OLD HALL MARSHES RSPB RESERVE & LIST
ENGLAND
ESSEX (Tiptree), ()
National Grid TL959122 00o00´/00o00´ N/A 459ha 0-10m, mainly tidal salt marsh, grazing marsh and hedges with large reedbed
winter (30.10.2008 to 31.10.2008)
Birding Site Guide
From the A12 take the B1023, via Tiptree to Tolleshunt D'Arcy. Turn left at village maypole then right into Chapel Road (back road to Tollesbury). After about 1 mile (1.6 km), turn left into Old Hall Lane. Continue up Old Hall Lane, over speed ramps and through iron gates to cattle grid, then follow signs straight ahead to car park. By rail: stations are located at Colchester and Kelvedon. There is a bus service to Tollesbury. Tpublic Rights of Way access the reserve from the villages of Salcott and Tollesbury and the PRoW follow the inland side of the reserve along the top of the seawall for about 10 miles.
Reserve facilities are poor with just a car park and 2 viewing screens.
The reserve is located on the Blackwall Estuary which consists of the northern Salcott Channel and the southern Tollesbury Fleet. There is one large island and several smaller ones in the estuary. The reserve is bordered by other landowners reserves.
Winter is a good time to visit as the reserve attracts nearly 5000 geese, many being Brent Geese. Other wildfowl such as Mallard, Tufted Duck and Wigeon occur in large numbers too. Up to 11 Marsh Harriers can be seen in the breeding season and several now over-winter. Other species which breed in nationally important numbers include Garganey, Shoveler, Pochard, Avocet and Bearded Tit.
Good numbers of Brown Hare and Water Vole can be found here. Otters do not occur, and introduced American Mink are a continuing threat to the Water Vole population. Other commoner mammals occur.
Birds seen
- Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo
- Grey Heron Ardea cinerea
- Little Egret Egretta garzetta
- Greylag Goose Anser anser
- Brant Branta bernicla
- Eurasian Wigeon Anas penelope
- Gadwall Anas strepera
- Mallard Anas platyrhynchos
- Tufted Duck Aythya fuligula
- Western Marsh-Harrier Circus aeruginosus
- Eurasian Kestrel Falco tinnunculus
- Ring-necked Pheasant Phasianus colchicus intro'
- Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus
- Northern Lapwing Vanellus vanellus
- Eurasian Golden-Plover Pluvialis apricaria
- Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa NR
- Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata
- Green Sandpiper Tringa ochropus
- Common Redshank Tringa totanus
- Mew Gull Larus canus
- Great Black-backed Gull Larus marinus
- European Herring Gull Larus argentatus
- Black-headed Gull Larus ridibundus
- Stock Dove Columba oenas
- Common Wood-Pigeon Columba palumbus
- Eurasian Collared-Dove Streptopelia decaocto
- Green Woodpecker Picus viridis
- Eurasian Skylark Alauda arvensis
- Meadow Pipit Anthus pratensis
- Pied/White Wagtail Motacilla alba
- Goldcrest Regulus regulus
- Winter Wren Troglodytes troglodytes
- Dunnock Prunella modularis
- Eurasian Blackbird Turdus merula
- European Robin Erithacus rubecula
- Long-tailed Tit Aegithalos caudatus
- Great Tit Parus major
- Eurasian Blue Tit Cyanistes caeruleus
- Eurasian Jay Garrulus glandarius
- Eurasian Magpie Pica pica
- Eurasian Jackdaw Corvus monedula
- Rook Corvus frugilegus
- Carrion Crow Corvus corone
- European Starling Sturnus vulgaris
- House Sparrow Passer domesticus
- Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs
- European Greenfinch Carduelis chloris
- European Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis
- Yellowhammer Emberiza citrinella
Author: BSG
www.birdingsiteguide.com
