To Southend at last!

On Tuesday I went to Southend and met up with Dave, a birdwatcher/photographer I'd been talking to on flickr for a while. He's been visiting Southend and photographing lots of birds I wanted to see, such as Turnstones and Plovers of different kinds so he offered to show me around. The day started not very promisingly with a dense layer of fog covering much of south Essex, but we were hopeful that once the the day warmed up a little it might burn off.

We met at the sea-front and took the first train to the end of the pier, hoping we might see the groups of Turnstones there that Dave had seen but unfortunately it was low tide and they were all out on the mudflats. We saw Oystercatchers flying about and Cormorants out on the water and off to the south-east a trio of Brent Geese flying low above the waves. A few pigeons perched on the railings and a young Mediterranean Gull sat on some wooden posts nearby alongside a juvenile Great Black Backed Gull. Taking the train back we could see the water was extremely shallow after spotting a Grey Heron sitting motionless half a mile out from the beach, then we saw lots of waders out on the muds - Redshank, Oystercatchers and then a Curlew, the first I'd ever seen and a bird I really had wanted to find!

Mediterranean Gull on Southend Pier

Back at the sea-front we left the pier and went down to the sea wall on the east side of the pier, pausing to watch a Pied Wagtail on the road and a small huddle of Little Egrets in a pool on the beach. When they flew away we went out to the wall and looked out at a mass of waders in the distance, lots of Dunlin amongst the birds we'd spotted from the train and out to the south-east a second Curlew probing the mud with it's long curving bill. We took some photographs, difficult at such distances and on such a dull grey day but at least by now the fog had lifted from this side of the estuary, although we could see the Kent coast was still shrouded.

We left the beach and collected Dave's car, driving west to Leigh-on-Sea where we hoped to find more Brent Geese. We were not disappointed as when we arrived at the small quay at the eastern end of Leigh we saw a large group of geese on the exposed muds and amongst them lots of Black-tailed Godwits! I'd seen Godwits at Cley before but only off in the distance - these were far closer and so I could much more easily see their back tails as they probed the mud. We settled down to take photographs and as I did so I watched the occasional little scuffles between the geese as they fed. A few Redshank were dotted here and there and in a creek near the quay a few gulls lurked, keeping out of the cold breeze perhaps. I could hear a Curlew calling just off near the beach so we packed up and moved on there, photographing a lone Brent Goose that was striding across the beach. Looking out to the estuary I could see a Little Egret standing hunched on the mud, more Godwits and a Curlew beyond and more Brent Geese out in the distance, perhaps not the thousands some had seen recently but plenty for my tastes.

We headed back to the car and after a bite to eat drove on past Leigh train station to Two Tree Island. Leaving the car we could see lots of small birds in the scrub around us, Robins and Wrens and more, and we struck off west towards the lagoon at the far side of the island. We passed a group of trees full of Chaffinches and Linnets and watched some Teal and a Curlew down in the creek to our right, closer than the others we'd seen so I paused to photograph it but retreated carefully when it looked like it was uncomfortable with my presence. At the lagoon we could see a good sized gathering of Wigeon and nearby Teal and Avocets scattered amongst the islands. We headed for the hide and settled down inside as a light shower began.

We sat for a while watching the birds and saw a few Redshank amongst the Teal, another solitary Little Egret at the far end of the lagoon and a male Shoveler asleep in the shallows. A Curlew called out beyond the sea wall the Avocets filled the air with their piping calls as they fed nearby. The rain became heavier for a time and then as it eased Dave suggested I might want to check out the other hide nearby looking out over the estuary, so I gathered up my binoculars and camera and headed along the path there. I stopped as a small dark animal crept out from the undergrowth ahead, paused on the path and then disappeared into a thicket on the other side of the track. I was too far away to be sure but it seems likely it was an American Mink, watching some videos on the internet their movements certainly appears consistent with what I saw.

I entered the other hide and lifted the flap, immediately seeing a flicker of movement in the marshy plants as 'something' disappeared along an overgrown channel. I thought it probably was another Redhank as when I sat down and looked about I could see a Redshank feeding nearby, a few Shelduck out on the estuary and off in the far distance groups of more birds, way too distant to make out. I watched a Robin hopping around the weeds nearby and then saw the movement in that channel again. I got my binoculars on it and slowly, very gingerly into view crept a Water Rail! I quickly grabbed my camera and took some photos, struggling at such a distance in the dingy light but managed somehow to get some shots. I rang Dave in the other hide (we were the only ones there and he asked me to if I saw anything good) to let him know and he was really pleased but since he had only the other day seen one well at another reserve (I'd seen the pics, it was a great view he got!) he stayed where he was to carry on counting the birds at the lagoon.

After a minute or two the Rail moved back into the channel and disappeared, and after a few more minutes I did so too, heading back to the lagoon hide. I could see a Blackbird and a Dunnock on the path ahead and as I went to raise my binoculars a Sparrowhawk swooped down over my shoulder and flew really low along the path, scattering the terrified birds and then banking around the lagoon hide and out of sight. Dashing to the hide Dave said he'd seen it come in fast and low, buzzing across the water before disappearing over the bank. Pretty cool!

We chatted with another birdwatcher that came to the hide as we packed up and then headed back to the carpark before Dave very kindly gave me a lift back to Chelmsford. Dave was rather miffed that we'd not seen the Turnstones on the pier (which are very tame!) and the big flocks of plovers that would have been at the lagoon at high tide but coming away having seen at least four species of bird I'd not seen before and with photos of a Water Rail I was really pleased! Even without those it was a great trip to scout out the area and see what was around, I'll certainly be back another day when the weather is better, hopefully catching the high tide and those flocks!

Brent Goose at Leigh-on-sea

Stonechats and Divers

I walked into Chelmsford town centre to try to see the Red-throated Diver again yesterday, was a sunny morning this time and I walked across the Baddow Meads water-meadow and along the river Chelmer. I saw some Reed Buntings and some unidentified small birds flying overhead (just silhouettes), then I spotted a group of little birds fly across from the other side of the river to some reeds on the near bank. I assumed they were more Buntings but when I got my bins on them I found they were Stonechats! I was thrilled when I saw one the other week so to see three or four was brilliant. I couldn't get very close to them but I stalked as close as possible and took some very distant photos, pretty low detail but considering how far I was one or two were surprisingly good.

Just past the Stonechats I disturbed a small group of Little Grebes, which I watched for a bit after I'd moved off a little way, then at the road bridge a group of Mute Swans came flying downstream, flying really close to where I stood. It was very impressive as you certainly get a better idea of the sheer size of these birds when they fly close to you!

Past the bridge I found another small group of Little Grebes and a Cormorant fishing in the river, then off in the meadow a fair sized group of Magpies feeding on the ground, seven or eight that I could see. Lots of little birds in the trees as I approached the town, Robins and Dunnocks and Wrens, and in the water the Moorhens and Coots with a good crop of young Moorhens there. I went through town to Central Park and at the lake saw the Grey Wagtail bobbing around the bank, then at the far end spotted the Red-throated Diver still here, accompanied by a small group of birders.

I took some photos of the Diver as it moved around the lake before resting near the large paved bank section, where it stopped and had a little preen before taking a nap right in front of us! Very cool. I chatted with the birders a little and then packed my gear and headed off to do some shopping but then decided to head back along the river again, passing the Little Grebes and then past the road bridge watching a Kestrel hunting for some time, hovering over the meadow and perching in a dead tree before zooming off and landing some way off. I didn't see it come back up although I watched for a little while, I assume it caught something or flew off when I glanced away and I missed it so I picked up my shopping bag and tromped along the meadow path home.

Stonechat beside the Chelmer

Diving with a red throat

A tip-off from a friend on flickr led me to walk to Central Park in Chelmsford this morning where a Red-throated Diver had been seen at the weekend. Initially I thought it was not here and had already prepared myself that it was unlikely to still be around but when I reached the paved bank section I found the bird was there, and only a few metres away calmly preening! I set up my camera and tripod and spent some time photographing the Diver and when it moved on I followed it and bumped into snapper1966, the guy that had told me about the bird. We followed it around the lake, spotting a Kingfisher along the way and taking a few photos of it as it hid in the depths of a Willow. We also met another birdwatcher who'd come to see the Diver and chatted for a while before parting, when I headed off home to check out the photos.

Red-throated Diver

A late update

I haven't really updated the blog as often as I should, I've missed writing about some of the things I've seen so I'll make this a catch-up...

Sunday the 27th of September,

I went on a 'flickrmeet' walk around Galleywood Common with a couple of other photographers that are members of the Chelmsford group on Flickr. We spent time chasing insects on the heath, including a lot of Small Coppers, we wandered around looking for fungi and found some big examples at the Napoleonic defences and I managed to get very close to a Kestrel and got some photos.

Kestrel at Galleywood Common

Thursday the 8th of October,

I walked along the river Chelmer from Barnes Mill to Sandford Lock and looped back through Manor Farm. Just to the west of Barnes Mill I found a group of Little Grebes and by moving slowly and keeping low and in cover I managed to get close enough to take some photographs. Beautiful little birds but very, very timid! Further along the river I saw quite a lot of Green Woodpeckers and in one of the horse paddocks two were feeding on the ground, along with at least 15-20 Meadow Pipits! Not many birdwatchers get excited about meadow pipits but I think they're great and it's only the second time I've seen them around Chelmsford and I'd never seen so many in one place either. At Sandford Lock the ivy on Bundocks Bridge was covered with wasps, flies, Red Admiral butterflies and Hornets - I finally got a photograph of a Hornet and a Red Admiral (a butterfly I'd been trying to get a photo of all year!). On Manor Farm I spotted a Kingfisher, a Reed Warbler and a Great Crested Grebe in winter plumage on the reservoir near the farm buildings, along with a number of Coots.

Little Grebe on the River Chelmer

Monday, 12th of October,

Went into Chelmsford and spent some time in Central Park. Sitting on a bench next to the lake I watched a Mapgie only 10-15 feet away and was also watching a Kingfisher as it flew from tree to tree around the lake and fished from different spots around the lake. In the afternoon I went into the garden and found a female Sparrowhawk sitting in the conifers, just her yellow eyes showing through the branches. She flew up onto the roof and I rushed inside to get my camera and managed to take some photographs of her. She has an injury to her eye but otherwise looked in good condition, hopefully she is still able to hunt (I've found very recent kill signs in the garden but whether there are other hawks here I don't know). I've seen her harrying Starlings overhead a couple of times this week after that and even saw her go into a stoop high overhead, but she disappeared behind the house so I couldn't see what she was hunting.

Female Sparrowhawk on my roof

Thursday the 15th of October,

I went for a walk to Asda in Chelmer Village in the afternoon, heading across the Baddow Meads and along the river Chelmer to the horse paddock where I'd seen the Meadow Pipits where I headed away from the river and followed the footpath beside the paddock to Sandford Mill Road and on to Asda. Not very notable in itself but crossing the Baddow Meads to the river I saw my very first Stonechat, perching high on top of the weeds on the north side of the river just by the dogleg where I saw the Little Grebes just a week earlier. I'd been wanting to see a Stonechat for ages and had been intending to go to Two Tree Island near Southend to see them... as it was I found one just a short walk from my house, which was very cool indeed.

Galleywood Fields

I've been doing some wildlife exploring over the last week, taking some walks around the south end of Great Baddow, Galleyend, around Parklands Farm and Galleywood Common. A walk on Thursday took me to a little wild area off Vicarage Lane, along the Vicarage Lane bridleway (nice hornbeams, field maples, hazel, oak, ash, hawthorn, blackthorn and sweet chestnut trees here) to Brook Lane where I spent a little time watching a gathering of Blue Tits and Great Tits in a tree, accompanied by Chaffinches, Dunnocks and Wrens! After a quick scan of the fields along Vicarage Lane I walked south to the footpaths around Parklands Farm, through a small spinney of ancient woodland and along the field boundary tracks to Rignalls Lane. I saw a sign on a fence along the track mentioning the wild borders here, put in to encourage wildlife and mentioning specifically brown hares, badgers and barn owls - that caught my attention!

At the end of the track by the road I saw a huge gathering of birds, lots of yellowhammers, young Goldfinches, Chaffinches, Blue Tits, Great Tits, Coal Tits, Collared Doves and Woodpigeons, plus a pair of Sparrowhawks flying overhead.

Young Goldfinch

On Friday morning I got up very early and headed back to the same spot off Rignalls Lane before dawn and walked through the fields south to Galleywood. Lots of woodpigeons and gulls on the tilled soil and near one of the larger woods I saw hares up on the crest of the hill. I took a look around the wood, dominated by hornbeams and oaks then walked on south along the edge of the fields, spotting a Great Spotted Woodpecker in a big tree near a horse paddock. At the smaller patch of woodland I paused to watch a young Rabbit on the track and past the wood I found an entrance to a badger sett right on the edge of the field, spoil dragged away to the hedgerow and scrape marks at the tunnel slope suggested it had been in use very recently! As I looked around I saw a silhouette on the far side of the hedgerow, a fox running along the edge of the meadow and disappearing in the undergrowth... this was turning into a good day for mammals.

Further along I passed a large flock of Long-tailed tits and left the fields at Ponds Road where I saw what I 'think' was a Barn Owl flying north along Lower Green. The angle was bad and it may have been a gull or a collared dove but the shape and the flight style seemed wrong for either of those and really said owl to me. I know from the signs I'd read that there are Barn Owls here but I can't be sure this was one though, I didn't get a good enough view of it. I headed along Ponds Road to Galleywood Common and walked around the heath, which was pretty quiet save for the dog walkers. I did find a Small Copper butterfly though, which seemed to have been laying eggs on the grass. I took a few photographs of her, wandered through the wooded part of the common then made my way back to the Stock Road and from there back home.

Small Copper

Out on the Common

I had decided that a birdwatching walk around Galleywood Common was undoubtedly overdue, so I set my alarm to get up at 5am this morning and had an early(ish) night. I left before 6am and set of for the two mile walk there. The walk was pretty quiet, a few early Robins, Tits and Blackbirds along the way, some woodpigeons in the meadows and a brief glimpse of, I think, a Sparrowhawk. I reached St Michaels church about twenty past six, still early but quite light under an overcast sky. I sat on a bench in the churchyard and waited for any developments. I could see rabbits on the old racecourse just outside the church grounds and some squirrels feeding amongst the tombstones. Suddenly a female Sparrowhawk flew down and tried to attack one of the squirrels, beating it's wings as it tried to work out how to attack but then flying off into the surrounding trees, leaving the squirrel to dash off into the undergrowth. It was all over in seconds and I was amazed that the hawk attempted to take such a large mammal, although it could have been an inexperienced young bird.

I left the church and walked through the woods, winding my way around and just exploring the tracks that crisscross the woodland here. I came out on the grass next to Margaretting Road, lots of rabbits here. I walked along the edge of the wood to the heath and paused to watch some Tits flying around between the trees then noticed a Greater Spotted Woodpecker in one of the trees tapping away on a branch. As I moved around slowly to get a better angle I saw two more birds fly into the tree and refocusing I saw a fairly plain greyish bird, rather Robin-like with darkish legs and a dark-tipped bill. It was definitely not a bird I'd seen before and it looked rather like a Flycatcher, but I had no idea if those were found in this part of the country. As I pondered if I would be able to get my camera from my backpack the bird started looking a little agitated so I tried to memorise it as well as possible and then it flew off across the heath to the other woods. I checked my field guides when I got home and searched for images of Flycatchers and any other similar birds on t'internet and am fairly sure that they were Spotted Flycatchers after finding some images showing similar bill colouring and indistinct spots and talking to my brother about them.

