Whinchats today at Holland Haven Country Park. Much more colourful than autumn juveniles! #essexbirding @essexbirdnews.bsky.social

Yesterday pm saw a GrasshopperW at Hythe Colchester on arrival colinMac/ Ed Bateman kindly put me on it,it showed well,then Ed found a fm ring Ouzel & m Wheatear, photos by Ed #EssexBirding #Essexbirdnews

I wouldn’t say that Holland Haven Country Park was overrun with Wheatears today but there was a lot @essexbirdnews.bsky.social #essexbirding

Cover of the 2004 Essex Bird Report, showing image of Northern Waterthrush

Always a red letter day when the latest Essex Bird Report drops through the letterbox. A great publication - congratulations to Neil Sumner and his team (for transparency I wrote a section of the systemic list. #essexbirding

Pincey Brook, Hatfield Broad Oak, Essex with @paulebirder.bsky.social
2 LRPs, 6 Yellow Wags, White Wag, 30 Sand Martin, 28 Snipe and a slightly bemused ♀️Mallard rejecting the advances of her Mandarin suitor
#Essexbirding
#ukbirding
#birds

A short afternoon visit to Abberton was fun. Sunshine, warm! 8 Yellow Wagtails, a Common Tern, Little Ringed Plover (LB Causeway), Whitethroat and Nightingale - all FFY for me. Marsh Harrier had a go at some Crows, 3 Med Gull flew across main causeway. Still very high water #essexbirding

Black Tern, Common Sand, Barn Swallow and Sand Martin from Abberton today. #essexbirding

Went for a near on 10 mile pedal powered 🚲 circuit taking the local patch and beyond the other day. Mistle Thrushes, Skylarks and a fresh in Nightingale were noted. Bluebells looked nice in the sunlight too. #essexbirding. #lowcarbonbirding

I have set up a “Save our Essex Swifts!” Facebook group.

www.facebook.com/groups/80184...

I want to raise awareness of this declining species and any initiatives and projects in Essex. If you are interested in following progress, follow the link above and click on “join group” 😊

#essexbirding

Chiffchaff

Chiffchaff

Mistle Thrush with a beakful of worms

Linnet

Highlights from Weald CP today: First 4 Whitethroat, at least 6 House Martin, 2 drake Mandarin, 2 GC Grebe, Little Grebe, Swallow, Chiffchaff Blackcap, Linnet, M. Thrush and Grey Wagtail.

Also in farmland nearby, Sparrowhawk, Skylark and a large flock of Stock Dove.

#essexbirding #patchbirding

Eurasian Spoonbills.

Female European Adder.

Common Nightingale.

Eurasian Sparrowhawk.

A few shots from a couple of North-Essex sites this afternoon! Eurasian Spoonbills, European Adder, Common Nightingale, and Eurasian Sparrowhawk. #Birding #EssexBirding #UKBirding #WildlifePhotography

A raptor fest over my Essex village this morning with Red Kite, two Buzzard pairs displaying and a soaring Sparrowhawk. Clear evidence of successful breeding by a scarce species that I'm discouraged from mentioning #essexbirding

Paired LBB and what looks like the returning (now adult) LBBxHG. Lacks full dark band on P5, which YLG normally shows #Essexbirding

Yellow-legged Gull

Little Ringed Plover

Northern Wheatear

Western Yellow Wagtails

Abberton Reservoir has been pretty good the past 10 days with YL GULL, LRP's, BITTERN, WHEATEARS, RING OUZEL, YELLOW WAGS galore plus NIGHTINGALES and of course, the BONAPARTE'S GULL among others. #BirdsSeenIn2026 #essexbirding #birds #birding #ukbirding @britishnatureguide.bsky.social

Not content with my morning Cuckoo, a Kingfisher flashed under Henny Bridge just after lunch as we took a stroll. A sign that the Stour is clearer for their fishing. FFY #essexbirding

Sitting in bed drinking tea and the distinctive sound of Cuckoo drifts through the misty morning. First of year and I think quite early for us. #essexbirding

Fantastic day yesterday helping to lead a 12 hour @swallowbirding.bsky.social TopSail Barge trip from Maldon. Highlights inc. Common Tern, Whimbrel, Peregrine Falcon, Marsh Harrier, Sanderling, Black & Bar-tailed Godwit, Mediterranean Gulls & Brent Geese Galore!
#essexbirding

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

Excellent day at Abberton Res with 70 species logged for @birdtrack.bsky.social. The 2cy Bonaparte's Gull was brilliant to watch during the day. Really enjoyed watching the Yellow Wagtails in the field behind Billet's Farm - a rare treat these days to see so many.
#EssexBirding

A good afternoon at Abberton Reservoir with 2CY BONAPARTE'S GULL, 2 ARCTIC TERNS, probably 50+ YELLOW WAGTAILS, 7 SPOONBILLS, 40 SAND MARTINS and a COMMON SANDPIPER amongst the highlights. #essexbirding

Bonaparte's Gull still from Billet's Farm screen. Greenshank, Whimbrel, Yellow Wags, Cuckoo over
@birdguides.bsky.social
#essexbirding

10am this morning raced to wig bay Abberton saw the ring Ouzel on arrival, another look at Bonaparte'sGull &saw one of my favourite birds summerAdult little gull,pure white upper wings,black underwings with whiteEdging showingWell,ITFC game,nowNightOfBoxing onNetflix #EssexBirding #Essexbirdnews

2 of the Abberton Res. Spoonbills showed nicely at Layer Breton causeway today. Makes a nice change to actually see them doing something as opposed to sleeping
#essexbirding
#birds
#ukbirding

An excellent house tick this evening with a White Stork flying west along the Crouch over Blue House Farm.
They look almost prehistoric in flight!
#EssexBirding

1st stage of breeding bird survey at Copt Hall then snuck in at Abberton where the Bonaparte’s and Little Gull flew somewhat distantly past Billets. Nice ♂ Ring Ousel nearby (courtesy @greyhairstreak.bsky.social) followed by Spoonbills, not only awake, but busy at Layer Breton
#essexbirding #birds

Abberton has continued to deliver this week. Little Gull and Ring Ouzel from today. Wheatear and Bonapartes Gull yesterday, the latter of which was the first I’ve seen, so that was ace ✅. Thanks to the finders! #essexbirding #birdsseenin2026

View across RSPB Rainham Marshes, looking in the direction of the visitor centre.

First trip to RSPB Rainham Marshes for a while to see the Spotted Redshank but I picked a good day for it, other highlights: 3 Ruff, a Pair of RB Merganser and 4 Common Scoter on the river and Yellow Wagtails on Purfleet Scrape with Swallows and Sand & House Martins.

#essexbirding

1w Bonaparte’s Gull.

Northern Wheatear.

Western Yellow Wagtail.

Bonaparte’s Gull, Wheatear, and Yellow Wagtail from Billets Farm, Abberton, yesterday! #Birding #EssexBirding #UKBirding

Friday 12o'clock Peter Low found a 2cy Bonaparte'sGull seen from Billets screen Abberton it stayed till about 4pm Richard Jeffree took these brilliant photos
#Essex Bird News
#EssexBirding

2cy Bonaparte’s gull, Abberton- found by Peter Low #Essexbirding