Richard Chew

Visit to St. Nicholas Church local patch site in Laindon yesterday. Stonechat (50th species for 2025 and 70th all time), Common Buzzard, Grey Heron, Goldcrest, Redwing, Green and G/S Woodpeckers, Reeves’ Muntjac

#essexbirding

ss15wildlifewatching.blogspot.com/2025/10/visi...

"Rooks having own Conference Season" 🤣🤣 .... and I bet their Leader's speech made sense 🤣

St. Nicholas Church local patch site. Very quiet for birds this summer but exceptional for butterflies. But today, my first site record of Red Kite! Plus Common Buzzard, Sparrowhawk, Chiffchaff, Blackcap, Green Woodpecker, Muntjac

ss15wildlifewatching.blogspot.com/2025/08/visi...

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‘Brownfields can be rich habitats’: the abandoned oil refinery where wildlife now thrives Conservationists say Canvey Wick in Essex shows potential for brownfield sites as havens for nature

RPSB Canvey Wick >>>

www.theguardian.com/environment/...

markavery.info/2025/08/09/c...

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Hi Joe. I have received your new book which I have just started reading. After reading the excellent "Bird Therapy" and meeting you at Birdfair a few years ago, I am very much looking forward this latest book from you.

YouTube video by RSPB Landscapes of the future - how we're helping wetlands withstand the climate crisis | RSPB

RSPB Vange Marshes, RSPB Bowers Marsh and RSPB Wallasea Island featured in this video >>>

www.youtube.com/watch?v=m6KG...

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Well, that's an amazing "first"! A very difficult bird to hear let alone see!

Today is International Dawn Chorus Day.

I set my alarm for stupid o’clock and left home at 4 a.m. for a walk around my St. Nicholas Church local patch site.

13 species recorded, most notably the usual male Lesser Whitethroat plus at least 8 singing males of both Blackcap and Chiffchaff.

My first 5 Swifts of the year "screaming" past Basildon railway station at 12:00 whilst waiting for my delayed train. I wouldn't have seen them if the train had been on time. Thank you c2c!

#essexbirding

Visit to my St. Nicholas Church local patch yesterday. Lesser Whitethroat, 5 each of Chiffchaff/Blackcap, Green and G/S Woodpecker plus first Wall, Holly Blue, Orange Tip, Peacock, Red Admiral and Speckled Wood of the year at the site.
ss15wildlifewatching.blogspot.com/2025/04/visi...
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Record breaking bird found in Norfolk One of the oldest Oystercatcher bird recorded in the UK was found in Norfolk earlier this year.

www.edp24.co.uk/news/2511306... …. 40+ year old Oystercatchers!

This further demonstrates the value of ringing (such as that undertaken regularly by x.com/SouthEssexRG) and projects such as Nightingale tracking supported and sponsored by @essexbirdnews.bsky.social

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Lovely! I knew one of them would step forward to the microphone 🤣 About the time you were recording this, I was listening to a constantly singing male at Westleton Heath and managed to get a brief view. Plenty of other birds singing too including Dartford Warbler, Woodlark and Yellowhammer 😊

It is always exciting when you get a "lifer" 😊 I have seen Dotterel several times in the UK but not since 2019 so if I get to see these birds it will almost be a "lifer" re-visited!

Red-necked Phalaropes too 😊

Link to my report in my previous post. Good luck!

Trip away from SS15 – RSPB Canvey Wick, Canvey Island, Essex – 22nd April 2025 A blog to provide records of wildlife sightings and photographs from sites in the SS15 postcode area of Basildon in Essex.

Hi David. If you can, get yourself down to RSPB Canvey Wick. The Nightingales will be falling over themselves to get in front of the microphone 🤣 11 singing males on Wednesday plus loads of other singing summer migrants
ss15wildlifewatching.blogspot.com/2025/04/trip...

…. 5 Cetti's Warbler, 4 Marsh Harrier, 4 Mediterranean Gull, 1 Little Egret, 2 Egyptian Goose, 1 Green Woodpecker plus loads of common residents 2/2

#essexbirding
ss15wildlifewatching.blogspot.com/2025/04/trip...

Superb spring/summer migrant festival at RSPB Canvey Wick yesterday: 1 Cuckoo, 11 Nightingale, 9 Lesser Whitethroat, 22 Common Whitethroat, 8 Blackcap, 12 Chiffchaff, 4 Reed Warbler, 1 Sedge Warbler, 4 Swallow plus >>> 1/2

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Very quiet visit to my St. Nicholas Church local patch this morning but singing male Lesser Whitethroat again seen after first record on BCBW Sunday plus 7 Chiffchaffs, 1 Blackcap, Sparrowhawk, Green and “drumming” G/S Woodpecker.

ss15wildlifewatching.blogspot.com/2025/04/visi...
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So if I can get Garden Warbler on a walk to Asda, I wonder what a trip to Waitrose would produce 🤣

Butterfly season has also arrived at Noak Bridge NR …. 2 each of Orange Tip, Speckled Wood, Green-veined White, Small White
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Visit to my Noak Bridge NR local patch yesterday. 10 Chiffchaffs, 6 Blackcaps, 1 each G/S and Green Woodpecker, 1 Stock Dove, Moorhen pair plus 4 juveniles
ss15wildlifewatching.blogspot.com/2025/04/visi...
#essexbirding 1/2

Even a short walk to Asda has its birding opportunities 😊

My first Garden Warbler of the year. Unfortunately, I didn’t see it but the much more rapid and continuous song compared to Blackcap was diagnostic …. and Merlin agreed 😊

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Coastguard called after ‘penguin’ spotted on Yorkshire beach A coastguard team leapt in to action after reports from concerned members of the public that a 'penguin' had turned up on a beach in Yorkshire.

www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/people/...

At least in Essex we have a lot of knowledgeable and experienced birders 😊 …. unless someone wants to quietly share that they have “penguin” on their Essex list 🤣🤣

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Well done Matt! I have never cracked a hirundine shot other than those that politely pose in non-flight.

This reminds me of going to watch football many years ago 🤣

I agree .... but this is Matt we are talking about 🤣

"Grumbly Blackcaps" 🤣🤣

I found this too .... the local House Sparrows became a figment of my imagination when they heard about the EWT survey 🤣 It must be so good to have your own nesting Swallows 😊

Was the cherry and almond slice a FFY too Dave? If not, some good birds 😀