Wildlife and Conservation Review of 2001
Typically a feature of cold weather, reports of Waxwings were more widespread and more numerous
than earlier in the winter. However, flocks were very mobile, and the maximum single count was 27
at Fingringhoe. Other hard-weather birds included both Glaucous and Iceland Gulls at Rainham
Marshes, and several Scaup on the inner Thames, while there was a Hooded Crow at Billericay.
Once a regular wintering species in Eastern England, presumably Scandinavian birds, recent years
have seen a sharp drop in numbers, due perhaps to climate change, or maybe a result of the gradual
shift northwards of the intergrade zone with Carrion Crows. More familiar winter visitors, at least
to our coastal marshes, Hen Harriers showed a welcome increase on previous numbers, but Short-
eared Owls remained notably few and far-between. Especially remarkably, they were absent from
Old Hall Marshes, normally a very reliable site.
Reflecting the generally mild preceding months, there was a Common Sandpiper at Abberton
Reservoir, with a further two at Rainham along with 7 Green Sandpipers. The drake Canvasback
remained at Abberton Reservoir from 2000, and other birds of North American origin included a
Black Brant at Wivenhoe, and several Ring-billed Gulls, reported from Westcliff, Abberton,
Colchester Hythe, Essex University and King George V Reservoir. Our now regular wintering
population is in line with several other parts of Britain, a recent increase which lends credence to
the theory that there may now be a small breeding population somewhere this side of the Atlantic.
Still on the bird front, the annual Lee Valley bird race took place on 14th and proved very successful,
attracting more than 3,000 participants. With so many pairs of eyes searching, not surprisingly it
was also successful in locating a number of scarce species among the aggregate total of 99 species,
including Waxwing, Black-necked Grebe, Common Scoter, Black Redstart and Cctti's Warbler.
In the wider conservation sphere 30th January was a most significant date. On this date, many of the
nature conservation provisions of the Countryside & Rights of Way Act 2000 (CRoW Act) came
into force. As reported last year, these represent the most significant piece of conservation
legislation for at least two decades, although it is likely that it will take some time for the legislation
to be invoked and tested in the Courts, and so for its many key provisions to meet their potential.
February saw a return to very wet weather. Early in the month, while Scotland shivered in blizzards,
in the south-east it rained heavily and the floods returned. That is, if they had ever gone: in some
places such as the valley of the Roman River, large tracts of standing water had been a feature for
months. Between the rains it was very mild, and the first few hibernating butterflies put in an
appearance, such as a Red Admiral in Colchester on 7th. Towards the end of the month though, it
turned cold again with a little snow as Arctic air spread across the county.
Waxwing numbers again increased, with peaks of 46 at Childerditch Common and 21 at Pitsea,
while a Great Northern and up to 80 Red-throated Divers were seen off Bradwell. At Rainham,
a second Glaucous Gull joined the long-stayer, and there were good numbers of overwintering
summer migrants - 6 Common Sandpipers and 5 Chiffchaffs. The Canvasback was still at
Abberton, and 3 Red-crested Pochards were seen at Hanningfield Reservoir: funny how the latter
are treated as 'of uncertain origin' while the former, from much further afield (North America as
opposed to Central Europe) is deemed to be a wild bird. There were also some good counts of
species which are currently undergoing a major increase, with up to 18 Little Egrets at Two Tree
Island, 783 Avocets at East Tilbury, and 965 Black-tailed Godwits on the Blackwater.
It was on 20th February that the announcement was made which was to change the face of the year
- the confirmation of FMD in pigs at an abattoir near Brentwood. Stock movement restrictions
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Essex Naturalist (New Series) 19 (2002)