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Successful Fund Raising Coffee Morning Held

01st May 2008

The South East Essex RSPB Local Group held their twice yearly Coffee Morning and Sale on Tuesday 22 April at the WI Hall, Rochford. As the weather was fine, it was nice to see old customers-and new- once again.

The morning raised £348. So on behalf of the Group, a big thank you to everyone who purchased items Our next Coffee morning and Plant Sale will be same venue on Tuesday 14th October.

Peter D Hirst
on behalf of the Committee

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Essex's 2008 Big Garden Birdwatch Results

26th March 2008

The results of this year’s RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch in Essex puts the starling in top place with an average of 5.13 per garden. In second place is the house sparrow, on 4.24 per garden, followed by the collared dove in third place at 2.60. Essex’s Big Garden Birdwatch 2008 has recorded a continued decline in our most common birds, but there is little change in the top ten species.

More than 15,000 people from Essex conducted the RSPB’s annual survey across 8,000 gardens on 26 and 27 January. Comparing this year’s results with those from previous years gives a snapshot of how birds are faring in the county.

"What these figures tell us is that Essex has a remarkable range of garden birds with more than 30 different species found. But,” warns RSPB Community Project Manager Fiona Hazelton. "We are concerned at the continuing fall in the number of starlings and house sparrows. These are our most common birds but they’re vanishing, mostly as a result of a lack of food and shelter."

The answer lies in managing gardens for wildlife. Growing plants that provide both food and shelter for wildlife would help, as well as putting up nestboxes and providing drinking water.

"Having birds flit past your windows and insects buzzing round your flowerbeds is what it’s all about," says Fiona. "Waking up to the dawn chorus raises the spirits and I find watching wildlife incredibly relaxing after a day’s work. Gardening for wildlife is rewarding when you see the results of your labours, it’s also a good physical workout and you can grow your own food."

For further information, please contact:
Fiona Hazelton, South Essex Community Project Manager
01268 559158 fiona.hazelton@rspb.org.uk

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Children Open a New Green Gateway in the Gateway

14th November 2007

Children from Basildon will officially open a new nature reserve at the heart of the Thames Gateway on Monday 19 November.

The opening of the 4.5 hectare site at Vange Marsh, an extension to the existing RSPB site, is an important development for a number of reasons. The site could have been sold on the open market. However, English Partnerships recognised that the land was much more valuable to local communities as a nature reserve and ‘gifted’ the site to the Land Restoration Trust. Moreover, English Partnerships have provided an endowment of £500,000 to provide for the future management of the nature reserve.

The Land Restoration Trust will work in partnership the RSPB to ensure the local community benefits from the space. The nature reserve is already being used as an education resource by the RSPB, with local scout groups, schools and colleges finding out about the wildlife that lives there.

The move has also been backed by Basildon Renaissance Partnership and Basildon District Council. Photocall: Children from nearby Pitsea Junior School will be visiting RSPB Vange Marsh on Monday 19 November to learn about local wildlife and find out first hand what’s involved in managing a wetland nature reserve. At 10.45 am, delegates from English Partnerships and the Land Restoration Trust will join the RSPB at Wat Tyler Country Park, Pitsea to officially open the nature reserve and promote its use as a resource for the local community. The press are invited to join the delegates.

Euan Hall, Chief Executive of the Trust, comments, “Access to open space has been shown to improve health and social cohesion as well as benefiting the environment. The new nature reserve is the key that opens access to a much wider network of open spaces, comprising Vange Marsh, West Canvey Marshes and Wat Tyler Country Park”.

Dave Hedges, the RSPB’s site manager for Vange Marsh, states, “The nature reserve attracts a range of wildlife including the rare water vole, great crested newt and declining bearded tit. Management will ensure that wildlife thrives and new access improvements will help people make better use of their local environment.”

The site will be part of the South Essex Greengrid, an exciting long-term project to encourage the development of a network of open spaces and green links throughout the Thames Gateway in South Essex.

