1 of 2 Barn Owl came out again during the brief lull in the rain this evening. Phonescoped from indoors. #EssexBirding

2 of 2 Espied 4 White-fronted Geese on Blue House Farm this evening from my house. No sign of 'my' Short-eared Owl this evening in poor weather but...friend and birder Matt got this cracking photo of it yesterday evening with the Brent in the background - just so evocative 😍 #EssexBirding

/02/26- A good day out with @SwallowBirding.bsky.social in Suffolk. Excellent views of species that included, Woodlark, Dartford Warbler, Red Crossbill, Common Firecrest, Marsh Tit, Bearded Reedling, Water Pipit, Caspian Gull & Greater Scaup + Western Marsh Harriers, were sky dancing.

The 4 Shore Lark showed well in a rare day’s sun at Kessingland, Suffolk on Saturday @suffolkbirdgroup.bsky.social #birds

Nice cold and calm day here on Yell. The sea had frozen and the tide gone out to leave some nice patterns. Bullfinch was new for the year along our road and with Ravens gathering nest material last week and Hoodies defending their empty nests, spring must be close, joke! 😂 #birdingshetland

Atrocious weather for penultimate work party at Ironworks Meadow, Heybridge this morning with rain and sleet and a cold SE. 13 tough souls carried on regardless and removed scrub from reedbed, nest box maintenance, bramble removal and litter picking. A Kingfisher was heard.

Really pleased to connect with Bullfinch and Marsh Tit in Essex today - always find them tricky to get in the county each year. Bonus male Hen Harrier on the way home was nice...😃 #essexbirding

A few photos from around the Maldon patch this week. #Mundon #ironworksmeadow

Maldon patch highlights this week: a Short-eared Owl & 2 Barnacle Geese @ Heybridge Pit on 10th, first moths of 2026 on 10th, 15 Corn Bunting @ Mundon on 12th. Pair of displaying Marsh Harrier yesterday. #essexbirding #BirdsSeenIn2026 #birds #birding #moths @britishnatureguide.bsky.social

We have now got 8 Redpolls coming to our Colchester garden. Here they are still feeding on Stinging Nettle seeds. #essexbirding

Our Redpoll count has gone up to 3 now in our Colchester garden. With the addition of a female today. Here she was pecking around the buds of our Elder tree. Also the males were feeding on Stinging Nettle seeds that I hadn’t cut back yet. #essexbirding

Weather back to normal today, although wind was calmer than the last 3 weeks! A 3rd w/4th cy Glaucous Gull and a flock of 9 wintering Jackdaws in Burravoe, Yell. Tried to get a photo of the Coot but it had done a bunk! 2 of the 34 TD’s showed some signs of Ring necked Duck. #birdingshetland

A wet week on the Maldon patch, - Barnacle Goose (4th), Black Brant (7th - bird seen here previously)and a male Blackcap in the garden the highlights. Also plenty of Kingfisher activity in the rain. #essexbirding #BirdsSeenIn2026 #ukbirds #birds #birding #nature @britishnatureguide.bsky.social

This 'white-headed' GOLDFINCH brightened up a very dreary morning here in Colchester. Noticed it had been ringed, can't be many Goldfinches like this around? @btobirds.bsky.social #essexbirding #BirdsSeenIn2026 #ukbirds #birds #birding #nature @britishnatureguide.bsky.social #ringing

2 Lesser Redpolls enjoying the rain in our Colchester garden again this morning. Plus Blackcap still singing away #essexbirding

I’m enjoying sticking my head out of the bathroom window for the Lesser Redpolls. They are feeding on the new buds on our Elder tree #essexbirding

Well that was unexpected. A first-winter Little Gull seen from my house this afternoon in the murk, feeding on the River Crouch. #EssexBirding

Stunning weather yday for our guided day trip to Tollesbury Wick EWT reserve. Highlights inc 2 GN DIVER, 2 SLAV GREBE, 3 BARN OWL, GT EGRET, RB MERG, MARSH HARRIERS and large no's of wildfowl & waders. #essexbirding #BirdsSeenIn2026 #ukbirds #birds #birding #nature @britishnatureguide.bsky.social

