Green Hairstreak
Green Hairstreak
Green Hairstreak
Today a Holly Blue in our Colchester garden was my FFY. Then at Abberton Res 4+ Green Hairstreaks were showing well between Gwen’s and Island hides
Enjoyed seeing my 4th Adder of the year with this male on Mersea island Essex today. Attempting to climb a sandy cliff face.
This Hummingbird hawk-moth in our Colchester garden today was our 2nd this year. Plus a Small White butterfly our FFY during brief sunny intervals.
And great to see you and Carla too.
Bonaparte’s gull
Ring Ouzel
Ring Ouzel
Enjoyable day yesterday with the Bonaparte’s gull at Abberton, and the Ring Ouzel on Billets flood fields. Also 2 Cattle Egrets, my first Cuckoo and Common Terns of the year. And great to see lots of familiar faces there #essexbirding
Those are superb Simon. That’s the way to do it
Nice one Paul
These are beautiful
I have just poured a Wine so you might have a point there Jim 🤣
Thanks for this info, I have followed
We’ve been having almost daily visits by this Fox. It’s in great condition and generally unfazed by garden life, and here it’s having a snooze. P.s it is in the photo #foxoftheday
Right on cue my FFY Dark-edged bee-fly in our Colchester garden this a’noon, equalling previous years of 2022, and 2024 when my earliest sightings were also on the 18th March.
Abberton this morning. The Drake Canvasback still at Billets screen. and 2 Lesser Scaup (m&f) still from St Andrews church viewpoint. #essexbirding
Thanks for this info on the Eagle Brian. This is the Eagle we had at Abberton Reservoir on 3/3/26 based on plumage features and the rings.
After getting some more photos of the ringed Lesser Redpoll in our Colchester garden, we have managed to read the number and have found out where it was ringed. It was ringed as a first year bird on the 26/10/25 at non other than just down the road at Abberton Reservoir #essexbirding
Ah gutting. I know how it feels to dip like this. Hopefully they may become a more frequent sight.
Me too
Our gulls are hard as nails here at Abberton
Sorry it’s short for White tailed Eagle
The Abberton WTE from this morning unsuccessfully hunting a Herring gull, it caught it twice but it still got away #essexbirding
Red kite and WTE
Red kite and WTE
The WTE With the EWT visitors centre and pumping station
WTE with Herring gull, which was taken to the bank. The gull managed to get away although it didn’t look great and probably would succumb to its injuries.
That was a great morning at Abberton church watching the White tailed Eagle. Always distant but nice to see it hunting (unsuccessfully) for Coot and it even caught a Herring gull which somehow got away. Last seen flying N around midday #essexbirding
Thanks Jon. I’m trying to making the most of their visits. One was singing the other day.
4 Redpolls again in our Colchester garden this morning including this ringed bird again ( last seen on 11th Feb) #essexbirding
@cmbeale.bsky.social hello Colin. I just had the ringed Redpoll again in my garden, I have a few more photos of the ring. Looks like ‘use’ ( museum)? And a 5 with possibly a 3 after it? Don’t know if these are of any help.
A visit to Shut Heath woods EWT this morning produced 2-3 Nuthatch, 4 GSWoodpeckers in clouding some drumming but no sight or sound of the hoped for LSWoodpecker. Back home in the sunshine produced Red Admiral and Comma both my FFY #essexbirding
At least one Firecrest is still putting in an appearance in our Colchester garden this week, also 4 Redpolls still, a pair of Blackcaps and c50 Redwings still in the area devouring the Ivy berries. And this low flying Red Kite #essexbirding
Up in Suffolk and Just had these 2 Common Cranes interrupt my breakfast. They flew East over Wenhaston appearing to drop towards Blythburgh at 07:05 this morning @birdguides.bsky.social @rarebirder.bsky.social #Ukbirding
Many thanks for the link. I love articles like this.
May thanks for your reply Colin. I was going by the pointed tail feathers to age it.
Bit of a long shot but one of the Redpolls here in Colchester is ringed on its right leg. A single metal ring. Can’t quite make out all of the numbers but there is a ‘K’. The bird has pointed tail feathers so a 2nd cal year. #essexbirding #birdringing #bto I’m hoping to get some clearer shots