Jonathan Martin, English Partnerships Area Director said, “I’m really pleased that English Partnerships has been able to secure this long-term future for Vange Marsh. The inclusion of this site into the South Essex Greengrid will make a significant impact on an area much wider than the site itself. English Partnerships are confident that the partnership established between the Land Restoration Trust and the RSPB will ensure the community has the best possible access to this important natural environment”.

For further information and an interview contact Dave Hedges, South Essex sites manager – 07834 257784
Photographs of Vange Marsh and its important wildlife can be emailed, please contact david.hedges@rspb.org.uk

• The RSPB’s Vange Marsh reserve, totalling 25 ha (63 acres), was announced in December 2005. The new extension is vital for new access and management of water levels.
• Vange Marsh is part of the RSPB’s South Essex Project to create a large wetland nature reserve accessible to people and full of wildlife. The RSPB is working closely with Basildon District Council, Basildon Renaissance Partnership and the Thames Gateway South Essex Partnership. The nature reserve is on a 150-year lease from the Council and the RSPB’s newly formed community team is based at the Council’s Wat Tyler Country Park, which already receives 260,000 visits a year. An exciting range of RSPB activities is being run throughout South Essex this winter; the events programme is available by calling 01268 559158.
• More information about Vange Marsh can be found on the RSPB website www.rspb.org.uk.
• The RSPB's South Essex project is supported by the Veolia ES Cleanaway Pitsea Marshes Trust, the East of England Development Agency and the Thames Gateway Growth Fund.
• The Land Restoration Trust, a company established by English Partnerships, Groundwork, the Environment Agency and the Forestry Commission, will improve the environment and quality of life for communities by providing long-term sustainable management of public spaces across England. Within 10 years it will acquire, own and manage 10,000 hectares of previously derelict and under-used land, to deliver environmentally informed, community-led regeneration. For further information please contact deborahholmwood@landrestorationtrust.org.uk or tel 01942 644779.
• English Partnerships is the government’s national regeneration agency delivering high quality, sustainable growth in England. We do this by developing our portfolio of strategic projects and acting as the government’s advisor on brownfield land. We also ensure that surplus public sector assets are used to support wider government objectives, especially those contained in the Sustainable Communities Plan. English Partnerships helps create communities where people can afford to live and want to live. Information on projects and programmes can be found at www.englishpartnerships.co.uk.
• English Partnerships and the Housing Corporation are working with the Department for Communities and Local Government to establish the proposed new national housing and regeneration agency.

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Local Wildlife Enthusiast Achieves Lifetime Ambition

06th November 2007

The RSPB team in south Essex has a new addition. Local man Marc Outten, from Great Wakering, is the new warden for nature reserves in Vange and Canvey.

Marc, 35, has been a keen naturalist since childhood and has been walking the Essex countryside, sporting a pair of binoculars, since the age of five. A recent graduate from Writtle College, he has always wanted to be a warden for the RSPB. However, the position became available before the college course ended. Marc explains "I had to go for the job as it was too good an opportunity to pass up. Although I still had two and a half months of college left but I was determined to work for the RSPB as it has been a lifetime ambition to do so".

Now that Marc has gained his BSc in Conservation and the Environment, he aims to enjoy his burgeoning career. He says, "I have long been aware of the important work the RSPB does for protecting and conserving the natural environment and wildlife. To be working for the charity in my local area is amazing. The warden’s role is a varied one. The working day is never dull with duties ranging from species monitoring and habitat management through to leading guided walks and giving presentations"’.

The RSPB currently manages 350 hectares of marshland in South Essex. At Vange and West Canvey marshes, the RSPB is creating an environment that is important for wildlife and birds. This will give people in the local area the chance to witness the spectacle that nature can offer and enjoy the freedom of walking in the open countryside.

