03/03/2015 Birding in Essex on the North Thames at Coalhouse Fort and Concrete Barges

Tuesday 3rd March 2015
North Thames



Coalhouse Fort
I finally got to the North Thames site, at Coalhouse Fort, where Paul took the group last year to show them some of the birds he observed during his many surveys there. Unfortunately I was away at the time and so missed the trip.  The target bird, as before, was the Avocet with Paul having, more often than not, recorded numbers in excess of 1000 in his surveys.
 

• Today was no exception and we were privileged to see 1250+ Avocets on the muddy shore as the tide came in and by high tide they started flying around in formation.  The Avocet is such a lovely bird in it's own right so the sight of 1250+ all flying around against a backdrop of several large container ships passing by was truly unforgettable.  I have never seen such a display before - indeed I have never ever seen such a large gathering.

Avocets on the River Thames
Library pictures

• When I tell you the Dunlin outnumbered the Avocets at least 2 to 1 then you begin to realise what an exciting place this is.  Their aerial display was similar to watching a murmeration of Starlings -  truly mind boggling.

Dunlins on the Thames
Library picture

• The third most numerous species on view today was the Grey Plover with 400-500 seen, near the Avocets and mixed in with the Dunlin. 

• I was able to see Bar-tailed Godwits for the first time this year with 12+ showing quite well amongst the thousands of birds on the reserve.

Concrete Barges
We then transferred to Concrete Barges, another strategic wartime site, where we saw 12+ Redshanks huddled together on one of the barges but conditions were not suitable to find the Caspian Gull that was our primary target.  95% of the gulls were on the nearby landfill site and continuously flying around in search of food making it nigh on impossible to pick out our target gull.


A cracking experience with thousands of birds present, 2 new species for my year list and a couple of new venues visited.



Additions to BUBO 2015 UK Bird List:
Avocet   (172)
Bar-tailed Godwit   (173)


Today's species list:
Avocet
Bar-tailed Godwit
Black-headed Gull
Blackbird
Buzzard
Carrion Crow
Chaffinch
Common Gull
Coot
Cormorant   (10)
Corn Bunting
Curlew
Dunlin
Dunnock
Gadwall
Goldfinch
Great Tit
Green Woodpecker
Grey Heron
Grey Plover    (20)
Herring Gull
Kestrel
Little Egret
Little Grebe
Magpie
Mallard
Meadow Pipit
Mistle Thrush
Moorhen
Oystercatcher
Pied Wagtail   (30)
Pochard
Redshank
Redwing
Reed Bunting
Ringed Plover
Robin
Rock Pipit
Shelduck
Skylark
Song Thrush   (40)
Starling
Stock Dove
Stonechat
Teal
Wigeon
Woodpigeon
Wren