Trip reports

Coach Outing to RSPB Minsmere Nature Reserve Saturday 29th October 2011

Mike Condon

Thursday, 3 November 2011

31 members of RSPB Havering Local Group set out from Romford, on our luxury coach, on what seemed a rather dark but mild morning, bound for RSPB Minsmere. RSPB Minsmere is one of the RSPB's "Flag Ship" reserves, and it deserves is reputation. On arrival we were met by the RSPB Minsmere Duty Manager who booked us in, handed out maps and gave us the up to date information regarding the reserve, and made us all feel very welcome. Whilst we were aware that extensive building work was being carried out on the reserve, it was going to be intriguing to see what, if any, impact this would have on the birdlife. In truth very little, as can be seen from the list of birds:-


Grebes (Podicipedidae)
Little Grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis)

Cormorants, Shags (Phalacrocoracidae)
Great Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo)

Herons, Egrets and Bitterns (Ardeidae)
Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea)
Little Egret (Egretta garzetta)

Ducks, Swans and Waterfowl (Anatidae)
Mute Swan (Cygnus olor)
Whooper Swan (Cygnus cygnus)
Greylag Goose (Anser anser)
Canada Goose (Branta canadensis)
Barnacle Goose (Branta leucopsis)
Brent Goose (Branta bernicla)
Common Shelduck (Tadorna tadorna)
Eurasian Wigeon (Anas penelope)
Gadwall (Anas strepera)
Eurasian Teal (Anas crecca)
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)
Northern Shoveler (Anas clypeata)

Hawks, Eagles and Kites (Accipitridae)
Eurasian Marsh Harrier (Circus aeruginosus)
Eurasian Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus)

Pheasants and Partridges (Phasianidae: Phasianinae)
Common Pheasant (Phasianus colchicus)

Rails, Crakes & Coots (Rallidae)
Water Rail (Rallus aquaticus)
Common Moorhen [chloropus] (Gallinula chloropus chloropus)
Common Coot (Fulica atra)

Stilts, Avocets (Recurvirostridae)
Pied Avocet (Recurvirostra avosetta)

Plovers and Lapwings (Charadriidae)
Northern Lapwing (Vanellus vanellus)
Ringed Plover (Charadrius hiaticula)

Snipes, Sandpipers and Phalaropes (Scolopacidae)
Common Snipe (Gallinago gallinago)
Black-tailed Godwit (Limosa limosa)
Bar-tailed Godwit (Limosa lapponica)
Spotted Redshank (Tringa erythropus)
Ruddy Turnstone (Arenaria interpres)
Common Knot (Calidris canutus)
Curlew Sandpiper (Calidris ferruginea)
Purple Sandpiper (Calidris maritima)
Dunlin (Calidris alpina)
Ruff (Philomachus pugnax)

Gulls (Laridae: Larinae)
European Herring Gull (Larus argentatus)
Great Black-backed Gull (Larus marinus)
Lesser Black-backed Gull (Larus fuscus)
Common Gull (Larus canus canus)

Doves and Pigeons (Columbidae)
Common Wood Pigeon (Columba palumbus)

Kingfishers (Alcedinidae)
Common Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis)

Woodpeckers (Picidae)
Lesser Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopos minor)
Great Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopos major)
Green Woodpecker (Picus viridis)

Larks (Alaudidae)
Sky Lark (Alauda arvensis)

Pipits and Wagtails (Motacillidae)
Meadow Pipit (Anthus pratensis)
Pied Wagtail (Motacilla alba yarrellii)

Wrens (Troglodytidae)
Eurasian Wren (Troglodytes troglodytes)

Thrushes (Turdidae)
Redwing (Turdus iliacus)
Fieldfare (Turdus pilaris)
Common Blackbird [merula] (Turdus merula merula)
European Robin (Erithacus rubecula)

Old World Warblers (Sylviidae)
Cetti's Warbler (Cettia cetti)

Parrotbills (Paradoxornithidae)
Bearded Tit (Panurus biarmicus)

Tits and Chickadees (Paridae)
Marsh Tit (Poecile palustris)
Coal Tit (Periparus ater)
Great Tit (Parus major)
Blue Tit (Cyanistes caeruleus)

Long-tailed Tits (Aegithalidae)
Long-tailed Tit (Aegithalos caudatus)

Nuthatches (Sittidae)
Eurasian Nuthatch (Sitta europaea)

Crows and Jays (Corvidae)
Eurasian Jay (Garrulus glandarius)
Eurasian Magpie (Pica pica)
Carrion Crow (Corvus corone)

Starlings (Sturnidae)
Common Starling (Sturnus vulgaris)

Finches, Siskins and Crossbills (Fringillidae)
Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs)
European Greenfinch (Carduelis chloris)
Eurasian Siskin (Carduelis spinus)
European Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis)