Bird & Wildlife Watching

 16 members met in the Essex Wildlife Trust car park at Chigborough Lakes on an overcast but warm morning.

Chigborough Lakes is managed by Essex Wildlife Trust and consists of a series of flooded gravel pits giving a wide range of different habitats including open water, small ponds, marshy areas, grazed grassland and Blackthorn/Hawthorn scrub.

Bird sound was lacking as we started our walk around the lakes but we did hear a Chiffchaff and saw several butterflies including a Gatekeeper and Purple Emperor.  On the lake we watched a Mallard family.  As we walked further round the reserve we heard a Blackcap and Bullfinch, a Swift flew overhead, and on another lake there was one lone Greylag, Little Grebe, a Tufted Duck, several female Mallards and a Common Tern flying overhead.

Continuing around the Reserve we heard more Blackcaps and Wren and came upon a further lake where there were a number of Little Egrets, several Grey Herons and Cormorants nesting in the trees.  On the lake there were Coots, Mallard, Tufted Duck, Pochard and Gadwall.  Speckled Wood Butterfly and a Lesser Treble Bar Moth were also spotted.

There was an abundance of wildflowers around the Reserve and the experts among us identified those listed below.

Back at the car park we saw a Skylark and Swallow.

9 of us then went on to Heybridge and met 2 more of our members at the Lock Tearooms.

After lunch we walked along the seawall.  The tide was going down and apart from Black-headed and Herring Gulls the only waders we saw were an Oystercatcher, Lapwing and one Redshank.  In the trees we spotted Goldfinches, Sparrows and a Linnet and on the lake were a number of gulls and ducks, most of them being too far away to identify.

Altogether a most enjoyable day.

Birds:   Common Tern, Swift, Mute Swan, Greylag Goose, Wren, Robin, Goldfinch, Magpie, Crow, Tufted Duck,  Little Egret, Mallard (and ducklings), Blackcap, Cormorant, Little Grebe, Pochard, Moorhen, Wood Pigeon, Green Woodpecker, Great-spotted Woodpecker, Collared Dove, Great-crested Grebe, Chiffchaff, Bullfinch (heard), Grey Heron, Gadwall, Reed Warbler, Black-headed Gull, Skylark, Swallow, Starling, Oystercatcher, Herring Gull, Redshank, Lapwing, Linnet.

 Butterflies:  Gatekeeper, Purple Emperor, Speckled Wood, Lesser Treble Bar Moth, Meadow Brown, Small White, Green-veined White

 Wild Flowers:  Flowers: Hedge Bindweed, Spear Thistle, Cow Parsley, White Clover, Daisy, Ragwort, Bramble, Agrimony, Stinging Nettle, St John’s Wort, Yarrow, Knapweed, Bird’s Foot Trefoil, Great Reedmace, Rosebay Willowherb, Selfheal, Teasel, Woody Nightshade, Field Bindweed, Red Deadnettle, Black Horehound, Pink Campion, Yellow Water Lily, Fleabane, Bristly Ox-tongue, Mallow, Sea Lavender.

Other:  Badger Set, Mosquito, Damsel Fly, Hover Fly, Rabbit, Frog (baby), Shrew (dead), Cinnabar Moth Caterpillars, Red-tailed Bumble Bee

Joy Deacon

 Next meeting:       Wednesday, 8 August 2018  – Hockley Woods –  meet in Car Park at 10 a.m.

Nine members met in the Car Park of Abbotts Hall Farm on a warm, sunny morning.

The main office of the Essex Wildlife Trust is at Abbotts Hall Farm which Essex Wildlife purchased in 1999. It is a 700-acre working coastal farm south of Colchester and Abberton Reservoir. The Essex Wildlife Trust aims to show how wildlife can flourish alongside profitable farming. To create additional coastal marsh the 3.5 kilometre seawall has been breached in a number of places. In addition there is a large freshwater lake, and there are also beautiful gardens which are lovingly and carefully tended by volunteers. Bird viewing hides have been built and give good views over the freshwater lake and over the marsh, sea water and mud flats and therefore a chance to see many varieties of bird.

