West Canvey Marsh has been the place to be in the last couple of weeks! Stealing the headlines, a juvenile White-rumped Sandpiper was seen on the reservoir on the 18th November. This small North American wader was blown off course across the Atlantic on its migration down the Eastern USA to arrive here in the UK. Other highlights have included small groups of Pink-footed, White-fronted, and Barnacle Geese, all uncommon visitors to the area. Visitors have also been rewarded with great views of Short-eared Owls, with up to three birds seen hunting over the reserve.
Numbers of winter visitors across all our reserves have been on the increase, with spectacular flocks of over 500 Lapwing seen on Vange Marsh, along with peaks of over 300 each of Wigeon and Teal.
White-rumped Sandpiper with Green Sandpiper on West Canvey reservoir
Barnacle Geese over West Canvey
Thanks to Russ Sherriff for the picture of the Barnacle Geese. If you take any photographs on our reserves that you’d like to share with us, we would love to see them. The Gallery already has some fantastic pictures, so why not take a look, or upload some of your own.