Marc leads a guided walk on Vange Marsh on the first Saturday of every month. The walk aims to give a greater understanding of the work the RSPB is doing in the area along with showingthe wildlife seen on the reserve. For further details or an events leaflet, please contact the RSPB South Essex office on 01268 559158.

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Wallasea Island Wild Coast Project - A Proposal for the UK’s Largest Coastal Restoration Project

08th October 2007

The RSPB has reached an agreement with Wallasea Farms, the current landowners, to purchase 769 ha of farmland. However, this purchase will only go ahead if, over the next two years, we can secure the necessary consents, and attract the funding required to achieve our vision.

Support from local people, businesses, authorities, and Government Agencies is critical for us to be able to achieve these consents and to secure the funding we need. And that’s why we’re contacting people now, to begin the consultation on the future of Wallasea Island.

Our vision

Our vision is to restore the landscape on Wallasea Island to a habitat that existed over 400 years ago, before the landscape was altered to be put to agricultural use.

This will create 320 hectares of mudflats, 160 hectares of saltmarsh, 96 hectares of shallow saline lagoons, 64 hectares of brackish grazing marsh and 129 hectares of pasture fields. If we’re able to do this, we’ll have created a very large, accessible, wildlife rich area of the coast that would be enjoyed by local people and visitors alike.

We think the best way of achieving this is a method known as “tidal exchange”. This would enable saltwater from adjacent estuaries to be brought onto the Island by pipes or culverts through the existing sea walls, in a carefully managed and controlled way. This would allow us to leave the sea walls in place, and would create a shallow water landscape of marsh, islands, lagoons and creeks. The water would be between 400mm (15 inches) and 600mm (23 inches) deep, rising and falling with the tide.

Wallasea was originally five separate islands, and we believe these ancient divisions can be recreated by a series of low earth walls, each area having its own water control structure to allow limited quantities of water onto and off the site with each tide.

It’s important to emphasise that the developed area of Wallasea to the west of the island will not be affected, and will be protected from flooding by the existing sea walls.

Why do we want to do this?

There are several reasons why we are seeking to develop this scheme for Wallasea Island. We’re excited about the size of the project, and the enormous opportunity that it currently presents. Quite simply, this will be the largest coastal wetland restoration project ever undertaken in the UK.

However, there are other reasons that make the case for restoration even more compelling:

• The proposed wetland would restore a lost and forgotten heritage landscape, recreating a natural environment that was present throughout South Essex hundreds of years ago.
• We can secure the future of Wallasea Island through the project. It is unlikely that it would have been sustainable to continue to farm the land, as rising sea levels threaten the viability of the sea walls.
• Our plans would help defend the rest of Wallasea Island and the surrounding coastline from predicted rises in sea levels. At present, the majority of the island lies below sea level at high tide. It is our intention to raise land levels by the excavation of existing fields, tidal silt deposition from the seawater, and possibly the import of dredgings.
• The benefits for wildlife are predicted to be immense. The new wetland will provide habitat for thousands of birds to nest and feed alongside areas that saltwater fish such as bass, herring and flounder can use as a nursery. These habitats are threatened in other parts of the region, so are greatly in demand.
• The project will also make significant contributions to national biodiversity targets.
• Importantly, we intend to create areas of public access that could be visited and enjoyed by local people, as well as attracting visitors to the area.

In summary, this long term project would help this part of the coast adjust to rising sea levels, at the same time as providing an attractive, accessible area of coastal marshes for local people, and for local wildlife.

The next steps

Our vision is of a project that works side-by-side with existing plans for the area. The RSPB is going to spend the next two years organising specialist studies to ensure that the proposed wetland will not only provide a sustainable long term solution for Wallasea Island, but will also assist with providing improved flood defence to the developed section of the island.

There will be no changes to the landscape of Wallasea Island until this period of planning and research is complete.

Running alongside this planning stage will be an extensive amount of public consultation, which people and their communities will be invited to participate in. We will be actively seeking views, and help and support in developing this project. Where it is possible and fits with the objectives of the project, we will also seek to build into the design any ideas for what people would like to see on the site.