As we walked down to the hide looking out onto the area where the seawall had been breached we commented on the lack of birdsong and only had fleeting glances of one or two small birds which we were unable to identify and two rabbits. From the hide we could see in the distance a number of waders and as we didn’t have a telescope found them hard to identify, although we did make out Godwits, Oystercatcher. Shelduck, Cormorant, Lapwing and Herring and Black-headed Gulls.

There were no wildflower experts in our group today and although there were wildflowers in abundance the only ones we managed to identify were those shown below.

As we walked from there to the Lake Hide one member spotted a Yellowhammer. A little further on we noticed a large nest box in a tree and saw a bird fly from it, and after scanning the nest box for a while with our binoculars saw that there were at least 2 young in the box as they kept popping their heads up. Our initial thought was that they were Kestrels and after talking to the staff at Abbotts Hall were proved right.

From the Lake Hide we were delighted to see a pair of Mute Swans with 8 cygnets, Coot and Little Grebe (both with chicks), Tufted Duck, Moorhen and Mallard and spotted a Blackcap and Reed Bunting in the trees surrounding the hide.

Four of us then went on to Abberton. From the causeway we saw lots of Mute Swans and Greylags, several Egyptian Geese, Mallards, Pochards, Pied Wagtails and a large number of Cormorants nesting in the trees and at the Visitors Centre a Kestrel, Skylark, Mallard with chicks, Reed Bunting and a large number of Greylag on the reservoir.

A most enjoyable day with lovely weather.

Birds: Cormorant, Godwit, Shelduck, Rook, Lapwing, Herring and Black-headed Gull, Mute Swans, Tufted Duck, Coot, Moorhen, Kestrel, Pochard, Oystercatcher, Yellowhammer, Mallard, Little Grebe, Blackbird, Sparrow, Greylag, Great Crested Grebe, Canada Geese, Reed Bunting, Blackcap, Common Tern, Wood Pigeon, Little Egret, Egyptian Goose, Pied Wagtail, Skylark.

Wild Flowers: Pink Clover, Buttercup, Dog Rose, Comfrey.

Butterflies: Peacock, Red Admiral, Little Blue, Large Tortoiseshell, Small Heath, Cinnabar Moth.

Other: Rabbit, Common Blue Damselfly.

Joy Deacon

NEXT MEETING: Chigborough Lakes and Heybridge Basin.

On a warm and sunny morning 11 members met in the Visitors Centre which looks out onto the bird garden and feeders. There is usually quite a lot of activity around the feeders but today it was very quiet and all we saw was a Robin and Blackbird and a Little Egret some distance away.

We enjoyed a drink and then started walking to the new hide situated on the recently developed intertidal area. On the way we heard a lot of birdsong including Chiffchaff, Whitethroat, Blackcap and Nightingale but only got fleeting glances of the birds which made it very difficult to identify them. The new hide is comfortable and spacious and the 11 of us and a few other visitors had plenty of space to look out over the mud flats. There we spotted Shelducks, Dunlin, Grey Plovers, Black-tailed Godwits, Redshank, Oystercatchers and Common, Black-headed and Lesser Black-backed Gulls. As we did not have a telescope some birds which were quite a distance away were difficult to identify.

We then made our way leisurely back to the Visitors Centre and sat out in the sunshine and ate our lunch.

After lunch 7 of us stayed on and walked to the Lake Hides. There wasn’t much activity on the lake but we spotted Coots, Moorhens, Swan, Little Grebe and Mallards. Walking back through the woods we saw a Great Spotted-woodpecker, Blackcap and Whitethroat and stopped for some time listening to two Nightingales calling to each other, although we could not see them.

Driving out of the Reserve 3 of us stopped at the Gravel Pit and were delighted to see a large number of Sand Martins. Sand Martins are summer visitors to Britain and Ireland and they appear in Spring in order to breed. They tunnel into the sand of vertical gravel pit faces to nest between March and September and are fully protected by the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. We also spotted Mute Swan, Shelduck, Crow, Starlings and a Rabbit.

Altogether a most enjoyable day.

