Canvey and Vange

Canvey Point

July 21st


I decided on a brief visit to the Point as it turned out rather cloudy early a.m at a Peregrine site, photos were never going to be decent so I headed for the Point and arrived at 9.00am.
Harry was already there and although there was not a lot of movement as yet being too early in the year, we did get a few ‘good’ birds.
Best of the lot was a Little Tern seen @9.58am but we also had 5 Whimbrel, 5 Mediterranean Gulls, a single Sandwich Tern and 184 Curlew Kent to Essex. Photos below are basically just record shots.

1st winter Mediterranean Gull

A rather distant Little Tern

There were also 2 Dark Bellied Brent Geese seen distantly which must be summering over towards Two Tree Island.
Heaps of Commic Terns were following the dredging ship out in the deep water channel and they must have numbered 70 odd birds+ 2 or 3 Med Gulls.
A good visit so I left around 10.30am and headed for Vange Marshes, I was on a bit of a tight schedule so decided on a quick dash to the Reserve via home.



Vange Marshes

On the walk out there it seemed that the grass was alive with Small/Essex Skippers, Marbled Whites and Meadow Browns. Marbled White is still a rarity in the Ingrebourne Valley and as yet I have still not seen one there.
It seemed I had timed it spot on as there were a good number of Waders present with high tide more or less near its peak. Birds recorded were as follows

Curlew 11
Greenshank 3
Black Tailed Godwit 25
Common Sandpiper 2
Spotted Redshank 6
Redshank 12
Bearded Tit – 1 or 2 birds pinging
Green Sandpiper 2
Avocet 17
Ringed Plover 8

A very impressive list of waders, adding to that good numbers of Lapwing, just a pity that they are all so distant. I was also told of a Little Gull that was present but could not locate it but very pleased with just the waders alone, all in all a very good morning.

A good selection of Waders