ago up at Moulsham Mill - they haven't been around for ages but appear to be gathering again, which is typical on the river. I remember going many months without seeing one and then suddenly about 25 appeared in one spot by Barnes Mill.

From this week:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A4qy52bZ3hI

Iv seen them around the weir pool quite a bit in the past. Hopefully we do get big numbers this winter...would be good to see a few other ducks aswell tufted duck ect

 

[Fozzybear]

The winter flock of Canada Geese have arrived on the lake in Central Park in Chelmsford, 24 there last night along with one Greylag. Similar numbers last year and also one Greylag too so I presume they are the same flock. Plenty of Mallard on the lake too. The park got a bit of a hammering from the wind, the willow on the lake island lost some large boughs and a number of the willows through the park lost their tops. Certainly was very windy here on Monday.

 

[Steve Arlow]

There's been a Snow Bunting at West Mersea in recent weeks

 

[Steve_Halstead]

Lovely barn owl at abberton today. No pic :-(

Round up today...

Bit frustrating today, not much going on for andygolfer and I as we stood at res waiting for glossy (lbc) but went to VC and still, not so much there, huge flocks just outside of vision, but seen on the scope

LBC - pintails, shovellers, herons, egrets, pied wagtails etc

VC- coots, moorhens, tufted ducks etc

Leaving the centre, driving right as you come to the main road where the work is taking place I got to drive for 300 yards along side a beautiful, ginger brown marked barn owl. The thing was perfection to follow and a great experience today, shame not to have a picture of it but it was more than enough to be near and see it.

 

[Steve_Halstead]

A poor winter for waxwings has been announced according to chris packham.

Hmmph

 

[auchinbowie]

My time has told me that I can look for the following things over the next few months, In essence it is my hit list.

1. Tundra Swan (Bewick's Swan) Cygnus columbianus A winter visitor
2. Whooper Swan Cygnus cygnus A winter visitor and occasional breeder
3. Bean Goose Anser fabalis A winter visitor
4. White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons A winter visitor
5. Barnacle Goose Branta leucopsis A & C winter visitor and resident introduced population
7. Northern Pintail Anas acuta A resident breeder and winter visitor
9. Red-crested Pochard Netta rufina A & C scarce migrant and introduced breeder
10. Scaup Aythya marila A winter visitor and occasional breed
11. Common Eider Somateria mollissima A resident breeder and winter visitor
12. Long-tailed Duck Clangula hyemalis A winter visitor and occasional breeder
13. Common Scoter Melanitta nigra A resident breeder and winter visitor
14. Common Goldeneye Bucephala clangula A resident breeder and winter visitor
15. Smew Mergellus albellus A winter visitor
16. Red-breasted Merganser Mergus serrator A resident breeder and winter visitor
17. Goosander Mergus merganser A resident breeder and winter visitor
18. Red-throated Diver Gavia stellata A resident breeder and winter visitor
19. Black-throated Diver Gavia arctica A resident breeder and winter visitor
20. Northern Fulmar Fulmarus glacialis A resident and migrant breeder, passage migrant
21. European Shag Phalacrocorax aristotelis A resident breeding species
22. Red-necked Grebe Podiceps grisegena A winter visitor, has bred
23. Water Rail Rallus aquaticus A resident breeding specie
24. Sanderling Calidris alba A winter visitor & passage migrant
27. Barn Owl Tyto alba A resident breeding species
28. Little Owl Athene noctua C resident introduced population
29. Tawny Owl Strix aluco A resident breeding species
30. Long-eared Owl Asio otus A scarce resident breeding species
31. Short-eared Owl Asio flammeus A resident breeding species or winter visitor
32. Goldcrest Regulus regulus A resident breeding species
33. Common Firecrest Regulus ignicapillus A scarce resident breeding species and passage migrant
34. Shore Lark Eremophila alpestris A scarce winter visitor and passage migrant, occasional breeder
35. Bohemian Waxwing Bombycilla garrulus A winter visitor in highly varied numbers.
36. Fieldfare Turdus pilaris A winter visitor, rare breeder
37. Redwing Turdus iliacus A winter visitor, rare breeder
38. Mistle Thrush Turdus viscivorus A resident breeding species
41. Meadow Pipit Anthus pratensis A resident breeding species
42. Rock Pipit Anthus petrosus A resident breeding species
43. Brambling Fringilla montifringilla A winter visitor, occasional breeder
44. Twite Carduelis flavirostris A resident breeding species
46. Reed Bunting Emberiza schoeniclus A resident breeding species
47. Corn Bunting Emberiza calandra A resident breeding species

I have just read your request. I expect that some of my recommendations will already have been covered but here goes:

First. Check the Essex Birdwatching Website daily. This should be your best source of local birds which are not classified as rarities. Specific locations:

Bewick's and Whooper Swans are seen during December-February. Locations vary. Abberton, Pagelsham and Rainham Marshes and Lea Valley are about as likely as anywhere.

