Trip away from SS15 - RSPB Bowers Marsh, Pitsea, Essex

This morning, I attended a walk at RSPB Bowers Marsh which was organised as part of the 4-day Essex Birdwatching Society Big County Birdwatch programme.

SS15 wildlife watching: It is a very special weekend

The walk was led by Neil Sumner, the editor of the Essex Bird Report, who I had liaised with last year regarding my male Pied Flycatcher sighting and photo .... SS15 wildlife watching: Essex Bird Report 2021 .... male Pied Flycatcher

RSPB Bowers Marsh comprises dry and wet grassland, fresh and saline lagoons, intertidal habitat, saltmarsh and arable areas. It is an ancient landscape and the grazing marsh has played a vital role in the lives of people and wildlife for centuries.

RSPB Bowers Marsh is now managed as a reserve comprising of significant wetland and lowland wet and dry grassland habitats and it provides feeding and breeding grounds for important wintering, migratory and breeding waders and wildfowl. This is primarily achieved through hydrological management and appropriate grazing regimes. It also supports a range of important protected species such as Water Voles and reptiles by providing important managed habitats such as ditch networks, meadows and fields of varied structure and floral diversity. 

There are 4 miles of nature trails and 3 viewing points at RSPB Bowers Marsh. The trails pass different areas of the reserve such as a saline lagoon, freshwater reservoir/scrapes, wet grassland, hedgerow and reedbed habitats. Scrapes are specifically created close to viewing areas.

It proved to be a very productive 3 hour visit this morning with 49 bird species and 5 butterfly species recorded.

I was able to add 3 bird species to my 2023 UK list: Grasshopper Warbler (heard only), Hobby and Swift.

The butterfly species recorded were singles of each of the following: Painted Lady, Orange Tip, Red Admiral, Green-veined White, Small White

The most notable sightings from my visit were as follows: Cuckoo (1 seen from the car park before starting the walk), Grasshopper Warbler (1 male heard "reeling"), Reed Warbler (2 seen plus several other singing males heard), Sedge Warbler (2 singing males seen plus several other singing males heard), Yellow Wagtail (3), Wheatear (1 female), Swift (4), Swallow (7), Common Whitethroat (2 singing males seen plus at least 2 other singing males heard), Cetti’s Warbler (4 singing males heard), Bearded Tit (male and female seen repeatedly attending presumed nest site), Reed Bunting (2 males), Hobby (2 seen very distantly), Peregrine (1 seen repeatedly hunting through the large gull colony and a pair seen very distantly), Common Buzzard (3), Marsh Harrier (1 male), Sparrowhawk (1), Black-necked Grebe (3), Great Crested Grebe (2), Little Grebe (1 seen plus another heard calling), Coot (c.50 including a pair with juveniles), Moorhen (1), Mute Swan (2), Canada Goose (c.20), Greylag Goose (c.20), Avocet (c.50), Common Redshank (7), Oystercatcher (3), Lapwing (c.20 including 2 or 3 juveniles), Grey Heron (2), Shoveler (2), Common Pochard (c.20), Tufted Duck (c.20), Mallard (2), Shelduck (9), Gadwall (1), Common Tern (c.5 at least), Mediterranean Gull (c.5 at least), Black-headed Gull (+++++), Lesser Black-backed Gull (2), Skylark (2), Stock Dove (1)

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