Birds to See in Essex in March
147 species matching this filter.
Essex in March is a rewarding time for birdwatchers, with 147 species recorded across the county's diverse habitats. Coastal estuaries and marshes along the Thames and Blackwater host wintering wildfowl such as Brent Goose, Eurasian Wigeon, and Northern Pintail, while farmland species like Grey Partridge and Barn Owl can be spotted inland. As winter transitions into spring, March offers a unique window to observe both lingering winter visitors and the first signs of returning migrants.
Resident
(114)
Avocet
Recurvirostra avosettaLC
A conservation success story, now common on Essex coastal marshes year-round. Breeds at key sites including Abberton and Old Hall.
Year-round
Bar-tailed Godwit
Limosa lapponicaNT
An uncommon but regular wader on Essex estuaries and mudflats year-round. The Thames and Blackwater estuaries are key sites.
Year-round
Barn Owl
Tyto albaLC
An uncommon resident of open farmland and marshes, hunting silently at dusk over rough grassland. Benefits from nestbox schemes across the county.
Year-round
Barnacle Goose
Branta leucopsisLC
Present year-round but rare, with a small feral population. Can appear on coastal marshes and reservoirs across the county.
Year-round
Bearded Tit
Panurus biarmicusLC
A rare but iconic resident of extensive reedbeds, with key Essex sites including Abberton and the Lea Valley reserves.
Year-round
Black-necked Grebe
Podiceps nigricollisLC
A rare grebe found on reservoirs and gravel pits through much of the year, occasionally breeding but more often seen in non-breeding plumage.
Aug–Jun
Black-tailed Godwit
Limosa limosaNT
Present year-round on Essex estuaries, with large flocks gathering on the Thames and Blackwater. Numbers peak in winter.
Year-round
Blackbird
Turdus merulaLC
A common and familiar year-round resident of gardens, hedgerows and woodland throughout Essex, often singing at dusk.
Year-round
Blackcap
Sylvia atricapillaLC
A common resident, breeding in woodland and gardens in summer. Continental birds boost numbers in winter, visiting bird tables.
Year-round
Blue Tit
Cyanistes caeruleusLC
A common and much-loved garden visitor year-round. Readily uses nest boxes across Essex and is a frequent sight at bird feeders.
Year-round
Brent Goose
Branta berniclaLC
An iconic winter visitor to Essex estuaries, with large flocks of dark-bellied birds grazing on eelgrass along the coast.
Sep–Jul
Bullfinch
Pyrrhula pyrrhulaLC
A shy, rarely seen resident of hedgerows, orchards and woodland edges. Its soft piping call is often the best clue to its presence in Essex.
Year-round
Buzzard
Buteo buteoLC
Now a common resident after recolonising Essex in recent decades. Soars over farmland, woodland edges, and even suburban areas.
Year-round
Canada Goose
Branta canadensisLC
A common and widespread resident of parks, lakes, and gravel pits throughout Essex all year.
Year-round
Carrion Crow
Corvus coroneLC
A familiar year-round resident across Essex, thriving in farmland, parks, and urban areas. Intelligent and adaptable, often seen foraging in fields and gardens.
Year-round
Cattle Egret
Bubulcus ibisLC
A rare but increasingly established resident, part of a recent colonisation of southern England. Often seen alongside livestock on Essex grazing marshes.
Year-round
Cetti's Warbler
Cettia cettiLC
A resident warbler that has expanded rapidly across Essex's reedbeds and waterside scrub. More often heard than seen, with an explosive burst of song.
Year-round
Chaffinch
Fringilla coelebsLC
A common year-round resident of woodlands, hedgerows and gardens across Essex. Its cheerful song is one of the earliest heard in spring.
Year-round
Chiffchaff
Phylloscopus collybitaLC
Now present year-round in Essex, increasingly overwintering. Its distinctive two-note song is one of the earliest signs of spring in woodland and scrub.
Year-round
Coal Tit
Periparus aterLC
An uncommon resident, preferring coniferous and mixed woodland. Less numerous in Essex than in western counties, often visiting garden feeders in winter.
Year-round
Common Gull
Larus canusLC
Common year-round, frequenting playing fields, reservoirs, and farmland, with numbers boosted by winter visitors.
Year-round
Common Kingfisher
Alcedo atthisLC
An uncommon but year-round resident along Essex rivers, streams and gravel pits, often seen as a flash of electric blue.
