1. Bewick's Swan Cygnus columbianus A winter visitor (Forget the Tundra bit as that relates to North American dark billed form, here its just Bewicks) - Will need to go after these if any are reported
2. Whooper Swan Cygnus cygnus A winter visitor and occasional breeder - as above will need to go after them but Abberton is a regular Essex haunt or Welney in Cambs and see thousands with Bewicks
3. Bean Goose Anser fabalis A winter visitor - Yare Valley in Norfolk before end of February, sometimes Abberton gets a few but difficult in Essex
4. White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons A winter visitor - again can appear in Essex but will need to go after them if they are reported
5. Barnacle Goose Branta leucopsis A & C winter visitor and resident introduced population - really wild birds in south west Scotland
6. Mandarin Duck Aix galericulata C resident introduced population - Friars Park, Shoebury, Epping Forest
7. Northern Pintail Anas acuta A resident breeder and winter visitor - Abberton, Blackwater Estuary, Old Hall, Hanningfield
8. Garganey Anas querquedula A breeding summer visitor - Gone, not present in winter
9. Red-crested Pochard Netta rufina A & C scarce migrant and introduced breeder - Hanningfield, has become rarer as a late summer scarcity from continent
10. Scaup Aythya marila A winter visitor and occasional breed - Abberton, Heybridge, Scarce so will need to go after any reported
11. Common Eider Somateria mollissima A resident breeder and winter visitor - becoming increasingly uncommon in Essex, Mersea Island, Blackwater, Shoebury East Beach, may need to go after any reported
12. Long-tailed Duck Clangula hyemalis A winter visitor and occasional breeder - Now very much scarce in Essex, Blackwater at Rolls Farm or chase a lingering bird
13. Common Scoter Melanitta nigra A resident breeder and winter visitor - Blackwater, Mersea Island, Thames off Southend Pier or Canvey Island
14. Common Goldeneye Bucephala clangula A resident breeder and winter visitor - Abberton, Paglesham Lagoon
15. Smew Mergellus albellus A winter visitor - Abberton
16. Red-breasted Merganser Mergus serrator A resident breeder and winter visitor - Blackwater at Rolls, creeks around Old Hall, River Roach at Paglesham
17. Goosander Mergus merganser A resident breeder and winter visitor - Colchester Uni Lakes, Brentwood
18. Red-throated Diver Gavia stellata A resident breeder and winter visitor - Blackwater at Rolls Farm, Southend Pier
19. Black-throated Diver Gavia arctica A resident breeder and winter visitor - scarce, Southend Pier is good bet if they're around in December - March
20. Northern Fulmar Fulmarus glacialis A resident and migrant breeder, passage migrant - Unlikely in winter in Essex, few winter around Hunstanton Cliffs in Norfolk where they also breed
21. European Shag Phalacrocorax aristotelis A resident breeding species - Uncommon in Essex, Shoebury East Beach and Southend Pier in mid winter often has at least one
22. Red-necked Grebe Podiceps grisegena A winter visitor, has bred - now rare in Essex, will need to chase any reported
23. Water Rail Rallus aquaticus A resident breeding specie - Abberton, Heyrbidge, main hide at Wat Tyler when fleet frozen has them out front
24. Sanderling Calidris alba A winter visitor & passage migrant - Southend Seafront near Castle Pub (250-300+ flock over high tide)
25. Jack Snipe Lymnocryptes minimus A winter visitor & passage migrant - scarce in Essex, usually best looked for around running water when standing water is frozen
26. Little Gull Hydrocoloeus minutus A winter visitor, occasional breeder - Scarce in Essex in Winter, better as a spring and autumn passage bird with most now gone through
27. Barn Owl Tyto alba A resident breeding species - Old Hall, any farmland around Abberton, Tollesbury, Wallasea Island etc
28. Little Owl Athene noctua C resident introduced population - PagleshamEast Hall Lane, Canewdon, Paglesham, often just bump into these guys
29. Tawny Owl Strix aluco A resident breeding species - Larger woods will have them, they will be hooting in March
30. Long-eared Owl Asio otus A scarce resident breeding species - Will need to chase any reported as roosts are not now widely released
31. Short-eared Owl Asio flammeus A resident breeding species or winter visitor - Old Hall, Wallasea Island
32. Goldcrest Regulus regulus A resident breeding species - Hockley Woods on the eastern side down from the main car park, can just bump into these guys in woods and hedgerows
33. Common Firecrest Regulus ignicapillus A scarce resident breeding species and passage migrant - uincommon winter bird but 1-2 most years in Hockley Woods around the same area as Goldcrests and Treecreepers, best in March time when singing
34. Shore Lark Eremophila alpestris A scarce winter visitor and passage migrant, occasional breeder - Rare in Essex, will need to chase any reports
35. Bohemian Waxwing Bombycilla garrulus A winter visitor in highly varied numbers. - Usually seen in invasion years at traditional sites, these will be commented on if they appear
36. Fieldfare Turdus pilaris A winter visitor, rare breeder - in good winters can be found in damp fields, especially around horse paddocks
37. Redwing Turdus iliacus A winter visitor, rare breeder - as Fieldfare but can also be found in woodlands mid winter. Will start arriving in Essex from mid October onwards
38. Mistle Thrush Turdus viscivorus A resident breeding species - Most large parks will have at least a pair
39. Black Redstart Phoenicurus ochruros A scarce breeding resident, passage migrant & winter visitor - uncommon winterer in Essex, March is good time for early passage birds, ie Gunners Park
40. Grey Wagtail Motacilla cinerea A resident breeding specie - streams, Prittlewell Brook usually has one or two, Abberton, Hanningfield etc
41. Meadow Pipit Anthus pratensis A resident breeding species - Grassy fields, common species
42. Rock Pipit Anthus petrosus A resident breeding species - Best looked for around coastal seawalls, such as Blackwater, Old Hall, Wakering, Paglesham, Rainham Stonebarges. Uncommon on inland reservoirs.
43. Brambling Fringilla montifringilla A winter visitor, occasional breeder - varies in numbers each winter in Essex. Feeders at Abberton could be a good bet but may have to chase
44. Twite Carduelis flavirostris A resident breeding species - Very little chance of this in Essex these days. Used to be common winterer but now all but gone. Suffolk and Norfolk may have flocks on the coast.
45. Lapland Bunting Calcarius lapponicus A winter visitor, occasional breeder - Scarce in Essex in winter, will need to chase any reports
46. Reed Bunting Emberiza schoeniclus A resident breeding species - common species, Old Hall, Heybridge, Colne Point, Wakering, Paglesham
47. Corn Bunting Emberiza calandra A resident breeding species - Wallasea Island has a large wintering flock