We are already working with some interest groups in the area. For instance, the RSPB has developed a close relationship with Wallasea Farms, and in recent years we’ve managed land on the farm, and provided advice on farmland wildlife.

The Environment Agency has, through it’s Roach and Crouch Flood Management Strategy, already indicated that it’s preferred option is to realign the sea walls on the majority agricultural section of Wallasea by 2054, whilst continuing to maintain the sea walls that protect the developed western section of the island. The RSPB will work closely with the Environment Agency in developing this strategy.

How can you get involved?

If you would like to get involved in this process, or require more information, please contact me at the above address and telephone number or by email to mark.dixon@rspb.org.uk.

A project of this scale will need considerable help and support to realise the vision. If you like the idea of this project, and would like to contribute to it financially, we would be delighted to receive your support. Please contact me to discuss this further. We estimate that it will cost around £500,000 to take this project through the feasibility, design and fundraising stage. As a charity, we rely on the support and goodwill of members of the public to turn our plans into reality.

Having managed the existing Defra scheme on Wallasea Island, which you may already be aware of, I am confident that this project can be just as successful. I am now working full time for the RSPB on secondment from the Environment Agency to develop these proposals, and I look forward to meeting people and groups soon as part of this process.

Our vision for Wallasea lsland is to turn the blank canvas of arable farmland into a rich mosaic of
habitats with approximately 320 ha of mudflats, 160 ha of saltmarsh, 96 ha shallow saline
lagoons, 64 ha of brackish grazing marsh and 129 ha of pasture.

To assist with the Environmental Impact Assessment that eventually will inform the planning permission decision, we are asking people to contact Mark by email or letter with their comments and hopefully their support. There may be members of the public and non government organisations that would object to the project, and we have to counter with support as we apply for the licences and consents. You can also leave comments on our blog at http://blog.southendrspb.co.uk/blog these will be passed on to Mark- Ed.

Download our Vision for Wallasea Island (PDF file)

Aerial View of Wallasea Island

Mark Dixon
RSPB Project Manager
Email: mark.dixon@rspb.org.uk.

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Meet the RSPB in Essex!

05th September 2006

A recent group shot taken while we were enjoying a Lady Essex III River Trip.

The RSPB in Essex! From L to R: Chris Tyas, South Essex Project Officer. Glenn Jacobs, South Essex Community Project Officer. Fiona Hazelton, South Essex Community Project Manager. Alan Shearman, South Essex Community Project Officer. Paul Fisher, South Essex Project Manager. Jane Everitt, Permanent Volunteer. David Goldup, Permanent Volunteer. Graham Mee, Group Leader South East Essex Group.

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Awards For All Lottery Grant for Our Group

03rd September 2006

Last year the South East Essex RSPB applied for funding from the Awards for All lottery grant scheme. We requested that we would like to purchase a laptop computer and a digital projector to enable us to conduct multi media talks to local community groups, clubs and organisations.

It is with great pleasure that we were informed yesterday that our request has been successful and we have been give the sum of £1,998 with which to purchase this equipment.

We would like to extend a big thank you to all of the group members and the people at our Norwich Headquarters that gave us help with our submission. A special thank you must be given to Paul Terry, Environmental Officer, at Southend Council in acting as our referee.

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Two Tree Island Fires

03rd August 2006

Below are a selection of photographs taken by Christopher Henry of the aftermath of the fires on Two tree Island in the last week. We have heard from mark Bridges, the EWT warden, who told us that, if it wasn't for the fire brigade dowsing the bird hides with water, we may very well have lost them. The biggest habitat loss was that of the tree stump 'graveyard' which was a special area for Reptiles and Adders in particular. The Sea Scout hut along with the contents of their compound was also destroyed.