I walked on through the heath and through the woods to the south, lots of fungi around and Robins singing and piping out their alarm calls amongst the trees, Green Woodpeckers yaffling in the canopy somewhere. I crossed the remains of the Napoleonic defences near a carpark and followed an overgrown trackway until I eventually came upon a clearing close to the Stock Road where a large dragonfly was patrolling, too fast and erratic in flight for me to get a close look to hazard a species, but my impression was that of a Migrant Hawker or something similar. Carrying on along the track I passed a large pond, little more than a boggy hole at the moment, a family of Moorhens looking for food amongst the mud. I watched a Dunnock searching for morsels of food under the bracken nearby then headed across the grassy sward to the narrow wooded strip on the western side of the common where a little road was found.

I followed the road to a trackway that ran west between a garden and an area of slightly more open woodland, where I stopped to watch another flock of Great, Blue and Long-tailed Tits. The Warden of the Common reserve was passing and stopped to chat for a minute before hurrying off to church and I turned west down a little track and then at the bottom struck north into the woods, across London Hill and then into the woods again along a small track that led around Mill Hill but was clearly very little used as it was terribly overgrown and a large bough blocked the path at one point - I needed to drop down to my knees to squirm underneath it. After a while I came to a rough bench, clearly a spot favoured by the local kids judging by the scrawls on the wood, where I stopped for a peaceful moments rest... until an unnoticed Green Woodpecker on a tree right behind me launched into an explosive yaffle that gave me quite a shock and I spun round and scared off the bird, which had been amazingly close! I headed out across the road to the heath and after wandering around a little headed back to St Michaels Church and from there up Watchhouse Road and Brook Lane to the south end of the bridleway that leads to Vicarage Lane in Great Baddow.

Along the bridleway I saw and heard lots more tits, and at the east side horse paddock I watched a large group of Swallows feeding on the wing, possibly gathering in preparation for the flight south. Just north of there I found a big dragonfly patrolling a section of path, another Hawker but again I couldn't get a clear view of it to attempt an identification. I then found a Hazel beside the track, the ground covered in nut shells that were cracked in half or had a hole chiseled in one end. At the north end of the bridleway I found a Blackthorn covered in Sloes and nearby a baby Wren was skulking in the thicket, a gorgeous little thing still with the yellow gapes at the sides of its bill. I then packed away my binoculars and camera and tramped through Great Baddow and off home...

Blackthorn Sloes

An early start

I got up early this morning and was out just before dawn, walking into town and off to the Chelmer Valley reserve. At the canoe club in town I spotted the Kingfisher yet again, the third time I've seen it recently! I think it must be taking advantage of a good fishing branch I'd noticed some time ago sticking out over the water at what looked like a good diving height. Very cool that there is one taking up residence in the town, how long it will stay I don't know as this is right next to a regularly-used footbridge... only time will tell but it's great to see it.

On through town along the river, past Riverside ice rink where greenfinches and tits were feeding in the hedges that surround the outside pool, then across Victoria Road to the start of the nature reserve. Lots of rabbits feeding amongst the willows and I spotted a completely bald-headed male Blackbird nearby, then a couple of young Blackbirds with slight balding too... could this be something they got from Dad? Coincidence? In the main wooded part of the reserve I met plenty of dogwalkers but also saw and heard lots of Long-tailed tits, Great Tits, Blue Tits, Dunnocks, Robins, Wrens, Crows, Woodpigeons, a few possible Chiffchaffs and Green Woodpeckers. Walking along the walled edge of the reserve I looked at the tree I'd photographed previously and discovered was a Hornbeam, then found a couple more close by, along with White Poplar, Sycamore, Horse-chestnut, Ash and Hawthorn (and those are just the ones I could identify) - a good mix for a tiny grove of trees.

