RSPB Vange Marsh - 28 April

Spent the morning on the marsh, the first chicks of the year; a pair of canada geese with 8 goslings. A pair of cuckoos showed well on the county tip, three water voles were seen to day, one of which showed well feeding in the moat. A green-veined white butterfly sat still long enough for me to grab a photo.

Other birds seen: Avocet 14, Oystercatcher 2, Common Sandpiper 1, Greenshank 11, Spotted Redshank 1 in summer plumage, Little Egret 2, Grey Heron 9, Blackcap 2, Whitethroat, Lesser Whitethroat, Cetti's Warbler 4, Reed Warbler at least 8 singing, Sedge Warbler at least 5 singing and the female wigeon is still present.

Flock to Wat Tyler Country Park for an early morning wake-up call!

Forget Coldplay or Mozart, the world's finest feathered orchestra strikes up at Wat Tyler Country Park, Pitsea this May.

The RSPB has organised a series of dawn chorus walks around the park, on Sunday 3rd and 17th and Thursday 7th and 21st of the month at 5am.

Blackcaps to blackbirds, woodpeckers to warblers – the two-hour stroll will be entertained by the heady melodies of scores of the UK's finest songsters.

Here are just a few:

• Drummer – the great spotted woodpecker beats out a powerful rhythm using its beak against dead wood.


• Lead singer – forget Robbie Williams or Frank Sinatra, the blackbird is the crooner of the woods, wooing the ladies with a melodious medley of music.
  
• Backing group – the warblers (blackcaps, whitethroats and chiffchaffs) send your senses spiralling with their heady mix of harmonies.

Groupie – the wren bustles about often unable to resist bursting into a frenzy of noise during the performance.

The walks are being held to mark International Dawn Chorus Day on 3rd May, a celebration of birdsong around the world.

All those coming on a walk will also receive a free BBC Breathing Places birdsong CD and a booklet packed with games and information.

For more information and to book call 01268 559158 or visit www.rspb.org.uk. Walks cost £3 per adult and £1.50 for children (RSPB members and Wildlife Explorers receive £1 discount).

Even if you can’t make it along to an event, set your alarm, open your window and let the dawn chorus in.

Images
Whitethroat - Sue Tranter (rspb-images.com)
Blackcap - goierritarra1

RSPB Vange Marsh 25 April 2009

16.40 - 18.30

My first swifts of the year as two flew over heading north, a cuckoo was singing from the western end of the old county tip. Five greenshanks and one green sandpiper along with a single snipe. Four pairs of avocet of which non appeared to be sitting!

A water vole swam across the moat towards me, five individuals were seen in all, the evening seems to be the best time to see them!

Moorhen in the moat

Water voles swims the moat!

View from west bank looking south.

Wat Tyler Country Park 23 April 2009

Lunch time walk in warm sunshine along the perimeter path, speckled woods and orange-tip butterflies were out in force today.

A couple of Bee Flys were also seen Bombylius major. This large, squat hairy fly resembles a small bumble bee. It has long hairy legs, a very long, slender tongue and clear wings with a black band along their front edge. It is usually seen in early spring, hovering around flower borders and it takes an interest in both primroses and violets. The eggs are flicked towards the entrance of solitary bee nests. The larvae are brood parasites in the nests of these bees and will be found where suitable areas for the nests of hosts coincide with woodlands, hedgerows or gardens rich in flowers. Adult flies feed on nectar, using their long proboscises whilst hovering beside a flower. Aubretia is one common garden plant frequently visited.
Food
Parasite: larvae are external parasites of solitary bees such as Andrena species. Adults take nectar from plants such as violets and primroses.

Bee Fly bombylius major

Speckled Wood

Orange Tip male

Whitethroats and blackcaps were singing well as were two nightingales one in the park and the other on the county tip.

Two Tree Island - Sunday 19 April

Arrived just before 8am and was greeted immediately with the 'reeling' song of a grasshopper warbler, it took another 20 minutes to pinpoint where it was singing from!

From the western hide over looking the lagoon, the breeding avocets were very evident with some pairs already sitting, the bird nearest the hide shuffled her position and I counted four eggs.

Still a hundred plus black-tailed godwits, all grouped together and I guess waiting for the tide to recede!

Also seen on the lagoon 5 greenshank, single turnstone and grey plover, ringed plover, oystercatchers and a single whimbrel just over the seawall in the creek.

On the eastern side of the island, a nightingale was sing his heart out, but remained hidden from view in scrub near the feeding area.

Green alkanet is in flower. This perennial is a member of the Boraginaceae Family. Native to south-west France, and the Iberian Peninsula, but is now naturalised throughout the British Isles. Prefers shaded, damp areas. It was brought here for the red dye which can be extracted from the roots, but escaped from cultivation. The leaves are rough and covered with hairs. The lower leaves in the basal rosette have no stalks, but the upper ones on the stems have stalks. The stems can reach up to 75 cm.The bright blue, forget-me-not-like flowers appear from April to July and arise from the upper leaf axils in clusters with two small leaves behind them. They are edible and are sometimes used to decorate salads.

Thursday 23rd April: Thursday walk at Wat Tyler Country Park 10.30am.
Come for a walk each Thursday around Wat Tyler Country Park, discover the wildlife of the park and see the changes that each season brings. Free event, no need to book

fidelity in death

Swallows.
Here his wife is injured and the condition is fatal.
She was hit by a car as she swooped low across the road.

Here he brought her food and attended to her with love and compassion.

