cannot be much further in the future that this species will once again be regarded as an
Essex breeder (last known in about 1870). Essex with its patchwork of ancient woods,
forests and old parks with interspersed farmland would seem to be ideal habitat. Kites
will feed on a variety of prey items including rabbits, rodents, young birds, invertebrates
and carrion. I would hope as has happened in other areas that the trapping and shooting
of these birds would be minimal, with a greater understanding of their behaviour. However
apparently they will take poisoned rodents and this ultimately poisons the adult birds.
Another sizeable bird of prey that has re-colonised the county is the Common Buzzard.
Another marvellous sight soaring over woods and fields giving its plaintive mewing call
it was absent from the county as a breeding species for over a hundred years but possibly
as many as 15 pairs now breed in the county. Essex parkland sites seem to have made a
major contribution to its breeding success. Two other birds I never dreamt I would see
happily established on the Essex coast are Avocet and Little Egret. The first is now a not
uncommon breeding species with over 150 breeding pairs having been reported and
winter flocks of over a thousand birds being noted in the Thames estuary at East Tilbury.
The Little Egret is now a common sight on the coastal margin of Essex we even get a
few winter sightings in the Boreham area on the fields and ditches near the Chelmer and
Blackwater. It is a recent colonist and is really a 21s' century Essex bird, having really
only been noted since 2000. It was the wholesale killing of this species for its then
fashionable plumes that led to the formation of the RSPB in 1889. The British population
is thought to have derived from colonies in Brittany first breeding at Poole Harbour in
Dorset in 1996 and then Essex in 2000, there are now known to be several hundred birds
in the county.
With the return of all these well known 'flagship' species one thought for the future of
birds in Essex is whether it would be possible (or even desirable?) to re-introduce the
Raven as a breeding species to the county. It was a local breeding species in the county
in the 19th century nesting often in huge elm trees particularly at parkland sites and in
coastal areas but like many corvids it was relentlessly pursued and persecuted, becoming
extinct as a breeding species and now only noted as a rare vagrant to the county. As a
footnote though, the little zoo (Tropical Wings) at South Woodham Ferrers actually has
a breeding pair of Ravens in its collection.
My last observation is on the Hummingbird Hawkmoth. This lovely little moth has now
been a regular visitor to my garden for probably at least 4 or 5 years now, delicately
sipping nectar from the abundant Red (and white and pink) valerian. It is entrancing to
watch as it hovers at the flowers, and having only seen it once in my youth (at St. Austell,
Cornwall) it is wonderful to be able to record it as a regular feature in my garden. I have
also been able to note it at many other places in the county.
Essex Field Club Newsletter No. 51, September 2006
9