Year-round
Common Pheasant
Phasianus colchicusLC
A common resident across Essex farmland, woodland edges, and hedgerows. Widely released for shooting, seen throughout the year.
Year-round
Common Raven
Corvus coraxLC
A rare but increasing resident, slowly recolonising Essex. Deep, cronking calls may be heard over woodland and open country.
Year-round
Common Redpoll
Acanthis flammeaLC
A rare resident, favouring birch and alder woodland. Small numbers breed in Essex, with winter flocks sometimes appearing at coastal and scrubby sites.
Sep–May
Common Shelduck
Tadorna tadornaLC
A common and striking resident of Essex estuaries and coastal marshes, breeding on grazing marshes in spring.
Year-round
Common Snipe
Gallinago gallinagoLC
An uncommon resident of wet grasslands and marshes, most easily found in winter when birds probe soft mud at sites like Rainham Marshes.
Jul–May
Common Starling
Sturnus vulgarisLC
A common resident forming spectacular winter murmurations over Essex reedbeds and town centres, with Continental birds swelling numbers.
Year-round
Coot
Fulica atraLC
A common resident on lakes, reservoirs, and gravel pits across Essex. Numbers increase in winter with continental arrivals.
Year-round
Corn Bunting
Emberiza calandraLC
An uncommon resident of open arable farmland, declining nationally. Essex's cereal fields remain an important area for this chunky bunting.
Year-round
Curlew
Numenius arquataNT
Present year-round on Essex estuaries and marshes, with its evocative call a hallmark of the coast. Breeding numbers have declined sharply.
Year-round
Dunlin
Calidris alpinaLC
A common wader found year-round on Essex estuaries and mudflats, forming large winter flocks along the coast.
Year-round
Dunnock
Prunella modularisLC
A common year-round resident of hedgerows, gardens, and woodland understorey. Often shuffles quietly along the ground, easily overlooked.
Year-round
Egyptian Goose
Alopochen aegyptiacaLC
An uncommon but increasing resident, found year-round on parkland lakes, gravel pits, and river margins.
Year-round
Eurasian Collared Dove
Streptopelia decaoctoLC
A common resident found in gardens, farms, and villages across Essex year-round. Its monotonous call is a familiar sound.
Year-round
Eurasian Jay
Garrulus glandariusLC
A common resident of broadleaved woodland and mature gardens. Often seen burying acorns in autumn across Essex parks.
Year-round
Eurasian Nuthatch
Sitta europaeaLC
An uncommon but increasing resident in mature woodland and parkland. Has spread eastward into Essex in recent decades after a historical absence.
Year-round
Eurasian Oystercatcher
Haematopus ostralegusNT
A common resident along the Essex coast, feeding on mudflats and saltmarshes with its loud piping call a familiar estuary sound.
Year-round
Eurasian Skylark
Alauda arvensisLC
A common resident of arable fields and coastal grassland, its song flight a familiar sound over open Essex countryside.
Year-round
Eurasian Spoonbill
Platalea leucorodiaLC
A rare but increasingly regular resident, favouring the coastal marshes and estuaries. Essex is a key area for this species in England.
Year-round
Eurasian Wigeon
Mareca penelopeLC
Common across Essex estuaries and grazing marshes year-round, with large winter flocks gathering on the Blackwater and Thames estuaries.
Year-round
Eurasian Wren
Troglodytes troglodytesLC
A common resident found in virtually every hedgerow, garden, and woodland. Delivers a remarkably loud song for its tiny size throughout the year.
Year-round
European Goldfinch
Carduelis carduelisLC
A common and colourful year-round resident, often seen in lively flocks feeding on teasel and thistle heads across Essex parks, gardens and wasteland.
Year-round
European Green Woodpecker
Picus viridisLC
A common resident of parkland, orchards, and woodland edges. Its loud, laughing call is a familiar sound across Essex.
Year-round
European Herring Gull
Larus argentatusLC
A common and familiar resident found along the coast, at tips, and increasingly in urban areas year-round.
Year-round
European Robin
Erithacus rubeculaLC
A common year-round garden favourite across Essex, its melodious song heard in every month, even through winter.
Year-round
Gadwall
Mareca streperaLC
A common resident found year-round on reservoirs, gravel pits, and marshes. Abberton Reservoir holds significant numbers.