Birds: Robin, Blackbird, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Cormorant, Whitethroat, Nightingale, Skylark, Blue Tit, House Martin, Wood Pigeon, Magpie, Pheasant, Green Woodpecker, Great-spotted Woodpecker, Cuckoo, Reed Warbler, Mallard, Little Grebe, Tufted Duck, Coot, Moorhen, Mute Swan, Little Egret, Redshank, Canada Geese, Greylag Geese, Shelduck, Oystercatcher, Dunlin, Black-tailed Godwit, Grey Plover, Black-headed Gull, Common Gull and Lesser Black-backed Gull (36).

Flowers: Alkanet, Small-flowered Cranesbill, Buttercup, Daisy, Shepherd’s Purse, Wild Pansy, Dandelion, Gorse, Broom, Hawthorn, Oak, Wild Radish, Groundsel, Speedwell, Common Field Speedwell, Germander Speedwell, Ground Ivy, Chickweed, Thyme-leaved Sandwort, Red Deadnettle, White Deadnettle, Lesser Stitchwort, Bluebell, Ribwort Plantain, Black Medick, Common Stork’s Bill, Field Pennycress, Cow Parsley, Cowslip, Fairy Flax, Purple Vetch, Red Campion, White Campion, Holly (37)

Butterflies: Peacock, Large White, Small White, Common Blue, Orange Tip (5)

Other: Hoverfly, Slowworm, Bloodsucker, 7-Spot Ladybird, Wasp, Hawker (Dragonfly) (6)

Gravel Pit: – Sand Martin, Swan, Shelduck, Crow, Starling, Rabbit

Joy Deacon

Next Meeting: 13th June 2018 – Abbotts Hall Farm (Headquarters of Essex Wildlife)

Navigating through woodland on a grey day with no sunshine and with a map (provided by the visitor centre) that lacked detail is difficult – and yes we did get lost going round in a circle and having to be directed by some friendly golfers.  After the group leader handed the map to John, there were no problems.

Although we could hear plenty of birdsong we struggled at times to find the birds and when we did the greyness of the day subdued their colours. Jays, a normally shy bird, were prolific and their pink colour and bright blue wing feathers were the one bright spot in the greyness. They were not quite so prolific as the squirrels that foraged and leapt through the trees, amusing us with their antics.

We came upon a dead tree trunk, still standing and containing numerous holes, a sort of ready-made bird hotel.  One of the photographers amongst us took a photo and when portrayed on his computer screen found there was a squirrel’s head poking out from one of the holes.

Wood anemones grew in patches beside the muddy paths, and Prittle Brook that we walked beside for a time, had a good flow of water.  There are seven woods in the area all linked by footpaths but they are spread out and we only covered Belfairs Park Wood and part of the Belfairs Nature Reserve.  The area is important not only as a green space for the urban area but because it has several threatened native species present: the dormouse, heath fritillary butterfly and the song thrush.  It also has the unusual wild service tree, which is an important indicator of ancient woodland.

The Belfairs Woodland Centre provides information and has a refreshment area and activities for children; being school holidays it was bustling, but we managed to find a table outside where it was warm enough to sit and enjoy our lunch.

Birds: Blackbird, Song Thrush, Robin, Wren, Starling, Blue & Great Tits, Chiffchaff, Dunnock, Crow, Wood Pigeon, Stock Dove, Jay, Great-spotted Woodpecker, Green Woodpecker

Flowers:  Gorse, Primrose, Wood Anemone, Ground Ivy, Blackthorn, Hazel Catkins, Groundsel, Pussy Willow

Other: Grey Squirrel, Bumble Bee

Diane Caulkett

Next Meetings: 9^th May Fingringhoe Wick Nature Reserve, 10.00 in the Visitor Centre.

In the absence of our leaders, a small, select band of wildlife enthusiasts met in Daisy Meadow car park on one of the loveliest days of the year so far. The sky was blue, the air was warm and there was a definite spring in our steps!

As we reached the lock we were greeted by a mass of cranes – unfortunately they weren’t of the avian kind – there is still a lot of modernisation going on to the lock gates and parts of the path were cordoned off. Jill and Ken chose to do their nature watching from the coffee shop and the rest of us made our way across to the river. Unfortunately, it was high tide so we missed the chance of seeing many waders. We were, however, treated to signs of spring with a display of daffodils, crocuses and primroses around one of the seats looking over the river.

