The Birds of Essex Parks
The wood-pasture aspect of Essex parks seems to have attracted a particular group of birds. The
fourteen species listed below regularly feature in records from Essex Parks (all dates included):
Great Spotted Woodpecker Redstart
Green Woodpecker Spotted Flycatcher
Hawfinch Stock Dove
Jackdaw Tawny Owl
Lesser Spotted Woodpecker Treecreeper
Nightingale Tree Pipit
Nuthatch Wood Warbler
Crossbills, probably since the introduction of many Conifers to Essex parks since the 19th century,
are also notable. Two surprising results from the literature search were the number of Ravens
recorded (some breeding) in Essex parks in the 19th century (it is now extinct in the county) and the
lack of specific records of Wryneck from Essex parks - it has been stated to be a parkland species,
but most of the records I have come across seem to be from large gardens. Tree Sparrow and Red-
backed Shrike also do not seem to figure highly in park records.
An arbitrary selection of some of the rarer birds is given below, along with a list of seven of the
typical parkland species, togethcr with the parks they were recorded at. Lastly, a list of a few of the
many escaped exotics that have turned-up in Essex parks is included. The bird list in Section II
Hylands Park gives a good indication of the more regularly recorded Essex parkland species.
References:
Christy, R.M. (1890) The Birds of Essex. Essex Field Club.
Cox. S.(1984) A new Guide to the Birds of Essex. (EBWPS).
Glegg, W.E. (1929) A History of the Birds of Essex. London.
Taylor, M.P. (1965) The Bird Life of Weald Park (1962 - 1965) in Essex Bird Report 1965 p.
51-55 (EBWPS)
Uncommon Birds -A selection from Essex Parks
Bee-eater Thorndon (1979)
Bittern Lawford Hall (1901)
Marks Hall (1885)
Black-necked Grebe Debden Park (1881)
Wanstead Park (1981)
Black Tern Wanstead Park (1926)
Common Buzzard Shortgrove (1881)
Gilwell Park (1924)
Corn Bunting Thorndon (1978)
Dagnam Park (1962)
Essex Parks: Section 1 - Parks in Essex
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