One of the most amazing phenomena in nature's remarkable recovery from fire is the display of wildflowers that can appear with the onset of winter and spring rains and we are hoping that this may also be the case on Two Tree. In many forests natural fire is mismanaged, and therefore is often a missing piece of the ecosystem. In fact, the fear of disastrous wildfires has led to over 100 years of aggressive fire prevention and suppression. This removal of fire from the forest disrupts nature's balanced environment, leading to overcrowded, dense stands of non-fire resistant trees, heavy fuel build up of dead and dying plants, and a tremendous lack of wildlife diversity.

Fire often improves the quality of wildlife dwellings and food supply by encouraging new plant growth and regeneration. It also reduces plant competition and fuel build up by burning off seedlings and debris, which releases nutrients. let us keep our fingers crossed that this will be the case on the island.

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The Taming of 'Old Bob'

09th May 2006

Chris Blake owns Cloud Nine, which is private boat not a charter boat and he just takes out friends and their friends etc. I have known Chris’s for over 25 years and we are both very keen fishermen and now enjoy birding, so you can imagine that we get a lot out of every trip. In actual fact it is ‘Old Bob’ the Fulmar that got me into bird watching. Chris pointed out our friend and said “that is a Fulmar” and I said “no it’s not it’s a seagull, no such thing as a Fulmar your making it up”. I went and bought a bird book to look it up and prove him wrong and it went from there.

The Cloud Nine

Yes it is a fantastic event when our friend the Fulmar turns up. I have to say that 'Old Bob' does have his moods not always coming into the boat or turning up at all, but when he does he always spends at least half a day with us flying around and eating our bait. We are therefore not necessarily convinced that it is 'Old Bob' that turn’s up each time. Someone with a keener eye for identification would be able to tell I’m sure, but a Fulmar is a Fulmar to us.

He is usually on his own or with one other, but we have had four of them and it was great. We even had two common terns float past sitting on a plank of wood squeaking away to each other, two Gannets have flown by at distance then another two circled the boat as we brought in a fish... and then the real bonus of the Leach’s Petrel which flew close by... fantastic.

The mark where we fish varies but he (or a Fulmar) manages to find us. The habits of the bird however are often the same he flies really low, skimming the water eventually gliding in and landing to the side of the boat, always to port!! We throw a lump of fish and he drifts down in the tide eating it. Depending on the size of the meal he sometimes drifts out of sight. Then we can see him coming back, swooping in again to the same place. If we do not have anything at the time he allows himself to drift to the stern just out beyond the lines (for good reason as you will see) and then keeps up a good rate of paddling to keep pace with the tide. When he tires of this he drifts down and when rested flies up to the port side again and the process starts again, while he patiently waits for us to catch a small fish. We fish one rod each with worm bait to catch small whiting or pouting for the Fulmars.

Old Bob's introduction to coming into the boat was a result of an accident. The Fulmars swoop very low around the boat and 'Old Bob' hit one of the lines about two years ago and was unable to free himself. I will never forget this day, the sea was flat calm and the fishing was fantastic. The Fulmar had decided to hit the line at slack water, which was lucky as we were able to reel him in very easily and slowly against no tide resistance. What amazed us was that after an initial panic he was still and allowed himself to be picked out off the water, no pecking no wild flapping. We were able to quickly free him by cutting the line and he was then placed on the engine cover inside the boat to allow him to rest and recover. We expected him to fly off as he was not damaged in anyway because he had been so calm. We were however a bit concerned when all he did was stand there slightly ruffling his feathers. Suddenly one of the rods had a tremendous bite and our concentration turned to stopping the rod going over the side. I moved my rods out of the way and the fish was played in by Chris. I think it was a largish Bass but can't recall exactly, mainly because Chris caught it and I was jealous.

After all the excitement we turned round and the Fulmar had gone. But not into the sky or the sea but had flown up onto the cabin roof. We are convinced to this day that he was waiting for a fish before leaving the boat. We did not have any so we handed up one of our squid baits. He backed up, so we placed it on the roof and moved back. He took the squid straight away and flew into the water... to port of course! He ate the squid and we watched him drift out of sight, preening and flapping his wings in the water getting things sorted out. He did not come back to the boat that day and we never saw him again for sometime.

