Out of Area: Southend

This weekend I was out of Hemel, visiting family in Southend-on-Sea & Shoeburyness. Being busy fitting everyone in meant there was no time for any birding in the area I'm afraid, despite there being Snow Buntings on the beach nearby aswell as Red-throated Diver, Great Northern Diver, Purple Sandpiper, Razorbill & Puffin all being seen within walking distance from our hotel.

I did manage a quick look down on the shore opposite our hotel, The Roslin, before breakfast. Despite it being engulfed in thick fog I did manage to pick out a few birds of interest, these were...

DARK-BELIED BRENT GEESE - feeding out on the mud in the thick of the fog.

OYSTERCATCHERS - a few feeding here & there.

DUNLIN - a few small groups feeding voraciously close in to the 'beach'.

KNOT - a few small groups & individuals mixed in with the dunlin a bit further out.

REDSHANK - one individual feeding alone.

TURNSTONES - a few spread about feeding close in to the 'beach'.

In the thick fog I managed a few record shots & for a few minutes when the fog eased off slightly I managed a few better shots of one very busy Turnstone. See the pics below, some enlarge when clicked on...

Thick fog at Southend-on-Sea.

Oystercatcher with Ensis species (Razor Shell).

Knot with muddy bill feeding.

Lone REDSHANK.

Dunlin feeding.

Dark-bellied Brent Geese feeding out in the thick of the fog.

A very busy Turnstone.

Turnstone searching for breakfast.

Turnstone turning a Mactridae species (Trough Shell).

Turnstone with Cardiidae species (Cockle) breakfast.

Later on in the day I noticed an Adult Winter MEDITERRANEAN GULL fly in from the sea & perch on a lamp post outside the amusement arcades. Southend is a nationally important area for Med Gulls & up to 30 at once can be seen during the winter on the 1.34 mile (2.16km) long pier. During the end of July / beginning of August there can be in excess of 130 Meds on the seafront just East of the Sealife Centre, & in addition to these numbers, many Meds pass through the area in the summer & it is estimated that 200-250 Mediterranean Gulls use the area during this time.

I managed to get a snap of my Med along-side its regular Black-headed cousin with my compact...

Adult Winter Mediterranea Gull (right) with Black-headed Gull & Starling.

On the journey to Southend the previous day I also noticed 3 BUZZARDS in different locations all perched, one on the ground, one on a post & one on a branch, all beside the M25 between Herts & Essex.