High rainfall, storm surges and high winds have been big news across the country recently and despite some of our other reserves in East Anglia suffering from the weather, (particularly the storm surge) the South Essex reserves have held up well, although there is plenty of water for the kids to go splashing in…

It is a credit to the reserves we manage here that they can cope with so much water. In many ways they…

Last week saw the release of the RSPB’s Annual State of the UK's Birds report  with some worrying results. With declines as large as 95% since the 1970’s for some species we could all be forgiven for thinking there is very little hope in saving some of these species, but here in South Essex, and indeed across the rest of the UK we aren’t giving up!

Overwintering Pochard are a species that have declined…

Marsh Harriers by Ben Hall (rspb-images.com)

Marsh harriers have been showing well recently with several birds in the area, both males and females being spotted. Bowers Marsh is a great place to see them, as is the hide in Wat Tyler Country Park overlooking Pitsea Scrape, where fly-bys are regularly seen. A single scaup is still using the reserves, mainly moving between Pitsea Scrape and the reservoir at West Canvey…

The approach and onset of Autumn brings with it great splashes of colour as the leaves change from greens to a blaze of reds, oranges, yellows and so many mixtures of shades in-between. Along with this change of colour come changes in wildlife as it needs to prepare itself for winter.

What a rich area of activity this could provide for children’s events around the half-term break. So, with Essex Library Service looking…

The opening of Bowers Marsh was celebrated with the arrival of four spoonbill, giving great views on the edge of the main freshwater lagoon. A juvenile glossy ibis has also been popping in and out of Bowers Marsh and has also been seen flying over Vange Marsh. The ibis has been quite mobile, although is still being seen occasionally on Bowers Marsh, so keep your eyes peeled!

Spoonbill by Dave Gonning

Winter wader…

Reasonable weather for much of this period kept some of our summer visitors hanging around and we still had Chiffchaff and Blackcap in the garden well into October. Goldfinches have started feeding on the Teasel heads in front of the Visitor Centre window giving good views.

Butterflies were also active with Speckled Wood, Red Admiral and Gatekeeper seen. At the end of October we found a Peacock butterfly hibernating…

On Thursday evening I was invited by the National Trust to attend a screening of Project Wild Thing at the Anglia Ruskin University as part of the Chelmsford Ideas Festival. I was also invited to participate as a panel member in some discussion afterwards about the film and how we can work to reconnect children and nature. Connecting children to nature is a subject close to my heart and one reason I work for a charity…

Bowers Marsh is opening to the public this Saturday, our newest addition to the South Essex reserves. Thanks to funding from Essex County Council, Veolia Ltd, Veolia North Thames Trust, Parklands South Essex and the Homes and Communities Agency, around 260ha of wetland habitats have been created, with saline and freshwater lagoons, scrapes, ditches, reedbed and areas of wet grassland. Several km of new paths have also…

On a recent visit to Stanford Wharf Nature Reserve we noticed something amazing – water voles have colonised the reserve! These secretive creatures had been previously un-recorded on the site, but our survey showed they are aplenty, with more than 25 feeding stations, around the same number of latrines and at least 4 burrows along the ditch.

 Since the 1970s water voles have suffered a 90% decline, with only around…

August was quite a dry warm month in Essex, although, a bit to our surprise, there were still some lovely areas lying wet. This combined with the warm weather made it a good spell for dragonflies and damselflies. We normally let the water levels evaporate naturally as well as allowing our wind pumps on Bowers Marsh and West Canvey Marshes to help lower the water levels in the reservoir. This water is pumped out and keeps…

As the summer comes to an end, now is a great time to get out and look for passage birds on their migrations back south. Across our reserves we carefully manage water levels to ensure there is plenty of mud for passage waders to stock up on food for their long journeys. Vange Marsh is especially good this time of year with a wide variety of waders, recent maximum counts include up to 180 black-tailed godwit, 20 greenshank…

Spring sort of passed us by at South Essex, one minute it was chilly the next we were in a heat wave! Thus, water levels on site have been dropping dramatically across the South Essex reserves. This is partly deliberate as we aim to dry out certain sites such as Vange Marsh by the autumn. This will allow us to get some machinery on to the lagoon area and cut as much of the Club rush as possible. This will produce the…

Woohoo! The Big Wild Sleepout is nearly here and we are mega excited about being able to sleepout on one of our nature reserves. It's a rare opportunity for the staff and volunteers of RSPB South Essex to see West Canvey Marsh at night time and even better that we get the chance to share the experience with the public.