We are not sure how many trips passed without seeing a Fulmar again and we did not give it anymore thought, but one day he (or another Fulmar) turned up. Doing the same routine as before which made us think it was the same bird. This time it came closer to the boat, landing out away and then paddling in. We tossed bait and small fish only about two feet to him.

Fulmar to Port!

Then towards the end of the day he took a squid from Chris’s hand. He swam away quickly but had moved on in terms of bravery. A couple more trips passed and again no sign of ‘Old Bob’, we think weather plays a role, we see them invariable on a calm day. However at last we got another visit and again the usual routine. To our surprise while just sitting quietly watching the rods and scaring the life out of me, he flaps up from the portside onto one of the safety bars that go round the gunnels of the boat, clearly impatient that he had not had a fish for a while. I handed him a squid very slowly which he took and making us duck flapped and flew back into the sea.

We go fishing a lot, Chris goes out nearly every week and I join him whenever I can and including Sunday he has only come into the boat three times each time when I have been with Chris. This is no coincidence as I get rid of as much squid feeding the Fulmars as I do in hope of catching a fish. The second time he came in we tried to get him to stand on a gloved hand but he would not perform so Chris went to hold him and to our amazement he allowed it eventually taking a fish from my hand. Chris placed down on the engine cover and he finished the fish before taking off making us dive for cover again.

Old Bob gets tame and allows Chris to hold him

On this day we remembered the camera and as you can see he posed calmly for his close up. He did not want a fish though until we tossed one in the water for him. As you can see Chris is wearing thick plastic gloves because about a year ago we had another Fulmar get caught in a line and this one panicked like mad and pecked a lot with his huge bill and, as you know, it’s got a sharp point at the end. We had to let him go quickly as he was clearly upset and as I returned it to the sea it set off like a spooked swan paddling across the top of the water eventually taking off and never looked back. Old Bob is just not worried and we believe we are not the only boat that gets a visit; the strange thing is we have not heard others tell a similar story, so it is a mystery.

Why ‘Old Bob’? He was named on the day we caught him in the line. It had been a great days fishing, calm sea’s, a tan of lobster proportions and a close encounter with a wonderful sea bird. It was only fitting to end such a day with a pint or two in the Shepherd and Dog public house. On this day the guest ale was Ridley’s 5.1% ‘Old Bob’ and a glass was raised and a name awarded to our mate ‘Old Bob’ the friendly Fulmar.

Some of our other photographs;

Kittiwake overhead 11/08/03. What is believed to be an exhausted Willow Warbler drops in for a rest

Author: Graham Saunders

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SOUTH EAST ESSEX RSPB LOCAL GROUP CELEBRATES IT'S 20th ANNIVERSARY

25th September 2003

The South East Essex RSPB Local Group was recently honoured by the attendance of Graham Wynne the Chief Executive of the RSPB at it's 20th Anniversary evening dinner at the St. James restaurant in Leigh on Sea.

Graham Wynne presents our first Group Leader, John Palmer, with a grateful memento from the group

South East Essex RSPB Local Group History

Our group began sometime in the late 70's and the leader was Sid Ingram and 3 other people. Early meetings were held at the College of Technology, Carnarvon Road, Southend and attracted audiences of 150 plus. Although the Group was billed as the South East Essex RSPB Group, the rules were not strictly adhered to insofar as members were not told that they were expected to join the National RSPB, although some people were under the impression that they had. Consequently, when the Lodge became aware of this,a letter was sent to Sid Ingram with the effect that members must join or the Group would be closed. Sid Ingram wrote to members of the Group with the upshot that 80 people resigned rather than pay the RSPB subscription!

