Birding around Southend-on-sea

Last weekend headed down to Gunners Park near Southend where a pair of Serin had been reported  bird where showing on and off at the start of the day feeding around the carpark before vanishing off into the park which gave me a chance to have a walk around where out on coast despite the tide been out good numbers of Oystercatcher and Sanderling were out on the bay with a few Brent Goose feeding as well.

One of the Serin feeding in the scrub

Then headed down to Southend Pier first time I actually had a chance to get on the pier as I usually just walk on the beach but very successful with a nice lot of Mediterranean Gulls and other odd Herring and Great Backed Gull which seem to overwinter on the pier so spent a bit of time watching them going about their bussiness.

Adult Mediterranean Gull

Mediterranean Gull in flight

2nd Winter Mediterranean Gull

Black-backed Gull

Also around were great numbers of Turnstones around the pier and such a charming bird great to just watching them go about their bussiness often arguing with each other. Out on the water where 4 Common seals with at least 1 Youngster and 6 Great Crested Grebes feeding off the pier.

One of the friendly Turnstones

Common Seal

Then ended the day as the tide was coming in with the sanderlings, turnstones and a few Brent Geese feeding around the shores edge of Southend beach.

Feeding Sanderlings

Feeding brent Goose