Tundra Bean Goose and Greater Whitefront usually visit the eastern section of Old Hall, where they mix in with the Grey Lags

Barnacle Goose are problematic. There are many feral birds but very few truly wild ones

Red-breasted Geese. Not on your list but it should be. I have seen wild birds on about 20 occasions during the past 2 winters, mainly near the Blackwater, between Mersey and Roll's Farm (most commonly at Old Hall as I spend more time there)

Pintail should be easy on the Blackwater. Osea Island is as good as anywhere.

Red-crested Pochard. Ever present at Hanningfield, often visible from the Visitor Centre.

Scaup. Uncommon but widespread. Keep an eye on the EBwS website in December and January.

Eider. Often seen near Great Cob at Old Hall and Rolls Farm, near Tollesbury. Passage birds are seen at Frinton and Holland Haven but usually at distance. Frinton is also as good as anywhere in the county for Long-tailed Duck and Common Scoter. Southend Pier is excellent for the Scoter.

Goldeneye. Fairly common. Plenty at Abberton November - March.

Smew. I see them every winter but they seem to appear in different locations. Chigborough Lakes? Again watch the EBwS website.

Red-breasted Merganser. Primarily the Blackwater estuary, with Roll's Farm a good location. Have heard that the Stour is good too but have no personal experience.

Goosander. Abberton and Hanningfield between December and February should be gimmes.

Red-throated and Black-throated Divers. Your best shot would be sea watching at either Frinton or Holland Haven.

Fulmar are most often seen on spring passage.

Shag are very uncommon

Red-necked Grebe. No specific location known as a regular site

Water Rail. The Bittern Hide at Lea Valley is the best bet.

Sanderling. Not really an Essex bird. You might try Hamford Water or the Stour or many sandy shorelines in Suffolk or Norfolk etc.

A Barn Owl is seen daily at dusk near the Warden's Office at Old Hall.

Little Owl and Tawny Owl are best detected by call. Tawny Owl activity seems greatest in Jan/Feb and Little Owl closer to April. I would concentrate on copses east of Chelmsford.

Long-eared Owl. It is years since I last saw one in Essex I cannot help.

Short-eared Owl. The last I saw was in July at Old Hall. It is primarily a winter bird of the esturine wetlands. Old Hall, Tollesbury Wick and Rainham Marshes are good.

Goldcrest. Fairly common and widespread. Look high in pine trees and listen for high pitched calls.

UNcommon Firecrest. They are about. I associate them with bushes in gardens and graveyards. Really can't help.

Shorelark. Not easy. The shore at the Naze and Mersea are yout best bets. If you travel to Naarfolk or better still the USA, I could help more.

Meadow Pipit. Fairly common in grassland with some bushes. Old Hall etc. etc.

Rock Pipit. Can turn up on either side of any sea wall. You may also find Water Pipit.

Waxwing. Numbers vary from year to year. If and when there is an influx, look for "Starlings" stripping the Hawthorns and Blackthorns of berries.

Mistle Thrush, Fieldfare and Redwing. There are plenty about. Again berry bushes are the main attraction.

Brambling seem to appear in the eastern districts. Try Holland Haven and the Naze.

Twite. Uncommon. I had two by the Salcott sea wall in October. Again check the EBwS website.

Reed Bunting are common right now at Old Hall.

Corn Bunting are best found in the Spring, when the males are singing. If you read the Essex Bird Report, it will advise you of the best sites in the county.

Hope this helps.

Dave

 

[Fozzybear]

Dave, Sanderlings can be found at the Naze - I've seen quite good number of them there and they've approached me very closely too.

Edit: I took this first shot on one of the beaches along the promenade north of the pier a couple of winters ago and the second up at the Naze the year before. I really should get back there this winter, was really nice there in the winter and lots of birds about.

 

[Viv Connett]

Sanderlings are often found at Mersea as well, off the point. Shag can often be found on the Blackwater, try one of the EWT barge trips from Maldon as I have seen them several times from there. Smew are regular at Abberton in the winter.

 

[Steve_Halstead]

Auchin, you are a credit to the hobby, thank you for this. Do you want me to map the point of the barn owl for you?

 

[Phil Carter]

Had a single Twite at Hythe Lagoons today, a site that used to hold a regular flock back in the dim and distant past.

Phil