A Purple Sandpiper among the high tide roost at Mersea Island Boating Lake this morning was a good bird here. Also in the area, 32 Med Gulls, Stonechat and 200+ Great Crested Grebes offshore. #EssexBirding

BARNACLE GOOSE, GOLDENEYE, GOOSANDER & WHITE-FRONTED GEESE from Abberton Reservoir on Saturday 31st January 2026. #essexbirding #BirdsSeenIn2026 #ukbirds #birds #birding #nature @britishnatureguide.bsky.social #WorldWetlandsDay2026

Thanks to everyone who attended the joint Winter Birding Day at Fingringhoe Wick with @essexbirdnews.bsky.social Grotty weather but we saw 2 BARN OWLS, HEN HARRIER, waders galore, RB MERGANSERS + lots more! Group pic by @stuttonsparrows.bsky.social #essexbirding #ukbirds #birds #birding #nature

A gloomy start to the day here in our Colchester garden. 1 Lesser Redpoll still around and a sign that spring is not too far away, here’s our male Blackcap singing which it’s been doing since Jan 26th. ( my earliest singing bird ) #essexbirding

Relatively quiet around Heybridge Pit , Maldon this weekend although a Common Sandpiper and a 2cy Mediterranean were the first of the year on the patch. Otherwise, some good numbers of waders about including an Oystercatcher with an unreadable metal ring…

This Lesser Redpoll dropped down into our Colchester garden early this morning. Only my 3rd that has landed here. Also the Firecrest is still visiting our Holly tree. #essexbirding

Great training session in North Essex led by @stuttonsparrows.bsky.social in preparation for the @gwct.org.uk BIG FARMLAND BIRD COUNT which takes place from 6th - 22nd February. Can't wait to get involved! #essexbirding #birding #farmlandbirds #ukbirds #bfbc26

Pleased to catch up with this cracking GLOSSY IBIS at Copt Hall @nationaltrust.org.uk this afternoon as it fed in the damp fields close to the carpark. #essexbirding #BirdsSeenIn2026 #ukbirds #birds #birding #nature @britishnatureguide.bsky.social

Our group enjoyed seeing some great birds at Abberton Res this week including SMEW, 3 TUNDRA BEAN & 26 WF GEESE, BN GREBE, MED GULLS, LESSER & GREATER SCAUP, 3 PEREGRINE, CHIFFCHAFF, GREAT EGRET + more! #essexbirding #BirdsSeenIn2026 #ukbirds #birds #birding #nature @britishnatureguide.bsky.social

'Just' a Barn Owl from the house this evening although two male Yellowhammers also flew in at dusk, and are arguably now scarcer than owls here. #EssexBirding

Hi all. Here at last is my summary of wildlife around Maldon & Heybridge for last Spring & Summer. Many thanks to all who have contributed records & photos! gannetrockbooks.com/spring-and-s...

A few of the local guys seem to have perfected the technique. Scan suitably located sedge/reedbeds at night with thermal imager, locate mouse scurrying up and down reedstems. Shine torch (doesn't seem to disturb the mice) and hopefully get it in the binoculars or 'scope.

Wednesday 28th Jan, dawn walk in a misty & icy Little Baddow woods - no Lesser Spot activity - too cold and damp? Highlight - a calling Hawfinch as I was leaving Fir Tree Wood, west end. A quick walk at Heybridge Pit in the afternoon was quiet although two Foxes were making the most of the weather.

Cracking end to the day with a wonderful STARLING mumuration in Stanway, Colchester this evening! #essexbirding #ukbirds #birds #birding #nature

1pm at Paglesham Eastend, Red breasted goose seems to settled there with 2500 Brent's most the time or if not at wallasea RSPB last few days, had very showy barn owl at wallasea car park & nearby approach road today #EssexBirding #EssexBirdnews

3/ 25th & 26th Jan. Neither day really got light and the SE breeze was bitter. Titchwell on 25th produced Firecrest, Scaup, Barney Geese and Scarlet Elfcap whilst a wander around Holme Dunes on 26th produced a lone Little Gull and a Red-necked Grebe, although the camera struggled in the half light.

