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ss15birder.bsky.social
SS15 (Basildon) Essex-based birder passionate about all wildlife, nature and the environment. Long-standing member and supporter of Essex Birdwatching Society, Essex Wildlife Trust, RSPB, WWT, Badger Trust, Woodland Trust and World Land Trust.
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When I wrote my blog post yesterday regarding my Hawfinch sightings in Laindon, I said …. “Given that I have no photos of my own of Hawfinch anywhere ….” I was wrong! …. I completely forgot the photos of Hawfinches that I took in Slovenia in May 2024! What a bird 😀 #essexbirding

submitted 4 days ago • 2 comments

Also, first site record of Cormorant in 2025 with 2 fly-over birds, single Common Buzzard, 2 Sparrowhawks, 2 Redwings, 2 Green Woodpeckers, 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 2 Red Foxes and a “barking” Reeves’ Muntjac. (2/2) #essexbirding

submitted 5 days ago • 0 comments

Visit to my St. Nicholas Church local patch this morning. “Patch gold” 😀 …. 2 HAWFINCHES 😀 First Essex/UK record for 2025 and, of course, first site record. Sadly, no photos given fleeting flight views of calling birds. (1/2) ss15wildlifewatching.blogspot.com/2025/02/visi... #essexbirding

submitted 5 days ago • 1 comment

Arlesford highlights: Brambling 10+, Yellowhammer 20+, Reed Bunting 20+, Corn Bunting 1, Linnet 50+, Chaffinch 200+, Goldfinch 10+, Skylark 20+, Sparrowhawk 1, Kestrel 1, Stock Dove 2, Lapwing 2, Golden Plover c.25 Mallard male and female, Reeves' Muntjac 1 #essexbirding

submitted 8 days ago • 0 comments

Arlesford .... large wintering finch/bunting flock. Thank you @esbr-essex.bsky.social for the map/directions 👍 Spectacular sight and sound plus 5 year ticks - Brambling, Yellowhammer, Corn Bunting, Reed Bunting, Linnet 😊 ss15wildlifewatching.blogspot.com/2025/02/trip... #essexbirding More >>>

submitted 8 days ago • 0 comments

More from EWT Warley Place .... #essexbirding

submitted 8 days ago • 0 comments

Visit to EWT Warley Place, Brentwood on Tuesday. At least 2 Nuthatches, 1 or 2 Coal Tits, G/S Woodpecker and Common Buzzard both heard plus usual expected woodland birds. (1/2) ss15wildlifewatching.blogspot.com/2025/02/trip... #essexbirding

submitted 8 days ago • 0 comments

Come on folks, let's try and clean up our wildlife and nature sites in Essex. Maybe start with your local patches. www.essexwt.org.uk/get-involved... #essexbirding

submitted 10 days ago • 0 comments

Just in case anyone needs a simple warbler ID guide 🤣 #essexbirding

submitted 12 days ago • 0 comments

Just in case anyone needs a simple warbler ID guide 🤣 #essexbirds

submitted 12 days ago • 0 comments

For those of you who are familiar with J.A. Baker’s “The Peregrine”, and who maybe visited the exhibition at Chelmsford Museum last year, you may find this video interesting …. www.youtube.com/watch?v=-9iS... #essexbirding

submitted 12 days ago • 0 comments

More from Shoeburyness East Beach yesterday. #essexbirding

submitted 13 days ago • 0 comments

Trip to Shoeburyness East Beach yesterday. Oystercatcher (at least 1000), Dunlin (at least 300), Turnstone (at least 50), Common Redshank (at least 50), Sanderling (c.10), Curlew (1), Dark-bellied Brent Goose (c.100), Cormorant (2) ss15wildlifewatching.blogspot.com/2025/02/trip... #essexbirding

submitted 13 days ago • 1 comment

Please support the WWT campaign to ban toxic lead ammunition which is so damaging to our wildlife and especially water birds. Petition >>> act.wwt.org.uk/page/160992/... Enjoy the video …. funny but with a serous message >>> x.com/WWTworldwide... #essexbirding

submitted 15 days ago • 0 comments

Visit to Coombe Wood/Hall Wood, Langdon Hills today. 5 new for 2025: Nuthatch 2, Treecreeper 1, Coal Tit 1, Stock Dove 4, R/N Parakeet c.15. No LSW but 4 G/S and 3 Green Woodpeckers. Also 4 Goldcrests and usual expected woodland birds. ss15wildlifewatching.blogspot.com/2025/02/trip... #essexbirding

submitted 16 days ago • 0 comments

Very brief visit to my St. Nicholas Church local patch this morning. First 2025 site record of Common Buzzard (single bird). Also 1 Redwing, 4 Green Woodpeckers, still at least 200 Woodpigeons plus a Red Fox and a Reeves’ Muntjac. ss15wildlifewatching.blogspot.com/2025/02/visi... #essexbirding

submitted 22 days ago • 0 comments

Visit to my Noak Bridge NR local patch this morning. Singing Song Thrushes very evident (at least 3 males). Moorhen and Grey Squirrel added to the site year list. Red Fox, Reeves’ Muntjac and 2 male Mallards all seen at Meadow Pond. ss15wildlifewatching.blogspot.com/2025/02/visi... #essexbirding

submitted 23 days ago • 0 comments

More from a beautiful sunny and frosty Gloucester Park this morning .... #essexbirding

submitted 26 days ago • 0 comments

Rare visit to Basildon's Gloucester Park close to home this morning. First site records of single G/C Grebe (summer plumage!) and single Little Grebe plus Grey Heron, Cormorants and other water birds. ss15wildlifewatching.blogspot.com/2025/02/visi... #essexbirding

submitted 26 days ago • 0 comments

Another citizen science project well worth contributing to. House Sparrow Project …. www.essexwt.org.uk/house-sparro... Data collection to monitor the populations of species is so important, not least to understand the causes of decline of species such as House Sparrow. #essexbirding

submitted 27 days ago • 0 comments

A few more from yesterday at www.essexwt.org.uk/nature-reser... #essexbirding

submitted 28 days ago • 0 comments

A few more from yesterday at www.essexwt.org.uk/nature-reser... #essexbirding

submitted 28 days ago • 0 comments

Visit to www.essexwt.org.uk/nature-reser... yesterday morning for the high tide "waderfest". 10 species of waders, most notably huge flock of Knot, large numbers of Wigeon, Teal and D/B Brent Geese, very confiding female Kestrel and exceptional views of a hunting Barn Owl. #essexbirding

submitted 28 days ago • 2 comments

Visit to my St. Nicholas Church local patch this morning. Quiet apart from single Redwing and Jackdaw over and calling Green and G/S Woodpeckers …. plus at least 200 Woodpigeons congregating in tree tops (very high number for here) ss15wildlifewatching.blogspot.com/2025/01/visi... #essexbirding

submitted 29 days ago • 0 comments

First signs of the approaching spring on my local patch yesterday too .... Hazel catkins and Snowdrops #essexbirding

submitted 33 days ago • 0 comments

Visit to my St. Nicholas Church local patch yesterday morning. Highlights: c.20 Redwings, first Sparrowhawk and Goldcrest of the year, G/S Woodpecker, Green Woodpecker, Chaffinch, 2 Red Foxes plus first Reeves’ Muntjac of the year. ss15wildlifewatching.blogspot.com/2025/01/visi... #essexbirding

submitted 33 days ago • 0 comments

For those that are not aware, this was announced on 15th January >>> www.rspb.org.uk/whats-happen... Brilliant news 😊 .... habitat expansion 😊 .... although even further to walk 🤣 #essexbirding

submitted 40 days ago • 0 comments

Top work! www.theguardian.com/environment/... This was discussed on a recent @essexbirdnews.bsky.social “Birds of Essex” show with a guest appearance from the RSPB’s @stuttonsparrows.bsky.social #essexbirding

submitted 49 days ago • 0 comments

If anyone thought this disgusting behaviour had gone away …. www.theguardian.com/environment/... You may recall this in Essex at the end of last November …. www.echo-news.co.uk/news/2475738... #essexbirding

submitted 49 days ago • 0 comments

Visit to my St. Nicholas Church local patch this morning. 2025 site list up to 17 species .... it’s a marathon, not a sprint 😀 Highlights: c.20 Redwings, 6 G/S Woodpeckers, Green Woodpecker, Chaffinch plus first Red Fox of the year. ss15wildlifewatching.blogspot.com/2025/01/visi... #essexbirding

submitted 50 days ago • 1 comment

Plus over the bridge “on the other side” …. Dungeness … L/T Duck, G/N Diver, W/F Goose Elmley … at least 5 S/E Owls, L/E Owl, Barn Owl, Marsh Harrier, Common Buzzard (3/3)

submitted 53 days ago • 0 comments

Abberton Res ... B/T Diver, B/N and Slavonian Grebes, Bewick’s Swan, Goosander, Spoonbill, Great White Egret, Green Sandpiper, Peregrine, Common Buzzard, Rock Pipit Copt Hall .... S/E Owl, Marsh Harrier, Common Buzzard, Kingfisher Hanningfield Res ... Velvet Scoter and Goosander (2/3) #essexbirding

submitted 53 days ago • 1 comment

NYD was a washout and 2/1 provided just 11 species on my local patch. But 3/1 to 5/1 was excellent! Year list has stormed up to a more respectable 82 with 65 in Essex (1/3) #essexbirding

submitted 53 days ago • 0 comments

Happy New Year to all Essex birders even if it is a bit windy/rainy to kick off our year lists! I am straining to spot birds through the rain lashing against my flat windows 😨 My 2024 year end summary …. some of it includes Essex #essexbirding 😃 ss15wildlifewatching.blogspot.com/2025/01/2024...

submitted 58 days ago • 0 comments