Trevor Gunton, Head of RSPB Development, and Rob Hume came down to a meeting in September 1983 with the fait accompli, join or close. Then and there a new committee was set up with John Palmer elected as Group Leader and Pat Dandridge to arranged the coach outings. Together with John, they are the only people from that new committee still involved with the Group today.

During the 1980's the Group had a very successful period and membership reached over 300. Our indoor meetings regularly attracted up to 100 people.

The Group was represented at various fairs and fetes, with Audrey and Fred Stanhope the driving force behind the sale of RSPB goods. Jean Butcher was known as "Jean, Jean the Marmalade Queen" for the amount she produced and sold. Judith Burrell took on the task of arranging sponsorship.

Filmshows, arranged by the Lodge, took place at the Cliffs Pavillion and in 1986 a show attracted 600 people, but with Nature programmes becoming the vogue on TV, in 1990 the audience dropped to 376. The sale of RSPB goods at the shows reached a peak of £890.

Jumble sales in those days did really well. Households were targeted with leaflets and people would be queuing up before the doors opened. However, with the advent of Charity shops, profits tumbled so the sales were dropped.

In 1989, John Palmer, with the guidance of Michael Crabb the Southend Arts Director and RSPB member David Hurrell, who organised the Southend Band & Boys' Choir, arranged a concert to mark the Centenary Year of the RSPB. Called a "Celebration of Birds" it was held at the Clifftown United Reform Church, Nelson Road, Southend. With the help of a sponsor, the event showed a profit of £1034 - a tidy sum in those days.

Autumn 1983 saw the first Newsletter of the reformed Group. Newsletters were printed at the Lodge, with copy supplied by the Group, who had to collect them. Originally there were 2 editions each year. One was sent to 1500 RSPB members in the catchment area and the other to Group members only. After a while, only group members received them due to costs and despatching 1500 copies. On one occasion, John Palmer and Ray Elliot, the Newsletter Editor went to the Lodge to collect an edition only to be told that the girl, who batched them and worked for Trevor Gunton had gone home with suspected mumps, taking her work with her. Not to be denied, our intrepid pair went round to her house, collected and brought them back to Southend for distribution. We don't know if there was an outbreak of mumps in the Southend area! John said that he liked the girl as she always gave him a kiss.

Autumn 1987 saw the last edition of Newsletters printed at the Lodge, as by now over 170 Groups were requiring Newsletters and Programmes at the same time. Ray Elliot resigned due to ill-health and Keith Crees became Membership Sec. The first Newsletter produced by the Group appeared in the Autumn of 1988, with Dorita Radford as the new Editor. Fundraising continued and Eric Whittle's Audio Bird Tapes raising £52. In 1990 a monthly foolscap sheet was produced for evening meetings entitled,"Monday Nighters Newsline" featuring odd items and quizzes etc.

Our Group has arranged work parties at Hanningfield and Two Tree Island, Essex Wildlife Trust Reservoir. as there aren't any RSPB Reserves nearby. Socially, holidays abroad have been arranged over the years by Pat Dandridge and Anita Pickles. Places visited include Majorca, Holland with John Wyatt, Elro Delta and the Pyrenees in Spain, Bulgaria and Northern France. Weekends in this country have also been organised staying at Hotels, Youth Hostels, a Thames Barge, Lighthouse at Portland Bill, Lightship at Tollesbury and the Hilltop Adventure Centre, Sheringham.

Since the Group was reformed in 1983, the leaders have been John Palmer, Peter Watson, George Edwards, Keith Crees and Peter Hirst.

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And Finally...

The WWT is Mourning the Loss of Kerry the Goose

The WWT has tracked Kerry the Brent Goose by satellite all the way from Ireland to an Eskimo's kitchen in Arctic Canada.

Kerry had safely completed the arduous 4,500-mile journey, only to be shot by a man out hunting. He was found by researchers who tracked the signal from a transmitter on Kerry's back to the Eskimo's home on remote Cornwallis Island. After knocking on the door they were led to his freezer where Kerry lay still wearing his £3,000 electronic tracker. Kerry was in the hunter's freezer. He hadn't been plucked and the transponder was still on him. The hunter was somewhat surprised and he didn't know what the device on the goose's back was.