Year-round
Goldcrest
Regulus regulusLC
An uncommon resident of coniferous and mixed woodland, with numbers boosted by Continental migrants in autumn.
Year-round
Golden Plover
Pluvialis apricariaLC
An uncommon visitor to Essex farmland and coastal marshes, mainly outside summer. Winter flocks gather on ploughed fields.
Jul–Apr
Goldeneye
Bucephala clangulaLC
An uncommon resident found on reservoirs and gravel pits, most conspicuous in winter when numbers are boosted by continental arrivals.
Aug–Jun
Great Black-backed Gull
Larus marinusLC
Resident year-round along the Essex coast, frequenting estuaries, harbours, and landfill sites. Numbers peak in winter.
Year-round
Great Cormorant
Phalacrocorax carboLC
A common resident, seen drying its wings at reservoirs, gravel pits, and along the coast. Breeds at inland colonies.
Year-round
Great Crested Grebe
Podiceps cristatusLC
Resident on larger lakes and reservoirs, performing its elaborate courtship display in spring. Numbers increase in winter.
Year-round
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Dendrocopos majorLC
A common resident of mature woodland, parks and gardens, heard drumming on branches year-round. Often visits garden feeders in winter.
Year-round
Great Tit
Parus majorLC
A common year-round resident of gardens, parks and woodland throughout Essex, readily visiting feeders in all seasons.
Year-round
Great White Egret
Ardea albaLC
An uncommon but increasing resident, stalking wetlands and marshes. Now seen year-round, reflecting its national expansion.
Year-round
Green Sandpiper
Tringa ochropusLC
An uncommon but regular wader found at freshwater pools, ditches, and marshes, present most months except May.
Jun–Apr
Greenfinch
Chloris chlorisLC
A year-round garden and hedgerow resident, though numbers have fallen sharply due to trichomonosis disease. Still commonly seen at Essex bird feeders.
Year-round
Greenshank
Tringa nebulariaLC
Uncommon but present year-round, favouring estuarine mudflats and coastal pools, with numbers peaking on autumn passage.
Year-round
Grey Heron
Ardea cinereaLC
A common year-round resident seen at lakes, rivers and estuaries, often standing motionless at the water's edge. Breeds in established heronries.
Year-round
Grey Partridge
Perdix perdixLC
A declining resident of Essex farmland, now rare. Favours arable fields with hedgerows, mainly in the north of the county.
Dec–Sep
Grey Plover
Pluvialis squatarolaLC
Present year-round on Essex mudflats and estuaries, with numbers peaking in winter. Often seen in silver-grey plumage on the Thames estuary.
Year-round
Grey Wagtail
Motacilla cinereaLC
An uncommon resident, scarcer in Essex than in western Britain. Found near streams, weirs, and waterways, bobbing its long tail constantly.
Year-round
Greylag Goose
Anser anserLC
Common year-round on Essex lakes, marshes, and farmland, with both feral and wild populations present.
Year-round
House Sparrow
Passer domesticusLC
A familiar year-round resident of Essex towns and villages, often nesting under roof tiles. Numbers have declined but it remains common in urban and suburban areas.
Year-round
Jackdaw
Corvus monedulaLC
A common and sociable resident found year-round in towns, farmland and church towers, often in noisy flocks with Rooks.
Year-round
Kestrel
Falco tinnunculusLC
A common resident hovering over roadside verges, farmland and marshes throughout the year, one of Essex's most visible birds of prey.
Year-round
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Larus fuscusLC
A common resident gull found year-round at landfill sites, reservoirs, and along the coast, with numbers peaking in summer.
Year-round
Linnet
Linaria cannabinaLC
A common resident of gorse-covered heaths, farmland and coastal scrub. Often forms large flocks on Essex stubble fields and saltmarshes in winter.
Year-round
Little Egret
Egretta garzettaLC
Now a common resident along the Essex coast and estuaries, having colonised since the 1990s. Easily spotted stalking shallow creeks and marshland pools.
Year-round
Little Grebe
Tachybaptus ruficollisLC
A common resident on ponds, lakes, and slow-moving waterways. Its distinctive trilling call is heard year-round across Essex.
Year-round
Little Owl
Athene noctuaLC
A rare year-round resident of Essex farmland and orchards, this compact owl hunts in daylight from fence posts and low perches.
Year-round
Long-tailed Tit
Aegithalos caudatusLC
A common year-round resident of hedgerows and woodland edges, often seen in acrobatic family parties moving through trees.
