7
PENGY MILL RUBBISH TIP
Pengy Mill rubbish tip lies to the south-western side of Chignal St. James. The tip was
once part of the redland aggregates complex of gravel pits which dominates much of the
landscape in the area.
The rubbish tip during the winter months attracts hundreds of gulls who gorge themselves
within the rubbish. All year round, hundreds of Rook and Jackdaw feed on the rubbish
along with a large flock of Starlings.
The gulls 1 have recorded so far at this pit during the winter months include hundreds of
Black-headed Gull, hundreds of Common Gull, double-figure counts of Lesser Black-
backed Gull and dozens of Great Black-backed Gull. Glaucous Gull has been recorded
along with the odd Mediterranean Gull.
Between the lorry loads of rubbish dumper trucks, the gulls 'loaf on the surrounding
fields or bath in the local water-filled gravel pit.
Geoffrey Wilkinson (16)
A REMARKABLE EXAMPLE OF BIODIVERSITY:
aculeate Hymenoptera in the East Thames Corridor
There is little doubt that the remarkably rich and nationally important fauna found in
south Essex and north Kent within about ten km of the river in the East Thames Corridor
constitutes a unique resource of biodiversity in this country. A total of 318 species of
aculeate Hymenoptera are now recorded from the East Thames Corridor in south Essex.
This is 95% of the Essex fauna and 53% of the national fauna and includes numerous Red
Data Book and Nationally Scarce species. In Thurrock alone more than 295 species of
bees, wasps and ants have been recorded in the Essex part of the two grid squares TQ57
and TQ67. This is 88% of the county fauna and 49% of the total British aculeate fauna, a
very remarkable total indeed all contained within a total area of about one 10km square!
Recent evidence suggests a similar biodiversity survives in the Colchester area around the
Colne estuary and the Medway valley in north Kent. The Blackwater, Crouch and Stour
river valleys in Essex also have important sites albeit to a lesser degree.
The rich biodiversity seems to be due to a unique combination of climatic, physical and
ecological factors. South and east Essex has the lowest rainfall and is one of the warmest
parts of the country. Average winter temperatures are several degrees colder than those of
Essex Field Club Newsletter No. 29, Mayl999