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Rainham, along with both races/species of
yellow-legged gull.
In mid-Novembcr, anticyclonic conditions
really set in, producing some lovely clear
days, but foggy and frosty nights - frosts were
recorded on nine successive nights at one
stage, and triggered some hard weather
movements, especially of lapwings. This
cooler spell lasted until the middle of
December, when once again mild, wet and
windy weather set in for Christinas. Overall,
the year had proved to be warmer than
average, indeed the eighth warmest this
century, although not quite so warm as 1997.
Rainfall totals were well above average, and
groundwater supplies were more-or-less fully
replenished, in marked contrast to the droughts
of the early 1990s.
One of the features of the early winter period
was a record-breaking influx of shore larks to
the eastern coasts of Britain, and Essex
received its share of that influx. During
November, groups of up to 35 were seen
around the Colne Estuary, and in December,
counts of 60 and 64 came from Bathside Bay
(Stour Estuary) and Foulness respectively.
Other records were broken by the number of
avocets wintering in the county. The
traditional Hamford Water group was down a
little at around 400 birds, but 100 in the Colne
Estuary. 151 at Foulness and 530 at East
Tilbury were ample compensation. At the
latter site, a third lesser yellowlegs record for
1998 lingered from late December into 1999.
Offshore, it was a good period for divers: up
to three great northern were in the Salcott
Channel (Blackwater Estuary) with two off
Southend Pier, while up to 40 red-throated
and 4 black-throated were seen off Canvey.
Other bird highlights included a long-staying
Dartford warbler al East Tilbury and a
second, on New Year's Eve, at Colne Point; a
hoopoe which spent almost two weeks in mid-
December on Mersea Island; and relatively
large numbers of overwintering black
redstarts and firecrests - all of which may be
yet another reflection of the generally mild
winter, and an indication of what we may
come to expect as the world warms up.
So too may we start to see more of typically
tropical marine life. Coming hard on the heels
of a green turtle at Foulness in 1997, another
huge sea turtle was spotted in the Thames in
late October. After being mortally wounded by
a ship's propeller, it eventually came to rest a
month later at Aveley. It was identified as a
male leatherback turtle, more than 2 metres
long and weighing at least 250kg. This
species, the largest sea turtle, is normally
found in warm, tropical seas, but it does
follow the Gulf Stream north in summer in
pursuit of jellyfish. It is increasingly believed
that small numbers are regular visitors to the
west coast, but North Sea records remain rare.
Finally, the longest-running conservation saga
in Essex - the proposed development (i.e.
destruction) of a significant part of Rainham
Marsh - was a feature throughout 1998, and at
the year end was no nearer resolution. It is to
be hoped that future reports will be able to
report some success in defending this last
large tract of wild London.
Essex Naturalist (New Series) 16 (1999)