Essex Wildlife Trust Gunners Park and Shoebury Ranges Nature Reserve

Essex Wildlife Trust Gunners Park and Shoebury Ranges Nature Reserve The Gunners Park nature reserve incorporates the Shoebury Old Ranges Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).

The Gunners Park nature reserve incorporates the Shoebury Old Ranges Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and the Coastguard Station Grounds Local Wildlife Site, totalling 25 hectares.

Some brilliant birds in the park this week. It's going to be a hot one folks so take care! Mediterranean gull, little gr...
22/06/2026

Some brilliant birds in the park this week. It's going to be a hot one folks so take care!

Mediterranean gull, little grebe with chick (nice to have proof they've bred here!), black cap, reed warbler, mallard mum with ducklings and a jay!

Many thanks to Peter Dolphin for the photos

Lovely photos of green woodpeckers taken at Gunners. The one hiding behind a twig looks like a juvenile which means they...
15/06/2026

Lovely photos of green woodpeckers taken at Gunners. The one hiding behind a twig looks like a juvenile which means they have bred successfully. Great news! Thanks to Peter Dolphin for the photos.

In the park this week, a gorgeous black and white marbled white butterfly, small copper butterfly, cinnabar moth caterpi...
11/06/2026

In the park this week, a gorgeous black and white marbled white butterfly, small copper butterfly, cinnabar moth caterpillars and a gorgeous yellow shell moth. Many thanks to Peter Dolphin for the photos.

Our house martins are back from Africa and are already cracking on with the important business of building their incredi...
08/06/2026

Our house martins are back from Africa and are already cracking on with the important business of building their incredible mud nests.

House martins are a red list species in severe decline so we're really lucky to have a good breeding population here at Gunners Park. One of the last in South East Essex.

A lot of the pond work we did last year was specifically designed to provide wet mud for house building and insects for them to feed on. So far the habitat is looking in good so fingers crossed they raise lots of chicks!

We're also very lucky to have neighbouring houses that allow these incredible birds to nest under the eaves undisturbed. Absolutely critical for their survival that nests arent damaged or knocked down.

Thanks to Peter Dolphin for the photo.

Cygnets have arrived 🥰 Thanks to Peter Dolphin for the photos.
03/06/2026

Cygnets have arrived 🥰

Thanks to Peter Dolphin for the photos.

Some great birds in the park this week! Pictured here are Shelduck on the lake, a jackdaw, little tern off the seawall, ...
19/05/2026

Some great birds in the park this week! Pictured here are Shelduck on the lake, a jackdaw, little tern off the seawall, a mallard duck with ducklings on the pond and maybe best of all a great spotted woodpecker chick peaking out it's nest! Many thanks to Peter Dolphin for the photos

Some lovely butterflies in the reserve at the moment! Pictured here are a wall brown, orange tip, painted lady and a gre...
15/05/2026

Some lovely butterflies in the reserve at the moment! Pictured here are a wall brown, orange tip, painted lady and a green veined white. Many thanks to Peter Dolphin for the photos.

We've been out with volunteers tending the orchard this morning. Overall the trees are looking great! It has been extrem...
12/05/2026

We've been out with volunteers tending the orchard this morning. Overall the trees are looking great!

It has been extremely dry though with far below average rainfall so we're keeping on top of watering and have added a new layer of mulch to trap water and suppress competition.

We've also added a load of sheep fleece from our very own flock!

The fleece will stop other competitor plants from popping up as well as trap water and provide nutrients as it rots. A great use of natural materials.

Hi folks just a wee update on bird nesting season at Gunners. The swans are sitting on eggs!Fingers crossed for cygnets ...
08/05/2026

Hi folks just a wee update on bird nesting season at Gunners.

The swans are sitting on eggs!

Fingers crossed for cygnets soon. Expecting in 3 maybe 4 weeks if all goes well.

The reserve is absolutely full of nesting birds, such an exciting time of year! Two other nests we are obsessed with at the moment are a coot nest in the balancing pond with six eggs and blue tit chicks already hatched and making a racket in a nest box in the rangers compound.

To give all our bird families the best shot at success please:

1. Stick to the paths to avoid trampling ground nests.

&

2. Keep dogs close by your side and out of the water to protect waterfowl nests.

Thank you & we will share more baby bird pictures as soon as I get them.

Mallard ducklings! 😍Bird breeding season is in full swing folks so please do take care to: 1. Stick to the paths 2. Keep...
17/04/2026

Mallard ducklings! 😍

Bird breeding season is in full swing folks so please do take care to:

1. Stick to the paths
2. Keep dogs close to your side and out of the water to protect eggs laid on the ground and to avoid scaring mothers off nests.

Thank you!

Many thanks to Peter Dolphin for the photo.

Address

Gunners Park And Shoebury Ranges
Shoeburyness
SS39QN

Telephone

+447738458916

Website

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