Nine members met at Heybridge Basin.  It was very good to include a new member, Diane; hopefully she enjoyed the morning and will join us again.  The weather was glorious for October – very warm.  After a coffee we went towards Goldhanger as the path is flatter and more even.  The tide was well out so there were lots of different species but they were very far away, although we were able to identify most of them.

We think the most exciting sighting were the greenshanks, which provoked a lot of discussion and was resolved by a member producing a book from her rucksack with a good picture and description of it. Cetti’s warbler was good, and the first Brent geese of the season. Also, the ivy flowers were absolutely humming with all kinds of insects.

Birds seen:  Avocet; black-backed gull; black-headed gull; Brent geese; Cetti’s warbler; cormorants; curlew; black-tailed godwits; greenshank; grey heron; house sparrows; little egrets; moorhen; pied wagtail; redshank; starlings; mute swans; wren.

Other:  Buff-tailed bumblebee; red admiral; small white butterfly and a butterfly which might have been a painted lady on the buddleia.

Next Meeting: 10 November 2021 – Hanningfield Reservoir (Postcode CM11 1WT).  Meet in Visitors Centre at 10 a.m.  (If anyone requires a lift please let Lynda Ewers know (Mob: 07467042654)

Lynda Ewers