He brought her food again but was shocked to find her dead. He tried to move her....a rarely-seen effort for swallows!

Aware that his sweetheart is dead and will never come back to him again...
He cries with adoring love...

He stood beside her, saddened at her death...

Finally aware that she would never return to him...
He stood beside her body with sadness and sorrow.

Millions of people cried after watching this picture in America and Europe and even in India .
It is said that the photographer sold these pictures for a nominal fee to the most famous
newspaper in France .
All copies of that newspaper were sold out on the day these pictures were published.
And many people think animals don't have a brain or feelings?????

RSPB South Essex Marshes Events April

Thursday 2nd April: Thursday wildlife walk at Wat Tyler Country Park 10.30am.
Come for a walk each Thursday around Wat Tyler Country Park, discover the wildlife of the park and see the changes that each season brings. Free event, no need to book

Saturday 4th April: Spring on the Marsh walk RSPB Vange Marsh 10am
Join our monthly walk around the reserve to see how we are creating a place for wildlife and for people too. Guided walks cost 3.00 for adults and 1.50 for children. RSPB members and RSPB Wildlife Explorers receive 1 discount. Booking essential, call 01268 559158. Click here to book on-line for this event.

Saturday 4th - Sunday 19th April: Easter fun! At Wat Tyler Country Park, 10am - 4pm.
Come along to Wat Tyler Country Park this Easter and discover more about birds and eggs. Do you know which bird lays the largest egg or which lays the smallest? As well as the answers to these questions, there will be fun Easter crafts to make and take home. Free admission, small charge for some activities

Monday 6th April: Healthy Living Walk at Wat Tyler Country Park, 12.30.
Come for a brisk 30-minute walk around Wat Tyler Country Park on a regular basis to improve your fitness in peaceful surroundings. Free event, no need to book.

Thursday 9th April: Thursday wildlife walk at Wat Tyler Country Park 10.30am.
Come for a walk each Thursday around Wat Tyler Country Park, discover the wildlife of the park and see the changes that each season brings. Free event, no need to book.

Monday 13th April: Healthy Living Walk at Wat Tyler Country Park, 12.30.
Come for a brisk 30-minute walk around Wat Tyler Country Park on a regular basis to improve your fitness in peaceful surroundings. Free event, no need to book.

Thursday 16th April: Thursday wildlife walk at Wat Tyler Country Park 10.30am.
Come for a walk each Thursday around Wat Tyler Country Park, discover the wildlife of the park and see the changes that each season brings. Free event, no need to book.

Monday 20th April: Healthy Living Walk at Wat Tyler Country Park, 12.30.
Come for a brisk 30-minute walk around Wat Tyler Country Park on a regular basis to improve your fitness in peaceful surroundings. Free event, no need to book.

Thursday 23rd April: Thursday wildlife walk at Wat Tyler Country Park 10.30am.
Come for a walk each Thursday around Wat Tyler Country Park, discover the wildlife of the park and see the changes that each season brings. Free event, no need to book.

Thursday 23rd April: St Georges Day Walk at One Tree Hill Country Park, 2pm
Join us in celebration of Englands wildlife and countryside with a walk around One Tree Hill Country Park. Find out more about our native trees, birds and plants. Guided walks cost 3.00 for adults and 1.50 for children. RSPB members and RSPB Wildlife Explorers receive 1 discount. Booking essential, call 01268 559158. Click here to book on-line for this event.

Saturday 25th April: Spring is in the air! Walk at Holehaven Creek, Canvey, 10am
Experience the excitement of summer visitors arriving in South Essex, such as swallows and martins. Also, say goodbye to the species that spend the winter here, before they depart northwards to their summer residences. Guided walks cost 3.00 for adults and 1.50 for children. RSPB members and RSPB Wildlife Explorers receive 1 discount. Booking essential, call 01268 559158. Click here to book on-line for this event.

Sunday 26th April: Spring is in the air! Walk at Coalhouse Fort, East Tilbury 10am.
Experience the excitement of summer visitors arriving in South Essex, such as swallows and martins. Also, say goodbye to the species that spend the winter here, before they depart northwards to their summer residences. Guided walks cost 3.00 for adults and 1.50 for children. RSPB members and RSPB Wildlife Explorers receive 1 discount. Booking essential, call 01268 559158. Click here to book on-line for this event.

Monday 27th April: Healthy Living Walk at Wat Tyler Country Park, 12.30.Come for a brisk 30-minute walk around Wat Tyler Country Park on a regular basis to improve your fitness in peaceful surroundings. Free event, no need to book.

Thursday 30th April: Spring is in the air! Walk at Wat Tyler Country Park 10am.
Experience the excitement of summer visitors arriving in South Essex, such as swallows and martins. Also, say goodbye to the species that spend the winter here, before they depart northwards to their summer residences. Guided walks cost 3.00 for adults and 1.50 for children. RSPB members and RSPB Wildlife Explorers receive 1 discount. Booking essential, call 01268 559158. Click here to book on-line for this event.

Spring Birdwatching Trips

Birdwatching trips April - May

These informal birdwatching trips cater for all abilities from the complete novice to the more experienced birdwatcher. The group will be kept below twelve in number; the emphasis will be on enjoyment, learning and discovery in a relaxed and friendly environment.

Each trip should provide the best possible range of species plus one or two star birds!

Saturday 4 April - The Brecks, Norfolk
Saturday 18 April - Rutland Water
Saturday 9 May - Minsmere
Saturday 23 May - North Norfolk

If you would like an itinerary or more information email alan.shearman1@btinternet.com