Anywhere you are, the darkness of night always casts a different light on things making the familiar…

July has been a busy month for the South Essex Wildlife Garden volunteers with weeding galore as the plants begin to shoot up and create a wild jungle for us to try and tame. At least a little anyway.

The bird feeders have been well visited as always despite there being ample natural food sources available at this time of the year. Around 13 species are regular visitors including Jay, Great-spotted Woodpecker and Goldfinch…

The reserves have been pulling in some good birds recently; a female summer plumage red-necked phalarope stayed a morning on Vange Marsh, and a male white-spotted bluethroat was seen briefly from the hide overlooking Pitsea Scrape.

Red-necked Phalarope by Chris Gormesall (rspb-images.com)

Other highlights across the reserves include both a little gull and a yellow-legged gull which have been seen regularly on Vange…

1. Grow nectar and pollen-rich flowers as food for bees, butterflies and moths. If you don't have a garden then a window box will be just as good. Leave the dead stems of flowers in the autumn to provide a safe-haven to over-winter in

Crocus by Richard Stanley

2. Build a log-pile - Dead wood is incredibly important for all sorts of creepy crawlies including the very special stag beetle, whose larva feed on dead…

In case you’ve missed it the RSPB are asking everyone to get involved and build nature a home where you live. Here in South Essex we are lucky enough to have an amazing team of wildlife volunteers who have built some fantastic homes for wildlife in the RSPB South Essex Wildlife Garden. We have everything from birdboxes to bug hotels, to ponds for frogs and woodpiles for hibernating reptiles. If you want to find out more…

In their wisdom South Essex Marshes RSPB have invited me to write some articles about moths.  Hopefully in the future I will keep you informed (and possibly entertained) by letting you know what is being found in my Southend garden moth trap. However, to stop this being too boring I also hope to include some pretty pictures and other moth related stuff. However so far this year  not  to put  too fine a point on it  moth  t…

The first wader chicks of the year have started to appear, on Pitsea Scrape avocet and lapwing chicks can now be seen out on the islands, very cute indeed! Also keep a look out for marsh harrier and cuckoo, they can regularly be seen flying over the scrape.

Avocet on nest with chick - Uncredited

Elsewhere on the reserves, there is still lots to be seen and heard, listen out for corn buntings on West Canvey Marshes…

The Essex Birdwatching Society has been nominated for a ‘HEART of ESSEX 2013’ award for their conservation work with Turtle Doves If they get enough votes they could be in for a share of the £8000 prize money on offer!

Turtle Doves are a beautiful little bird, just about the size of a blackbird. They are Britain’s only migratory dove, arriving on their Essex breeding grounds in late April/early May…

Canvey Island Wildlife Fair is nearly hear and we can't wait!!

Come and join us and Canvey Town Council this Saturday on our reserve West Canvey Marsh for a fantastic fun filled day full of wildlife. With exhibitors from Buglife to Southend Dormouse Group to Essex Wildlife Trust, minibeast hunting for all the family and wildlife walks run by Wildlife celebrity guest Mike Dilger from the BBC TV’s The One Show there…

**** THE DEADLINE HAS BEEN EXTENDED!!!*****

We have had some wonderful entries into this years photographic competition and as a result have decided to extend the deadline to Wednesday 22nd May so even more of you can join in. So send us your photos!! We can't wait to see them!

In the lead up to Canvey Wildlife Day on 25th May, we are organising a free entry photography competition with the theme of ‘Wildlife of Canvey…

The breeding season is well under way, the first ducklings and goslings can be seen diligently following their parents around out on the lagoons across the reserves. The air is filled with Skylarks, Whitethroats, Reed warblers and other small birds defending their territories, flitting around catching insects and finding food, it’s a great time to get out and enjoy the sights and sounds of spring.

Reed Warbler…

 My alarm goes off at 4am. I desperately want to turn it off. Then suddenly I remember why it's set so early. I can already hear the twitter and chatter of birds waking up outside and I start to get excited. This morning I'm getting up and getting out to listen to one of the most amazing sounds in the world. It beats any musical talent hands or should I say wings down! Yep, I'm getting up to listen to the Dawn Chorus.…

Spring has well and truly sprung across our reserves with lots of wildlife to see and hear. As the summer migrants arrive, the reedbed at Vange Marsh is starting to come alive with Reed warblers, while Swallows, Sand martins and House martins all swoop over the main lagoon catching insects.

Reed Warbler by David Lee

Visitors to West Canvey Marshes have been greeted by singing Skylarks marking their territories. Butterflies…