#indoorstoomuch

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Looking foward to the gull ID day with Martin Garner & Domonic Mitchell. Looks like we could (if we are lucky) have access to the tip. As such i have had to buy a Hard Hat, Steel Toe Capped Boots & High Viz Vest - job done thanks to Army & Navy, £24 all in.

Essex Bird Watching: First days birding in a while and good news i managed to add 3 to my year list and 2 to the life list,: Life: Little Grebe & Kingfisher The Kingfisher was seen after leaving the woodland zone and starting along the Ancient Tree Boardwalk abd the Little Grebe was seen (single but numerous heard) in the main ditch / brook running along the Marshland Discovery Zone. Year 2011: Common Gull Common Gulls were numerous today being seen along the Thames, Butts Hide waters and Target Pools Common Gull Kingfisher Little Grebe  However i missed the Water Rails yet again even though 3 had been seen that morning probably half hour before i arrived. :(

Its a Trilogy! He's back, the hulk of a gull has been seen over at the tip again near Rainham Marshes RSPB and also moving to the pools on Wennington Marsh 100 odd yards away along Cold Harbour Lane. 4 - 5 confirmed viewings this afternoon. Remember access can be obtained via parking in the RSPB main car park and walking along the cycle track to the tip. When you reach the split in cycle track bear right. NOTE: car park closes at 5.30pm

Essex Bird Watching: Just a quick extra for the year list - popped over to my parents for lunch and ticked a Blackcap for the year Blackcap

Essex Bird Watching: After arriving at Rainham RSPB yesterday for 8.45am, i had 3 birds in mind for the day, Kingfisher, Water Rail & Penduline Tits all of witch i should be able to get good views from the Northern Boardwalk. Initially i spent half hour or so on the Thames, ticking; Skylark, Shelduck, Black Headed Gull, Reed Bunting, some distant Dunlin. I took the Woodland walk at a fair pace eager to got on my main 3 for the morning. And after spending the slowest walk ever along the Northrn Boardwalk i saw numerous wrens and glances over at Avely Flash pools permitted the usual sights with a nice little group of 4 Snipe, which is a first for me as i have only ever seen as individuals. As for the other 3, nothing i didnt even hear them. So headed back home and made a cup of tea and whilst looking in the garden a beautiful little Goldcrest poped into the Tree just outside the window on our rear lawn, no more than 3 foot away. It hoped around in the branches for about 10m...

Something i had forgotten about until i looked up Penduline Tits, was as i was finishing my walk along the Thames back to the RSPB center i flushed two small (finch sized / smaller) birds over the wall into the reserve. The only ID i managed was a black & white / grey & white tail - but not a Pied Wagtail as the tail was a lot shorter (plus the flight pattern was different). In the center i discussed this with 2 of staff and we had a plough through their Collins, we came to no conclusions but after looking at the PT just now, the tail markings seem to fit. In addition i have managed to find a flight pattern which fits as well. O well, i will ot count it as i cannot be certain, so lets hope they are still there at the weekend.

Essex Bird Watching: Well RSPB Rainhan's main man Howard Vaughan has posted to say he managed to also the tits over at Rainham yesterday albeit briefly, so fingers crossed they patiently wait there for me until Saturday :)

Essex Bird Watching: My copy of BWPi v2.0 has just turned up from Bird Guides - lets hope its worth the pennies!

 News Just in - Penduline Tits at Rainham Marshes again, these birds were there when i started in october but i missed them, in fact they were there on our very first visit to Rainham. And here i am like many of you at work and unable to get there.... Free Licensed Photo - Not Bird Seen Today News Received From RBA

Essex Bird Watching: Life List now at 87 Year List 2011 now at 70 So whats my target for the year, well i want to take my year list to 150, so another 80 which in turn takes my life list to 167 Thats not me really!

The MEGA class Slaty Backed Gull has now been seen a further 2 times in seperate locations, firstly earlier in the week at the Pitsea Landfill SIte and now as i understand it the last sighting was today at Hnningfield Resevoir about 5.5 miles from Chelmsford

Managed to get out yesterday morning and firstly managed to beat my species count for one day and secondly realised i need a new scope :) I got to Rainham by default as i was on my way to Elmley Marshes on  the Isle of Sheppy for something different, however as i approached the M25 it was queing due to an accident and this was 2 junctions back from the QE2 bridge over to Kent and it was only 8.30am. Quick change in exits and i headed for the tip for some Gull watching. Gulls are an area i love but to be honest i need a lot of practise. Got to the tip for 8.45am and spent an hour watching them, i seem to be able now to pick the adult (usual species) (Herring, LBB, GBB & BHG) birds out quite well but as for 1W, 2W etc, its not going to well. In addition this is where i realised i needed another scope, the gulls were sited to the back of the tip and i couldnt really get a good view of the markings for ID's. So i headed to the RSPB center. Upon arrival at the center i took a ...

BirdLife and its Partners have announced the start of Spring Alive 2011: a European-wide project that invites families with young children to communicate their first personal observations of migratory birds arriving near their home.