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ISSUE NO. 124 | SUMMER/AUTUMN 2014 | £5.00 ESSEXBIRDING BIRTHDAY6 EDITION 5 th • Birds of Prey Conference & Wildlife Exhibition update • The Scillies • Future Birdwatching at Abberton • Tollesbury Wick • Coloured rings on BH Gulls • Over at Vange Marsh • Belfairs EWT • Gujarat, India www.ebws.org.uk Registered Charity Number 1142734 EDITORIAL LESLEY COLLINS So, our first issue is out and we are still here! It was a more from Paul for a future edition. great moment seeing our efforts actually in print for We went on holiday early in May, staying with the first time, and our first feedback was a lovely relatives in North Cyprus for the first time, and of compliment; ‘the effort that you both have put into course we managed to book a couple of days with a the magazine certainly shows, keep up the good local guide to do some bird watching! We saw plenty work’. So we will endeavour to do just that. We will of birds, including 21 new ones for us, and my also ensure our contact details are actually listed in relatives enjoyed joining us and learning more about this issue, so that you can let us have any comments the birds they have been watching since they moved or thoughts! out there; maybe I will write our trip up for a future After reading my question asking about your edition of Essex Birding and share it with you. I favourite Essex places to watch birds, I had a message always enjoy reading where others have travelled, so to contact a lovely lady now living in Norfolk. She sent I hope you too enjoy reading about Louise & John’s me a wonderful piece written about her favourite trip to India and John & Diana’s to the Scilly Isles. If place - Tollesbury Wick, I really enjoyed reading it, you have been on an interesting trip why not write and hope you do too, thank you Eileen. about it, email or post it to us, and let us share it. Did you attend the Birds of Prey Conference in We also attended the first Norfolk Bird Fair in May. March? If you did then you too will have enjoyed a very There were a variety of stands to view, plenty of good day with some excellent speakers, a tasty lunch optics to try out and some really good lectures. It was and some great raffle prizes. Were you the lucky one a great venue, held over 2 days and they were very to purchase Richard Allen’s superb watercolour from lucky with the weather. Unfortunately foot fall was our issue 123 cover, unfortunately we were outbid. We not as good as expected and they will be lucky to received some great feedback both on the day and, as break even. There was also a lack of volunteers you will see further in this issue, by email afterwards, which resulted in Rob spending a week in hospital to which made all the hard work worth it. There is an recover. They are planning next year’s event already update by Gerry inside and the article by Richard and I hope that it will fare better for them and that it Stanley, a Kestrel box at Wat Tyler, which will become an annual event for years to come. unfortunately we could not manage to fit into the last Our Society celebrates its 65th birthday at the time edition. I love to see Kestrel’s when we are out and this edition will be going out, and so we thought it about, and try to make sure I record these for the would be interesting to read through the first printed Hawk Conservancy Trust at www.kestrelcount.org. We journal and see what has changed. Our aims and have also included a short article from the Essex goals remain the same and we have selected a few County Ornithological Club Massachusetts (ECOC) of sections to be been reprinted in this issue, we hope their 1st American Kestrel nest success 2013, a you enjoy reading them. We are always looking for topical connection from across the water. ways to encourage new members, and this next year EBwS is not only Indoor meetings and Field trips; it we will be concentrating on a recruitment drive. If you is also Recording and Conservation. The Society has have any ideas of ways forward for the Society that recently donated some money to the North Thames would also encourage new members, then please let Gull Group towards their coloured ringing Black- us know. We get out when we can with our headed Gulls, and Paul Roper has sent through a very membership stand, but any ideas of events for us to interesting report on some of this work. I normally attend in the future would be welcome. leave the ‘facts and figures’ articles for Steve, but I found I really enjoyed reading this and hope we get Happy Birthday Essex Birdwatching Society FACEBOOK As some you may know we have recently re-launched our Facebook page, it is now updated every day with news, photographs, and sightings. Please take a look on Facebook, type EBwS in the search and that should take you there. Please tick on ‘Like this Page’ and also share any interesting articles on your own timeline, this will help us reach a wider audience. We welcome all comments on the page, and in particular would like any photographs you have taken. If you have any queries of what the bird is, post it up and we will try and help. WEBSITE We are also trying to keep the website updated with some administration access and the help of Paul Griggs. Please post photos and sightings on there and we will choose the photo of the month. There are regular updates on ‘The Society – Society News’ page and next season’s meetings are now listed. 