There was a lot of birdsong coming from the trees and shrubs around the pond but the birds were elusive. There were many gulls on the pond (mainly black-headed) and a few ducks (tufted ducks, mallard, moorhen and coots), plus the odd cormorant.

We cut back to the lock and took the path to get closer to the pond but it was quite slippery so we didn’t get far. However, we were rewarded with spotting long-tailed tits in the bushes.

After a break for coffee we set off for Chigborough Lakes. This was the most productive part of the day. As we walked around the path through the trees and bushes we were met with a symphony of birdsong. None of us were great experts on identifying birdsong but we managed to recognise great tits, greenfinches, and green woodpeckers and an odd pheasant. We came out into a clearing overlooking a private lake where we spotted several great crested grebes, more tufted ducks and 2 types of geese. There were also several crows flying plus blackbirds on the grass. We could have continued around the lake but the paths were too muddy.

Other than birds there were some signs of wildlife in animal tracks on the path which were identified as muntjack deer. We also saw some interesting lichen varying from silver grey to bright green. Back at the beginning of the path we had a look at the map board provided by Essex Wildlife Trust and agreed that we would like to come back in the summer when there should be a wealth of flowers.

Birds identified: black-headed gull, lesser black-backed gull, greylag goose, Canada goose, cormorant, great-crested grebe, tufted duck, mallard, moorhen, coot, pheasant, magpie,  crow, green woodpecker, long-tailed tit,  great tit, blackbird, greenfinch, goldfinch, wren, sparrowhawk ( possibly!).

Plants identified: Lichen, primroses, daffodils, crocuses, daisies, gorse, pussy willow.

Sue Bridgeman

Arriving at the Visitor Centre in sunshine it was nice to look out across the reservoir with the warmth streaming in through the large windows.  A pair of mallard swam in the pool nearby, a brightly coloured pheasant strolled through the reeds and various birds visited the feeders.  Venturing outside was quite a contrast with the warmth of the sun being lost in the cold wind that blew from the south.  Disappointingly it was one of our lowest turnouts, with just six members out of a total of 29 registered in the group, although several had sent their apologies.

Walking to the first hide we were accompanied by numerous skylarks rising and singing  ( https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/wildlife-guides/bird-a-z/skylark/ ) and you could almost believe that Spring had arrived.

A Sparrowhawk was also seen on two occasions.   The first hide looks northeast and always provides something to see – apart from the many birds on the water there was a large flock of meadow pipits feeding on the ground in front of the hide close enough to admire their intricately patterned plumage.

We were unable to identify a large flock of birds sitting on the water that rose up and flew up and down the reservoir, landed and did the same a short while later; we could have benefited from a telescope as they always landed out of range of our binoculars.

We almost missed visiting the second, and east-facing hide, as it looks over a vast expanse of water that you can see from the pathway, but we were glad we didn’t as it provided plenty of sightings.  The third hide faces south and immediately we opened the shutters for viewing we knew we wouldn’t be staying long.  The wind whipped in and being chilled already we quickly closed them and made our way back to the warmth of the Visitor Centre where mugs of coffee were most welcome.

Half of the group continued on to the causeway and were delighted to spot three Smews, two males and one female.  These are beautiful ducks and in winter the male, in particular, is stunning and one of the most attractive of European wildfowl.  The females have a grey body and red/brown cap on the head and collectively with the immatures are known as ’redheads’.

Birds: Sparrow, Blackbird, Starling, Blue & Great Tits, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Skylark, Meadow Pipit, Crow, Wood Pigeon, Pheasant, Sparrowhawk, Mute Swan, Moorhen, Coot, Little & Great-crested Grebes, Mallard, Shoveler, Teal, Wigeon, Smew, Pochard, Tufted Duck, Goldeneye, Lapwing, Grey Heron, Little Egret, Cormorant, Canada & Greylag Geese, Black-headed & Herring Gulls.

Flowers:  Gorse

Next Meetings: March 14^th Meet at the Lock, Heybridge Basin 10.00 (high tide 10.52) and then onto Chigborough Lakes.

Diane Caulkett