Cranham Marsh

[Eastside Urchin]

Essex wildlife trust.

27/2/2008

After a very basic morning over Rainham Marsh this morning where i had just a few decent birds,namely kestrels,water pipit and golden plovers(no other waders about apart from lapwing!)

I turned my attention to the Essex Wildlife Trust site Cranham Marsh in Upminster and am happy i did

2-5.30pm Sunny 11C and felt like spring!

 

2 kestrel,1 sparrowhawk,1 Heron,24 Ring Necked Parakeets

2 Coal Tit,14 Long tailed tit,1 Bullfinch,pair of pochards flying over,8 mistle thrush,1 song thrush,60c redwing,38 fieldfare

2 Phaeasant,18 Stock dove,4 green woodpecker,4 great spot w/pecker,

goldcrest,jay,jackdaw(40+),1 reed bunting,17 chaffinch,4 greenfinch

I waited till sunset and a bit after as i have heard reports that Barn owl frequent the western side of the marsh but to no avail,but will keep an eye out as i was told last year a barn owl was frequent in april/may last year!

[Dagger03]

UM - is it a marsh, or woodland?

 

What's the best way to get there?

[Eastside Urchin]

Hi dagger,it is sedge fen

although there are areas of woodland,not very big but well worth a visit.

I spent many spring and summer evenings over there last year and found the site to be good for reed & sedge warblers,cuckoos,little owl plus a few other raptors

Also the odd nightingale singing.

The best place to park i find is either in all saints church car park(off st marys lane,near railway bridge near coopers school) or where i park at the top of park drive,walk through the style,turn right and after about 200 yards there is a style with a sign saying Nature reserve.

There are plenty of footpaths over there and you can access it from thames chase centre in pike lane via a footpath and a mile or so walk.

It is a good little site.

If you are going over there let me know and i will meet you there if i am about.

If i am just going to the reserve i prefer the evenings as alot seems to happen just before dusk,but if i am going for a stroll i can be stuck over there all day.

[Eastside Urchin]

Although it is called a marsh and has some reedbeds it is more grassland with a few ditches and small amounts of reeds although enough to attract birds.They do have some nice wildflower in the summer months and voles are there which is why i think barn owl frequent the place although i have not seen them there,they have been reported

[Eastside Urchin]

My first visit to cranham marsh for over a month and the place is alive with wildflower,insects and the sounds of woodland and reedbed birds,although th latter is still minimal.

Birds reported as follows

Hobby,pied wagtail,mallards,kestrel,blue,great & long tailed tits

5 Herons flying over,8 ring necked parakeets,pheasent,Lesser,greater spotted & green woodpeckers in abundance(well the latter two anyway,just one lesser recorded today),nightingale heard,1 sedge warbler,wood pigeon,collared dove,20 plus skylark in the farmland surrounding woods,wren,dinnock & plentiful robins,3 jays,magpie,rook,jackdaws,carrion crow,starlings,10 house sparrows,chaffinch,greenfinch