2/ 24th Jan. Seawatching at Holme Dunes was hard with just c10 each of Eider & a RB Merganser & 1 Razorbill, although the highlight was a flock of 22 Snow Bunting. PM saw us beneath Hunstanton’s wonderful white & red chalk cliffs - Fulmar were occupying nesting ledges and 27 Red Kite were overhead.

1/ 23rd Jan - A long weekend in N. Norfolk celebrating Carla’s birthday saw us drop in Lynford Arboretum en route - Hawfinch, 8+ Crossbill (some displaying) & 6+ Marsh Tit the highlights. On thru the back lanes saw us find a big flock of 250+ Chaffinch, 100+ Linnet and 2 Brambling near Cockley Cley…

After a bone-chilling 2 hours at Sea Palling, the ICELAND GULL gave itself up and showed rather nicely. A new bird for @esbr-essex.bsky.social #norfolkbirding #BirdsSeenIn2026 #ukbirds #birds #birding #nature @britishnatureguide.bsky.social

The melee of gulls at Sea Palling contained quite a few CASPIAN GULLS adeptly picked out by @debalmer.bsky.social & Pete! #norfolkbirding #BirdsSeenIn2026 #ukbirds #birds #birding #nature @britishnatureguide.bsky.social

There was a nice supporting cast at Sea Palling yesterday as @esbr-essex.bsky.social and I enjoyed seeing MED GULLS, KITTIWAKES, 8+ PURPLE SAND and lots of SANDERLING. #norfolkbirding #BirdsSeenIn2026 #ukbirds #birds #birding #nature @britishnatureguide.bsky.social

Our day concluded at Sheringham with another new bird for @esbr-essex.bsky.social. The EASTERN BLACK REDSTART showed down to 5 ft giving amazing views! #norfolkbirding #BirdsSeenIn2026 #ukbirds #birds #birding #nature @britishnatureguide.bsky.social #rarebirdsuk

A ringtail Hen Harrier was hunting at the bottom of my south Essex garden this afternoon. In panic, much fumbling with my phone meant I nearly missed getting any footage 🙄 They really are such special birds 😍 #EssexBirding

In addition to the Hen Harrier, the two Short-eared Owls were still around the end of my garden too 🦉 #EssexBirding

Phonescope pics of the two Short-eared Owls at the bottom of my garden today 😍 #EssexBirding

Short-eared Owl at the bottom of the garden this afternoon. #EssexBirding

Fabulous day out in NE Norfolk with @esbr-essex.bsky.social yday. Bit late to the party but we had good albeit distant views of the BLACK-WINGED KITE perched and feeding + 4 COMMON CRANE! #norfolkbirding #BirdsSeenIn2026 #ukbirds #birds #birding #nature @britishnatureguide.bsky.social #rarebirdsuk

Lovely morning for the 1st of 4 Farm Surveys in North Essex. Stacks of FIELDFARE, YELLOWHAMMERS, MISTLE THRUSHES, SKYLARKS, 5 ROE DEER and lots more. #essexbirding @stuttonsparrows.bsky.social

Wet and Wild day guiding on Wallasea Island but still saw some great birds inc HEN HARRIER, 3 SPOONBILL, 18 BARNACLE GEESE, 3 SPOTTED RED, GT EGRET, KINGFISHER, GREENSHANK & c1000 BAR-TAILED GODWITS! #essexbirding #BirdsSeenIn2026 #ukbirds #birds #birding #nature @britishnatureguide.bsky.social

A quick look at Abberton this morning produced pair of SMEW off Layer Breton cway plus CATTLE EGRET in fields between causeways and 350+ FIELDFARE over the EWT centre. #essexbirding #essexwildlife #ukbirds @rarebirder.bsky.social

Nice to catch up with this drake MANDARIN DUCK at Lexden Park, Colchester a few days ago. A rather smart bird! #essexbirding #BirdsSeenIn2026 #ukbirds #birds #birding #nature @britishnatureguide.bsky.social