DAVID'S NATURE BLOG

1 MAY 2025 – WEST CANVEY MARSHES and HANNINGFIELD RESERVOIR

This was originally intended to be a trip with just me and Mike, but John was a late addition (having just returned from a couple of days in Weymouth); and he offered to drive. An 8.10 a.m. start from mine, saw us eventually arriving at West Canvey Marshes, Essex within 90 minutes or so - the delay caused by a road traffic accident around Chelmsford.

Mike chose this site as he and his wife Anita have often visited and found it within easy driving distance of home, and is a relatively flat area too, so not an excessively difficult terrain. It comprises a couple of small lakes (or ponds) with smaller ditches and reedy areas, over extensive grasslands, interspersed with hedges (mainly hawthorn and similar bushes).

We made straight-for the nearest hide - but before we got there John spied a distant Cuckoo (which as it didn’t call might have been a female) though we did see a male later on in the morning; and as soon as we were inside, we were accosted by an incredibly loud Magpie-ish ‘noise’ which in fact turned out to be Marsh Frogs in a nearby pond! Investigation revealed many Marsh Frogs, spread out amongst small lilies and similar plants, with some seen to expand their voice sacs as they ‘sang’ . Birds from the hide included a single Little Egret two Little Grebes; a pair of Great Crested Grebes; a Pochard; and some Tufted Duck, but nothing untoward. We then made for the Pantiles - which was a fair distance way and which was another area of water, where different species could be seen including a pair of Black-necked Grebes (in full summer plumage – apparently a pair bred nearby in 2024); a couple of Mediterranean Gulls, along with other common gull species; Common Terns; Lapwings and Avocets (both with young); a male Marsh Harrier; several Black-tailed Godwits; Redshank; Shoveler; a Teal; and a Wigeon. All around, there were sounds of Reed Warblers; Sedge Warblers; a single Garden Warbler (which refused to show itself); and at Redhill (a nearby hillock), a male Corn Bunting. There was a later record of a Garganey, which we only heard about when we were at Hanningfield Reservoir later that afternoon.

Butterflies included several Small Heath; Green-veined Whites; Large and Small Whites; Speckled Woods; a few Peacocks; and Mike had a single Red Admiral. Dragonflies included a Hairy Dragonfly; a probable Four-Spot Chaser, and a Blue-tailed Damselfly, which I missed. We also saw a lovely Brimstone Moth, my second of the week.

I must admit that although progress around the site was relatively easy - being mainly flat grassland - the weather was exceptionally hot, although there was a light S Easterly wind, which was very welcome in the circumstances - I still struggled in the heat, and with my right hip impairment, found it very difficult to keep up with my fellow birdwatchers.

It was around 1.30 p.m. when we made the decision to move on to Hanningfield Reservoir, where we’d heard that at least 10 Black Terns had been seen that morning. It didn’t take long to get there, but a very long walk through the Visitor’ Centre and on to the relevant hide, eventually saw us viewing the said 10 Black Terns constantly moving up and down the reservoir (and what a sight) together with several Common Terns, and a distant Little Gull. There was a couple of Red-Crested Pochard; a lovely Little Egret showing off its plumes to full effect; an Avocet and an Oystercatcher. In the woodland, a male Garden Warbler showed itself briefly, and on a small pond, a male Broad-Bodied Chaser; an Azure Damselfly, and a Large Red Damselfly delighted us still further.