Year-round
Magpie
Pica picaLC
A common and conspicuous resident of gardens, parks and hedgerows year-round, easily recognised by its bold black-and-white plumage and chattering call.
Year-round
Mallard
Anas platyrhynchosLC
The most familiar duck in Essex, common year-round on virtually any body of water including park ponds.
Year-round
Mandarin Duck
Aix galericulataLC
A rare but established resident found on wooded lakes and rivers, with a small feral population present year-round in Essex.
Year-round
Marsh Tit
Poecile palustrisLC
A rare and declining resident of mature broadleaved woodland, most detectable by its distinctive "pitchoo" call in early spring.
Nov–Jun
Meadow Pipit
Anthus pratensisLC
A common resident found on coastal marshes, rough grassland and farmland throughout the year. Numbers swell in winter with birds from further north.
Year-round
Mistle Thrush
Turdus viscivorusLC
An uncommon year-round resident of parkland and open woodland, one of the earliest songsters with its far-carrying song.
Year-round
Moorhen
Gallinula chloropusLC
A common resident found on ponds, ditches, and waterways throughout Essex. Often seen picking its way along muddy margins year-round.
Year-round
Mute Swan
Cygnus olorLC
A common and familiar resident on Essex rivers, lakes, and reservoirs throughout the year. Breeds widely across the county.
Year-round
Northern Lapwing
Vanellus vanellusNT
A common resident of farmland and coastal marshes, though breeding numbers are declining. Large winter flocks gather on arable fields across Essex.
Year-round
Northern Shoveler
Spatula clypeataLC
A common year-round resident, often seen sweeping its distinctive spatulate bill through shallow waters at Abberton Reservoir and coastal marshes.
Year-round
Peregrine Falcon
Falco peregrinusLC
An uncommon year-round resident increasingly seen around towns and estuaries, hunting waders and pigeons across the Essex skyline.
Year-round
Pochard
Aythya ferinaVU
A common resident on reservoirs and gravel pits, though nationally declining; numbers swell in winter.
Year-round
Red Kite
Milvus milvusLC
An uncommon but increasing resident, now seen soaring over farmland and motorways year-round following successful reintroduction programmes nearby.
Year-round
Red Knot
Calidris canutusNT
Uncommon on Essex estuaries, with flocks gathering on mudflats in winter; largely absent during midsummer months.
Aug–May
Red-crested Pochard
Netta rufinaLC
A rare but year-round resident, occasionally seen on larger reservoirs and gravel pits. Part of a slowly expanding feral population in south-east England.
Year-round
Red-legged Partridge
Alectoris rufaNT
An uncommon resident of arable farmland and field margins. An introduced species, more frequent in drier parts of the county.
Year-round
Redshank
Tringa totanusLC
A common resident of Essex's saltmarshes and estuaries, its piping calls are a familiar sound along the coast year-round.
Year-round
Reed Bunting
Emberiza schoeniclusLC
A common resident of reedbeds, ditches and marshy areas across Essex. In winter, flocks gather on farmland stubble and at seed-rich sites.
Year-round
Ringed Plover
Charadrius hiaticulaLC
An uncommon resident breeding on shingle beaches and coastal margins. Numbers bolstered by passage birds in spring and autumn.
Year-round
Rock Dove
Columba liviaLC
Abundant year-round in towns and cities across Essex. Feral populations thrive alongside the truly wild birds found on coastal cliffs.
Year-round
Rook
Corvus frugilegusLC
A common and sociable resident, nesting in noisy rookeries in farmland trees. A familiar sight across rural Essex.
Year-round
Rose-ringed Parakeet
Alexandrinus krameriLC
An uncommon resident with a spreading population from London, found in parks and suburban gardens across western Essex.
Year-round
Ruddy Duck
Oxyura jamaicensisLC
Now very rare following national eradication efforts. Occasionally recorded on Essex reservoirs and gravel pits.
Jul–May
Ruddy Turnstone
Arenaria interpresLC
An uncommon year-round presence along rocky foreshores and sea walls, flipping stones and seaweed to find invertebrates on the Essex coast.
Year-round
Ruff
Philomachus pugnaxLC
An uncommon visitor to Essex marshes and flooded fields, seen in small numbers on passage and through winter at key wetland sites.