Out onto the playing fields and around to the wild ground bordering the reserve, I paused for five or ten minutes at the boundary, watching two big oaks for any activity (I'm hoping but not expecting to see a Nuthatch, I doubt there are any but I'll keep looking) and found a Greater Spotted Woodpecker hammering away at an old branch, really knocking chunks out of it as it looked for a hidden grub. After a while it gave up and flew away, off down the line of oaks and into the reserve. I turned and walked to the raised banks of the old reservoir, walking around it's edge where greenfinches called from the thicket on the bank. I walked up to the rim and looked down to find some Magpies hopping around and a Grey Heron attempting to eat something unidentifiable but failing as it was enormous. I couldn't make out what it was through my binoculars, something it found rather than caught, it looked as though whatever it was had been expired for a while! The Heron looked at me rather nervously and then flew off towards the river, leaving the Magpies to peck at the 'thing' it had regurgitated. I carried on around the reservoir, more rabbits and lots of wild roses festooned with red hips but very little bird life.

As I walked across the rough ground back to the playing fields I could hear a commotion and turning back I could see a lot of crows in the air making a din. Looking towards the low sun it was hard to make out what was going on but as they moved away from the sun a little I could make out two Kestrels that were being mobbed by the Crows, the little falcons having to invert in the air and brandish their talons to see off the dive bombing Crows. After a while the group disappeared behind the trees and I walked on to the two oaks, pausing again to see what might appear. I saw a blur of bluish grey flash into the left oak, too quick to see what it was. I trained my bins where it had gone but the leaves were too dense and after a few minutes I gave up the hunt. It didn't quite look like the usual tit flight and the feel was wrong for a blue tit (seemed too big for one thing) but I know how the mind can convince you when you want to see something! It would be nice to think it could have been a Nuthatch and it seemed a good tree for them but I'll just have to keep looking.

Walking through the Alder wood to the river gave a close encounter with a Squirrel, which ambled towards me then doubled-back when it saw me before climbing a tree and approaching while flicking its tail in agitation. Very few birds other than a couple of Great Tits, hopefully as winter sets in the Siskins will return. Following the riverbank footpath back to the south end of the reserve I saw very little but near the university buildings I saw a family of mute swans and some of the youngsters were harassing a poor Moorhen sitting in the middle of a floating patch of weeds. I wondered why it was staying there but then realised there were some very young chicks with it! Thankfully the adult mute swans moved off a short distance and the juveniles followed, leaving the mother Moorhen and her chicks in peace. Just past there I also found some large hoverflies and a Comma butterfly, presumably this was one of the later generation that are likely to hibernate through the winter. I also saw how widespread the hop plants are now, really spreading out with lots of flower cones about.

From there it was back under the railway viaduct and back to town, not a bad morning all told and I had some really lovely close views of the great and blue tits.

Flocks and feet

First post for a little while, thought I should make this before we enter September (is it really that already!) - August's entry is looking a little lonely!

Yesterday (Sunday) I got up early and went out just after dawn for a walk eastwards along the river Chelmer, thinking perhaps I might get as far as Stonham's Lock. As it turned out I walked almost to Rushes Lock, a round trip of thirteen miles that left me with very sore feet and legs as I wore shoes that are not really very suitable for long walks - the uneven stony ground on the return played havoc with my aching soles. It was all worth it though...

passing Barnes Mill I had an extremely close view of a female Reed Bunting as she sat in a small tree, the best view I've had to date. Then a little further downstream I saw a large flock of Great Tits, Blue Tits and Long-tailed Tits moving through the trees, accompanied by some Goldcrests and a Willow Warbler! I scanned the fields nearby and could just make out some pheasants and what I think were partridges, but too far away to be sure. A female Tufted Duck flew upstream past me, followed by a Lapwing at a greater height.

Past Sandford lock near the A12 bypass I paused to watch a small flock of Tits in some hawthorns, some Whitethroats also moving through the trees and brambles along with a slightly different bird. I looked closely as it skulked in the brambles and momentarily came out into clear view to show itself - yes, a Lesser Whitethroat! Only the second I've seen, the first was last summer at Morston in north Norfolk. Too shy to let me get a photograph, it slunk off behind the hawthorn and then flew off to the distant trees.

