GLAMORGAN BUTE PARK

Once the back garden of Cardiff Castle!

West Canvey Marsh is the largest single area of green space on Canvey Island, at 633 acres. This wetland reserve includes nearly two miles of new nature trails, four viewing points overlooking water bodies, a picnic area and children’s adventure area. The boundary has another two miles of footpaths running the dyke wall.

WHERE TO WATCH 1 such as Red-backed Shrike and Wryneck. Scan all bushes and listen out for singing birds on territory in spring.

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The walk to the 12-acre lagoon in spring offers a wide variety of birds from passing warblers like Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff, to breeding Sedge and Reed Warbler, and look up for your first Swift of the year. Check for Stonechat and Whinchat moving through, especially in autumn. Once at the open hide, check the gulls for possible Yellow-legged, Mediterranean or even winter Glaucous and Iceland Gulls. You will see plenty of Little Egrets, but also look for passing Spoonbill and Great White Egret. 3

Walking out across the grassland, you should hear the sound of waders marking territory or alarming at a passing Marsh Harrier. This area holds the most breeding Redshanks in Essex, with Lapwing also breeding and many more in winter. Check out the geese in winter for possible European White-fronted or tundra Bean. Wigeon and Teal are also common in winter but look for Shelduck, Gadwall and Shoveler throughout the year.

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INSIDE KNOWLEDGE

A good east wind will be the best for finding rare migrants on the reserve.

Firecrest

The car park starts you off on a network of habitats like wet grassland, reedbeds and scrapes, including channels. Even from here, rare birds have been found, The flood bank allows views ,across the marsh but check the creek for movement of waders with the chance of Dunlin, Ringed Plover and even rarities like Little and Temminck’s Stints, Curlew Sandpiper, Lesser Yellowlegs and even White-rumped Sandpiper.