Jul–May
Sanderling
Calidris albaLC
A rare but year-round presence, occasionally seen on sandy shores and estuarine flats along the Essex coast.
Year-round
Short-eared Owl
Asio flammeusLC
A rare resident favouring coastal marshes and rough grassland, most visible in winter when birds quarter low over Essex estuaries.
Sep–May
Song Thrush
Turdus philomelosLC
A common resident heard year-round in gardens, parks and woodland, recognised by its repeated melodious phrases from prominent song posts.
Year-round
Sparrowhawk
Accipiter nisusLC
An uncommon but widespread resident of woodland, farmland and suburban gardens, often glimpsed dashing low through hedges in pursuit of small birds.
Year-round
Spotted Redshank
Tringa erythropusLC
A rare but regular visitor to Essex estuaries, present most of the year. Often seen wading elegantly in channels alongside common redshanks.
Jan–Oct
Stock Dove
Columba oenasLC
A common resident breeding in parkland, mature trees, and farmland. Often overlooked alongside the abundant Woodpigeon.
Year-round
Stonechat
Saxicola torquatusLC
An uncommon resident favouring coastal scrub, heathland, and gorse. Essex's coastal marshes and rough grasslands support small breeding populations.
Year-round
Tawny Owl
Strix alucoLC
A secretive resident of mature woodland, more often heard than seen. Scarce in Essex due to limited large forest tracts.
Aug–Jun
Treecreeper
Certhia familiarisLC
An uncommon but year-round resident, spiralling up tree trunks in mature woodland and occasionally visiting garden trees.
Year-round
Tufted Duck
Aythya fuligulaLC
Common year-round on lakes, reservoirs, and gravel pits, often diving for food alongside Pochard.
Year-round
Water Rail
Rallus aquaticusLC
An uncommon but year-round resident of reedbeds and marshy ditches. More often heard squealing than seen at sites like Rainham.
Year-round
Western Marsh-harrier
Circus aeruginosusLC
A common resident of reedbeds and coastal marshes, quartering low over sites like Abberton and the Blackwater estuary.
Year-round
Wheatear
Oenanthe oenantheLC
An uncommon visitor to open coastal fields and sea walls during spring and autumn passage, occasionally lingering on short-grazed grassland.
Mar–Oct
Woodpigeon
Columba palumbusLC
An abundant year-round resident found in virtually every habitat from dense woodland to suburban gardens. Large flocks gather on arable fields in autumn.
Year-round
Yellow-legged Gull
Larus michahellisLC
An uncommon but increasing presence, found at reservoirs, tips, and estuaries across Essex for most of the year. Often mixed with other gulls.
May–Mar
Yellowhammer
Emberiza citrinellaLC
An uncommon resident of farmland hedgerows, declining across much of its range. Its bright yellow plumage and jangling song enliven Essex country lanes.
Year-round
Breeding
(7)
Barn Swallow
Hirundo rusticaLC
A common summer visitor, arriving from March and lingering into autumn. Nests in barns and outbuildings across Essex's farmland and villages.
Mar–Nov
Eurasian Tree Sparrow
Passer montanusLC
A rare and declining breeder in Essex, found locally around farmyards and hedgerows, far scarcer than its House Sparrow relative.
Mar–Nov
Garganey
Spatula querquedulaLC
A rare summer breeder, arriving in spring at freshwater marshes. Essex wetlands like Abberton Reservoir are key sites in the county.
Mar–Sep
Little Gull
Hydrocoloeus minutusLC
A rare breeder in Essex, also seen on passage in spring and autumn. Its delicate, buoyant flight is distinctive over coastal lagoons.
Mar–Nov
Little Ringed Plover
Charadrius dubiusLC
An uncommon summer breeder favouring gravel pits and reservoir margins across Essex, arriving from March and departing by September.
Mar–Sep
Sand Martin
Riparia ripariaLC
An uncommon breeding visitor, nesting in sandy banks near gravel pits and waterways. Arrives from March and departs by October.
Mar–Oct
Yellow Wagtail
Motacilla flavaLC
An uncommon summer breeder arriving from March, favouring low-lying arable fields and coastal grazing marshes. Essex is one of its remaining strongholds in England.
Mar–Oct
Non-breeding
(25)
Arctic Loon
Gavia arcticaLC
A rare winter visitor to coastal waters and larger reservoirs, occasionally lingering into early spring.
