Essex Bird Report 2024

The Essex Bird Report for 2024 has just been published.

I am one of the team responsible for writing some of the species accounts and for proofreading. However, this year I am proud to have one of my photos featured as the front cover.

This photo on the front cover is of the Northern Waterthrush which was present at Heybridge in Essex from 3rd to 22nd January 2024. This was the first record for Essex and only the eight for the UK.

Please see the following for my account of this mega-rarity ....

SS15 wildlife watching: Northern Waterthrush at Heybridge near Maldon, Essex

SS15 wildlife watching: Trip away from SS15 – Heybridge, Maldon, Essex – 19th January 2024

Photo: Northern Waterthrush

This bird was found in the garden of Simon Wood, President of the Essex Birdwatching Society and this is his photo of his amazing "garden tick" .... 

Photo: Northern Waterthrush (Simon Wood)

Over the years, I have seen many rare birds in the UK but this Northern Waterthrush in 2024 at Heybridge, the Black-winged Kite in 2026 at NWT Hickling Broad in Norfolk (see here) and the Black-browed Albatross in 2022 at RSPB Bempton Cliffs in Yorkshire (see here) are by far the rarest.

Photo: distant and heavily cropped record shot of Black-winged Kite

Photo: Black-browed Albatross

Photo: Black-browed Albatross

Photo: Black-browed Albatross

Photo: Black-browed Albatross

Photo: Black-browed Albatross

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Record from my flat - Grey Heron

Grey Heron is a species that I see occasionally from my flat but always flying past possibly to/from the lake at nearby Gloucester Park. 

This evening at 8:15 p.m., I saw a Grey Heron flying past  and heading in a northerly direction. Had I been ready with my camera, the bird silhouetted against the sunset would have made a wonderful photo. 

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Visit to Noak Bridge Nature Reserve – 13th April 2026

Date: 13th April 2026

Time: from 8:30 a.m.

Weather: sunny, light wind, 8°C to 10°C

Having recorded my first Lesser Whitethroat of the year at my St. Nicholas Church local patch on 12th April 2026, I was hoping for the same at the reserve this morning.

Unfortunately, I failed to even hear the rattling song of this summer migrant but I did record 3 further additions to my 2026 site list: Sparrowhawk, Collared Dove and House Sparrow.

The notable bird records during my visit were as follows ….

Sparrowhawk: 1 seen flying across the path between the storage shed and the Eastfield Road entrance and into the wooded area around Willow Pond

Collared Dove: 2 seen flying high south over the path between the Spanish Steps and the storage shed and another seen on the ground near the bench by the Spanish Steps before flying off into the adjacent residential area

House Sparrow: male heard calling and eventually seen in the hedge adjacent to the path near the storage shed

Blackcap: very evident across the reserve now with 3 singing males seen, another 2 singing males heard and a female seen

Chiffchaff: very evident across the reserve now with 2 singing males seen, another single bird seen and a presumed pair seen in the trees around Meadow Pond

Moorhen: presumed pair seen on Willow Pond

Mallard: male seen flying south high over Meadow Pond

In addition, I had a brief view of a Reeves’ Muntjac at the back of Fox Pond (another first record of the year) plus 4 Grey Squirrels: 1 in the wooded area near the Spanish Steps and the storage shed, 1 in the trees adjacent to Meadow Pond and 2 in the trees adjacent to Meadow Pond.

Species recorded during this visit were as follows (heard only records in italics):

Sparrowhawk

Collared Dove

House Sparrow

Blackcap

Chiffchaff

Moorhen

Mallard

Blue Tit

Great Tit

Robin

Wren

Blackbird

Woodpigeon

Magpie

Jay

Carrion Crow

Reeves’ Muntjac

Grey Squirrel

Here are some other photos from my visit ….

Photo: male Blackcap

Photo: male Blackcap

Photo: male Chiffchaff

Photo: male Blackbird

Photo: Dark-edged Bee-fly

Photo: Nursery Web Spider

Photo: Nursery Web Spider

Photo: Seven-spot Ladybird

Photo: Bee sp.

Photo: Bee sp.

Photo: Bee sp.

Photo: Greater Stitchwort

Photo: White Dead-nettle

Photo: White Dead-nettle

Photo: Dandelion

Photo: Blackthorn

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Visit to St. Nicholas Church and surrounding areas – 12th April 2026

Date: 12th April 2026

Time: from 8:30 a.m.

Weather: dry, sunny, moderate wind, 9°C to 11°C

It was sunny but chilly for my visit this morning, especially given the brisk wind.

I walked the complete site this morning and recorded 19 species of birds with some excellent sightings. These included 2 additions to my 2026 site list: Willow Warbler and Lesser Whitethroat

Lesser Whitethroat is a species that I record at the site every year during the spring and early summer but I only recorded Willow Warbler for the first time in 2023. It is a particularly elusive species and, whilst a singing male is very distinctive, I have only actually seen it on a single occasion in 2024.

The notable bird records during my visit were as follows ….

Willow Warbler: singing male heard in the scrub and wooded area behind the pond in the northern section of the site but typically mobile and unseen

Lesser Whitethroat: brief view of a singing male as it flew from one bush to another in the northern section of the site adjacent to the paddock

Blackcap: at least 6 singing males and an alarm calling bird heard across the site with a single male seen in the northern section of the site

Chiffchaff: at least 5 singing males and a calling bird heard across the site but none seen

Green Woodpecker: 1 heard calling in the eastern section of the cemetery

Great Spotted Woodpecker: 1 heard “drumming” briefly in the northern section of the site

Jackdaw: 3 seen flying high over the northern section of the site in a northerly direction

As I arrived in the northern section of the site, I quickly spotted a Red Fox which was largely obscured by vegetation. I think this was the same animal that closely watched me during my last visit on 2nd April 2026!

Photo: Red Fox

In addition, I saw 3 Grey Squirrels, 2 in the wooded area at the end of the access track from Larkins Tyres and another in the eastern section of the cemetery.

Finally, it was good to see a few Bluebells emerging in the churchyard.

Species recorded during this visit were as follows (heard only records in italics):

Willow Warbler

Lesser Whitethroat

Blackcap

Chiffchaff

Green Woodpecker

Great Spotted Woodpecker

Blue Tit 

Great Tit

Robin

Wren

Song Thrush

House Sparrow

Goldfinch

Jay

Jackdaw

Magpie

Carrion Crow

Woodpigeon

Herring Gull

Red Fox

Grey Squirrel

Site totals for 2026 to date (2025 and 2024 totals in brackets): 

Birds = 36 (50) (49)

Mammals = 3 (4) (3)

Butterflies = 0 (23) (17)

Dragonflies and damselflies = 0 (11) (11)

Reptiles = 0 (0) (0)

Amphibians = 0 (0) (0)

Total species list for the site 

Birds = 70

Mammals = 8

Butterflies = 26

Dragonflies and damselflies = 14

Reptiles = 1

Amphibians = 0

Love nature .... act now

Restore and rewild our natural world

Please help save and enhance our laws that protect our environment and wildlife

💚🦆 🦉🦋🐝🦊🦡🌼 🌳💚

Stay safe, stay well, stay strong, stay connected with nature