Wildlife and Conservation Review of 2000
amount of rain. Coupled with tidal surges, this brought many of our rivers into flood.
While the adverse weather conditions did not seem to affect certain migrant birds too much -
Blackcaps and Whitethroats were in good time and good numbers - those from the far south of
Africa, such as Cuckoo, House Martin and Swift, were noticeably held up. The main arrival of
Willow Warblers was around the 9th, and Swallows not until the fourth week. Nightingales too
were a couple of weeks late, but by the month's end, numbers were well up to scratch, including
some 30 singing males at Fingringhoe Wick, reinforcing the findings of last year's survey.
Other bird news in April was dominated by potential firsts for Essex. A Booted Eagle was seen at
Tilbury and Ockenden, having previously been seen over the Thames in Kent. This bird may have
been the same as one which toured the south-west of Britain and Ireland for much of the previous
year, a first for both countries. Then there was a second-year Franklin's Gull at Thamesmead,
possibly the same bird as seen previously at Cheddar and Bristol. Typical April Mediterranean
overshoots included a Serin at Colne Point and a Red-footed Falcon seen from a boat three miles
off Walton. And the rarer grebes were also much in evidence, with a pair of Black-necked at
Abberton, raising breeding hopes, Red-necked at Walthamstow Reservoir and seven Slavonian off
Fingringhoe Wick. Hanningfield Reservoir logged five species of grebe during the month, along
with three Red-crested Pochards, albeit tainted by the statement 'of unknown origin'.
Fuelling the links between industry and wildlife, exchem organics received a 'Nature of Industry'
award for their work in maintaining and enhancing the special interest of their Bramble Island site
in the Walton Backwaters, due in no small part to the voluntary activities of then employees. This
was further recognised later in the year by the presentation of an English Nature SSSI award. So
too should the successes of conservation bodies be congratulated, even though that is their primary
purpose: EWT completed the fencing of Shadwell Wood, thus excluding Fallow Deer for the first
time in 25 years, with immediate effect. The Oxlips flowered well, along with Early Purple Orchids,
while later in the summer, Common Spotted-orchids bloomed in profusion, and Pyramidal Orchid
was discovered new to the site. And all because of the reduction in wild grazing pressure; whether
the successes will be sustained if grasses start to gain dominance remains to be seen.
Moving into May, the unsettled weather continued, as cool and cloudy conditions gave way at the
end of the month to thunderstorms and torrential rain. Clacton, for example, was on the receiving
end of around 100mm between 27th and 29th, leading to renewed flooding in many places. Some
breeding birds suffered considerably as a result, especially Great and Blue Tits, though conversely
Blackbirds and Song Thrushes seemed to be doing rather well, perhaps due to the ready availability
of mud for their nests, and snails and worms for food. Likewise, the common spring butterflies
were reasonably abundant, perhaps reflecting the mild March weather, and Heath Fritillaries showed
an early emergence from 25th. There was also a trickle of immigrant Painted Ladies, although far
fewer than we might have expected from their reported abundance on the Continent: flight and
dispersal conditions were simply not good enough.
As always there were a few more notable breeding or potentially breeding records of birds during
May. Marsh Harriers were showing suggestively at two sites in north Essex, while Black-tailed
Godwits, Montagu's Harriers and Cetti's Warblers behaved likewise at one site each.
Mediterranean Gulls in Hamford Water were up to three pairs, although two chicks were killed by
torrential rain, and there was a very welcome suggestion of increased numbers of Grasshopper
Warblers along the Thames, from Wat Tyler Country Park to Rainham.
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Essex Naturalist (New Series) 18 (2001)