Dec–Mar
Bohemian Waxwing
Bombycilla garrulusLC
A rare winter visitor in irruption years, descending on berry-laden trees in Essex towns and supermarket car parks.
Dec–Apr
Brambling
Fringilla montifringillaLC
A rare winter visitor from Scandinavia, sometimes joining Chaffinch flocks in beech woodland and farmland. Numbers vary greatly between years.
Oct–Mar
Common Loon
Gavia immerLC
A rare winter visitor to Essex coastal waters and large reservoirs, occasionally seen between November and March in sombre non-breeding plumage.
Nov–Mar
Common Merganser
Mergus merganserLC
An uncommon winter visitor to Essex reservoirs and rivers, typically arriving in October and lingering into early spring.
Oct–Apr
Common Scoter
Melanitta nigraLC
Rare non-breeding visitor, sometimes seen in small groups offshore along the Essex coast from autumn through to early spring.
Aug–Mar
Eurasian Siskin
Spinus spinusLC
An uncommon winter visitor, typically seen in alder and birch trees along waterways. Present from autumn to early spring, sometimes visiting garden feeders.
Sep–Apr
Eurasian Woodcock
Scolopax rusticolaLC
A rare winter visitor to Essex woodlands and damp fields, most likely encountered during cold spells from November to March.
Nov–Mar
Fieldfare
Turdus pilarisLC
An uncommon winter visitor arriving from Scandinavia, often seen in noisy flocks feeding on berries in hedgerows and open farmland.
Oct–Apr
Firecrest
Regulus ignicapillaLC
A rare non-breeding visitor found in sheltered woodland and coastal scrub from October to March, often associating with Goldcrest flocks.
Oct–Mar
Greater Scaup
Aythya marilaLC
A rare non-breeding visitor to Essex reservoirs and coastal waters from October to April, often mixing with Tufted Duck flocks.
Oct–Apr
Hen Harrier
Circus cyaneusLC
A rare winter visitor quartering over coastal marshes and farmland from October to March, most regularly seen on the remote Essex marshes.
Oct–Mar
Horned Grebe
Podiceps auritusVU
A rare non-breeding visitor to reservoirs and sheltered coastal waters, most likely encountered during winter months in smart black-and-white plumage.
Jul–Mar
Jack Snipe
Lymnocryptes minimusLC
A rare and secretive non-breeding visitor to marshy areas and wet ditches, present from late autumn to early spring.
Nov–Apr
Kittiwake
Rissa tridactylaVU
A rare non-breeding visitor seen offshore and at estuaries, mainly in winter months and during autumn storms.
Aug–Mar
Long-tailed Duck
Clangula hyemalisVU
A rare winter visitor to coastal Essex waters and occasionally reservoirs, present from November to March.
Nov–Mar
Merlin
Falco columbariusLC
A rare winter visitor and passage migrant, hunting over coastal marshes and open farmland from autumn through to early spring.
Sep–Mar
Northern Pintail
Anas acutaLC
An uncommon non-breeding visitor to Essex estuaries and marshes, arriving in autumn and departing by spring.
Aug–Apr
Red-breasted Merganser
Mergus serratorLC
An uncommon non-breeding visitor found along Essex estuaries and coastal waters from October to April, often diving in tidal channels.
Oct–Apr
Red-necked Grebe
Podiceps grisegenaLC
A rare non-breeding visitor to Essex's coastal waters and estuaries in winter. Most records come from the Thames Estuary and offshore.
Nov–Mar
Red-throated Loon
Gavia stellataLC
A rare winter visitor to Essex's coastal waters, present from autumn to early spring. Often seen flying low over the sea off the estuary.
Sep–Mar
Redwing
Turdus iliacusNT
A common winter visitor arriving from Scandinavia in October. Feeds on berries in hedgerows and parks, often alongside fieldfares across Essex.
Oct–Apr
Rock Pipit
Anthus petrosusLC
An uncommon non-breeding visitor to Essex's rocky sea walls and coastal margins from autumn through winter. Forages along the Thames Estuary shoreline.
Sep–Mar
Smew
Mergellus albellusLC
An uncommon but prized winter visitor to Essex reservoirs and gravel pits, present from December to March. Numbers vary greatly between years.
Dec–Mar
Water Pipit
Anthus spinolettaLC
A rare winter visitor to Essex, favouring watercress beds, reservoir margins and coastal marshes. Most reliably seen between October and March.
Oct–Mar
