SS15 wildlife watching

This blog was set up in mid-March 2020 during the emerging COVID-19 health crisis in the UK. It initially aimed to provide records of wildlife sightings and photographs from sites within walking distance of my home in the SS15 postcode area of Basildon in Essex during lockdown travel restrictions. Even though the pandemic has largely subsided, this blog continues to include my local wildlife sightings, my trips away from home plus some personal thoughts and reflections on other issues.

Sunday 28 April 2024

Record from my flat - Grey Heron

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

However, this evening at 6 p.m., I saw a Grey Heron standing on the roof of one of the houses at the rear of my block of flats, evidently requiring a rest on its commute!

Unfortunately, by the time that I returned to my window with my camera, it had decided to fly off.

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Friday 26 April 2024

Trip away from SS15 – Swan Wood, Stock, Essex

I am a long-standing supporter and member of the Woodland Trust.

The nearest site owned or managed by the Woodland Trust is Swan and Cygnet Woods in Stock in Essex which I visited for the second time this morning following my first visit in May 2023.

When I visited Swan and Cygnet Woods last year, the bluebells were past their “best before” date so I had planned an April visit this year. I was not disappointed and there was a beautiful show of bluebells throughout much of the wood.

The bluebells were the main focus of my visit but I also saw a fly-over calling Common Buzzard, a single calling and foraging Nuthatch and a few of the commoner resident woodland birds.

I heard at least another calling Nuthatch, at least 2 “drumming” Great Spotted Woodpeckers, several singing male Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs and a calling Stock Dove.

Here are some photos from my visit ….

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Wednesday 24 April 2024

Trip away from SS15 – RSPB Vange Marsh, Pitsea, Essex

This morning I visited RSPB Vange Marsh which is only 4 miles from home and easily reached by local buses and trains.

RSPB Vange Marsh is a mosaic of wetland habitats with fresh and saltwater lagoons attracting many breeding birds in spring and summer, passage migrant waders especially in late summer and autumn and large numbers of ducks in winter. There are no specific facilities in the way of a visitor centre or hides but nature trails and public footpaths allow viewing over the wetland areas.

The principal issue at RSPB Vange Marsh is that the views are towards the south so bright sunny days are problematic. In addition, birds are always very distant requiring a telescope (which on warm and sunny days creates even worse problems with heat haze) and photography opportunities are extremely limited.

The main highlight from my visit this morning was adding Swallow to my 2024 UK year list taking it to 134 species. Unfortunately, I failed to see any House Martins, Sand Martins or Swifts.

The notable sightings from my visit with regard to birds were as follows (heard only records in italics): Swallow (at least 15), Common Whitethroat (2 singing males), Lesser Whitethroat (singing male), Chiffchaff (3 singing males), Blackcap (2 singing males), Reed Warbler (singing male), Cetti’s Warbler (4 singing males), Bearded Tit (single bird heard calling), Reed Bunting (singing male), Marsh Harrier (2), Common Buzzard (1), Teal (at least 40), Common Pochard (at least 20), Shoveler (at least 10), Mallard (at least 10), Tufted Duck (6), Shelduck (4), Avocet (13), Black-tailed Godwit (flyover flock of 12 birds all in summer plumage), Oystercatcher (4), Lapwing (2), Grey Heron (1), Great Crested Grebe (2), Little Grebe (2), Coot (at least 20), Mute Swan (15), Canada Goose (at least 10), Greylag Goose (at least 10), Cormorant (8), Lesser Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull, Black-headed Gull

In addition, I saw a single Small White.

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💚🦆 🦉🦋🐝🦊🦡🌼 🌳💚
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Monday 22 April 2024

Visit to Noak Bridge Nature Reserve – 22nd April 2024

Date: 22nd April 2024

Time: from 8:45 a.m.

Weather: dry, sunny, light wind, 5°C to 8°C

I had another successful visit to the reserve this morning with 5 more first records of the year: Red Fox, Collared Dove, House Sparrow, Starling and Lesser Black-backed Gull.

I had a very brief and largely obscured view of a Red Fox at the back of Meadow Pond and its presence undoubtedly explained the alarm calling Moorhens. Red Fox is a mammal that I have very rarely seen at the reserve, unlike my other local patch site around St. Nicholas Church where I see at least one on the majority of my visits. This morning’s sighting of a Red Fox was my first since 2021.

With regard to birds, I heard a calling Collared Dove in the wooded area at the bottom of the Spanish Steps but failed to locate it. As I retraced my steps to return home, I saw a Collared Dove on the track between Prewer’s Pond and the Spanish Steps.

I saw a male House Sparrow in the bushes adjacent to the track opposite Thorny Wood and a single Starling flew over here too. A single Lesser Black-backed Gull flew over Meadow Pond heading south towards Pipps Hill where several of these birds can usually be seen with Herring Gulls on or around the shops and warehouses.

After my first Lesser Whitethroat record of the year on my last visit on 17th April 2024, this morning’s visit produced 2 singing males. The first singing male, as on my last visit, was frequenting the bushes around Meadow Pond. It was presumably the same bird although on this occasion I failed to see it. The second singing male which I did eventually see was in the bushes adjacent to the track between Prewer’s Pond and the storage shed.

Again, I recorded both Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps during my visit: I saw 4 singing male Chiffchaffs and heard 3 other singing males plus I heard 6 singing male Blackcaps and heard another alarm calling bird.

As I arrived at Willow Pond, I had the surprising sighting of a female Mallard with 4 very young ducklings although the male was nowhere to be seen! I also saw a male and female Mallard again on Meadow Pond.

The presumed pair of Moorhens were again present on Meadow Pond and I heard another calling bird on Willow Pond which I failed to see.

The cold temperature meant that I again failed to record any butterfly species.

Finally, I saw a single Grey Squirrel in the bushes around Meadow Pond.

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

Lesser Whitethroat

Blackcap

Chiffchaff

Blue Tit

Great Tit

Long-tailed Tit

Robin

Wren