2 SUMMER/AUTUMN 2014 Editorial Belfairs Woodland Centre Lesley Collins..............................................2 Greg Borgartz............................................21 Chairman’s Watchpoint Pioneers in Ornithology Gerry Johnson ............................................4 John Sykes ................................................22 News & Information............................5 Wildlife of Gujarat ‘Birds of Prey’ Conference Louise and John Sykes ......................22-25 & Wildlife Exhibition Recent Indoor Meetings Gerry Johnson ........................................6-7 Gerry Johnson ..........................................28 A Kestrel Box at Wat Tyler Recent Outdoor Meetings..............30 Country Park Meetings Programme: Richard Stanley ..........................................8 Summer/Autumn 2014 ..............35 Compliments and Comments Recent Reports & Bird News ......36 following BOP Conference ..........8 Abberton Reservoir Birding in the Scilly Isles David Wimpress ......................................36 John & Diana Camp..............................9-11 Blue House Farm Food for Though article Graham Smith ........................................40 follow up............................................11 Foulness Future Birdwatching at Dr. Chris Lewis ........................................42 Abberton Reservoir Hanningfield Reservoir Gerry Johnson ..........................................12 David Acfield ............................................43 The Osprey Langdon Hills & Thameside Tony Boniface ..........................................12 Nature Park Analysis of Colour Ringed Andrew Cox ..............................................44 Black-headed Gulls from Metropolitan Area Pitsea Landfill Site Essex Howard Vaughan......................................47 Paul Roper ................................................13 Mersea Island 1st American Kestrel Steve Entwistle ........................................48 Nest Success 2013 North-East Essex Essex County Ornithological Club..........15 Dr. Simon Cox ..........................................50 CONTENTS Tollesbury Wick Rainham Marshes RSPB Reserve Eileen Mclernon ......................................16 Howard Vaughan......................................51 EBwS Archivist Southend Area Terry Jeffreys ............................................16 Paul Baker ................................................52 Over at Vange Marsh Wat Tyler Reserve and Terry Jeffreys ......................................17-20 Vange Marshes Steve Baines Updates Andrew Cox ..............................................56 Steve Collins ............................................20 Please note that opinions expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect those of the Society, Trustees, Officers or Executive Committee. Printer Healeys Print Group, Unit 10, The Sterling Complex, Farthing Road, Ipswich, Suffolk IP1 5AP Tel: (01473) 461122 Fax: (01473) 464154 email: [email protected] www.healeys-printers.co.uk Publisher The Essex Birdwatching Society Front Cover illustration: Black-headed Gull by Sam Shippey Society logo: Barge and Brent skien by Richard Hull Editor details: Steve & Lesley Collins, 37 Springham Drive, Colchester, CO4 5FN Tel: 07733 003048 (after 7pm) Email: [email protected] 3 Leighs, the Chignall areas. If you think that you know of any sites that may be suitable HAIRMAN’ please let Secretary Louise and John Sykes WATCHPOINT know such that arrangements can be made C S to have them surveyed, permission obtained BY GERRY JOHNSON – CHAIRMAN from the landowner or farmer and then have nest boxes erected in time for next season. Following our success in 2013 the Society The ‘Birds of Prey’ Conference & Wildlife again nominated and has been short-listed for Exhibition held at the Writtle College’s the ‘Heart of Essex 2014’ awards to help further with Northumberland Lecture Theatre, on 22nd March this Kestrel conservation for even more nest boxes. was well supported by over 100 members and guests. Details of how to vote were on the website, on social The excellent speakers, covering many different media and