Kerry was one of six Irish Light-Bellied Brent Geese being followed on their migration routes by the British-based Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust.

Are You a Birdwatcher?

06th July 2002

Many people ask us what makes a birdwatcher, if you answer yes to most of the questions below you can consider yourself a dedicated and committed birdwatcher.

You might be a birdwatcher if your neck hurts except when you're looking up.
You might be a birdwatcher if you've never seen a seagull.
You might be a birdwatcher if you want to see just one more warbler before lunch.
You might be a birdwatcher if you have a permanent depression above the bridge of your nose from pressure against your binoculars.
You might be a birdwatcher if for you the "tele" is silent in telescope, despite what your dictionary says.
You might be a birdwatcher if there are days when getting up at 4:30 a.m. is something you've looked forward to.
You might be a birdwatcher if your Email address contains the name of a bird.
You might be a birdwatcher if you know all ducks don't quack.
You might be a birdwatcher if you can name two ducks that quack.
You might be a birdwatcher if you can say exactly where you saw a dozens of life ticks but don't recall exactly where you first met your spouse.
You might be a birdwatcher if you can find Minsmere, Titchwell, and Stodmarsh on a map in less than five seconds.
You might be a birdwatcher if you've got better things to do than watch the cup final.
Someone yells "Duck!", and you look up and shout "Where?"
Holidays are planned to maximize the number of life birds. You criticize television programs and commercials that depict an Osprey but play a Buzzard call.
Lunch breaks find you driving to check out your favourite hot spot.
your spouse says, "It's either me or the birds," and you have to think about it.
A machine squeaks at work and you describe it to maintenance as sounding like a Sedge Warbler.
You spend fifteen minutes preparing dinner for your family, and thirty minutes mixing and placing seed for your birds.
Preparing for trips to visit your wife's relatives involves contacting local birders and securing local bird lists.
You identify calls of birds in the soundtracks of television shows and films.
You have been seen looking out of restaurant windows with your binoculars.
You don't think of elections when you hear the word primaries.
You cringe when friends tell you they saw a big bird or a seagull.
Your children have not had new shoes in two years but you own a pair of Leicas.
Your idea of a good day off is a visit to either the local marsh or sewage ponds.
You have seen a Whimbrel.
You don't want to see another Whimbrel until the next January 1st.

(list taken from the Internet)
 

South African Stork Arrested for Spying!

12th November 2001

Police in Burundi have arrested a bird suspected of spying.

The South African stork, which had a satellite tracking device attached to its body, was found by villagers after it injured a wing. The alleged spy is called Saturn and was a member of a flock of five that formed part of a University of Cape Town research programme to monitor the migration patterns of the birds. The other four birds, which were also fitted with the same devices, died in February after heavy rains in Mozambique.

Saturn apparently crash landed in a village in Muyinga Province in north-eastern Burundi after injuring a wing. Upon closer inspection, local villagers were intrigued by the suspicious looking electronic device strapped to the bird's body. Understandably, there was great consternation and the bird was immediately handed over to the local police for investigation. The Burundian police then enlisted the assistance of English-speaking Mary Murphy who lives in the area.

Fortunately, the satellite device had the e-mail address of Professor Les Underhill of the University of Cape Town written on it. Ms Murphy e-mailed Professor Underhill saying the sick bird, together with its suspicious device, had been taken into custody. She added that Saturn's right wing was healing and that he was being cared for by the police. There was no mention whether the bird was being held under 24-hour armed guard in the police cells. Professor Underhill said he understood the police's concerns, especially in today's environment of terror attacks. "The device looks pretty space age with an aerial and a little solar cell to charge the battery," he said. But he remains hopeful that both the bird and the satellite device will eventually be returned unharmed.

With thanks to the BBC

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