Walking on to Cuton lock was very quiet, little seen bar a couple of people on bikes. At Cuton lock however I came upon a Cormorant fishing in the river, a sight I'd seen on a boat trip at the coast but never here! I evidently startled the bird as much as it did me as it took off and flew downstream, took another dive then flew off away to the south, giving me just time to take a quick snap of it as it splashed its way out of the water. I continued to Stonham's Lock, very quiet apart from the drone of distant traffic where work was continuing on renovating the lock and some fishermen were setting up for the morning. Just past the lock I saw lots of small birds flocking together, but against the overcast sky I found it difficult to identify them, or even follow them as they flew from tree to tree. After a few minutes I realised that they were Chaffinches and Greenfinches, large numbers moving from tree to tree and in and out of the fields where I presume they were finding some spilt grain from the recent harvest. I saw more of these birds near Little Baddow lock and as I passed the lock and approached the road bridge I could see Swallows zipping along in the field on the northern bank of the river, making loops around and around, always returning to the road bridge where I think there may still have been some nests. Under the structrure I could just see a hint of the bottom of some muddy nests and one or two birds resting on the struts.

Over the bridge and eastwards I saw another small flock of birds but it took me some time to place them even though the sun had appeared and was at my back. I then realised I was watching Linnets, a bird I'd seen from time to time elsewhere but never in the Chelmsford area (though they surely must be around here, I just hadn't come upon them until now). Dragonflies zipped about, more than I'd seen on my local walks for a while now, one of the patterned hawkers (Migrant or Southern perhaps) that I find difficult to identify unless I have a good photograph and plenty of time with the guide book. Here and there Moorhens called, followed by a flotilla of young, occasionally taking a short panicked run along the surface of the water either in fright or to see off a rival.

I arrived at Papermill Lock and sat for a while on a bench, intending to wander to the road bridge and then turn back but as I watched more swallows from the bridge I looked downstream and decided I'd explore just a little further so after a few minutes enjoying the sight of the swallows I set off. The river here is beautiful, although not isolated as it is so close to the tourist honeypot of Papermill Lock, so lots of walkers, joggers and cyclists were heading back and forth, some with prams and kids in tow. In between though it was very peaceful and I felt that I was entering a more rural part of the river, very tranquil and flanked by tilled fields and grassy meadows. I reached an arching footbridge, inscribed with 1951 and freshly painted in white, where I saw a pair of Common Darter dragonflies mating on the footpath, but they flew off to a nearby hawthorn as I moved to extract my camera from my backpack. As I attempted to photograph them I chatted to a passing couple who also took some photos of them (what a bunch of voyeurs we are!) and then after climbing the bridge to look down on the river I headed back upstream, my feet beginning to ache and the thought of all those miles to come quickening my step.

At the Papermill lock road bridge I paused to watch the swallows and noticed them flying to an Alder tree where a number of young swallows were perched, my first view of juveniles and very welcome indeed! I watched the adults come to feed the youngsters and then went to an empty bench by the water and sat for a while as the lunchtime crowd chatted away at the nearby tea room. Having gathered my strength I walked on to Little Baddow lock where I spotted a Common Tern flying upstream and fishing right in front of me, and watched a group move a boat through the lock (very interesting). Then on past Stonham's Lock, the flocks of finches still flying to and fro, and plodding ever onwards to Cuton lock, where I spotted a Cormorant fishing again, possibly the same bird had returned. As I passed Cuton I was beginning to flag, going past the 11 mile mark now and my feet really getting sore. I trudged along, oblivious to the sound of the A12, past Sandford lock and on to the homeward stretch. I finally reached Barnes lock and turned away from the river homewards, where I ran a bath to soak my tired body.

To Hanningfield at last!

It's been a while since I last posted, a period when I've been insect watching more than bird watching now that the summer is setting in and the birds are becoming quieter and more reclusive. Yesterday however was a contradiction, a trip yielding many, yet very few birds!

A friend of mine from Flickr asked if I'd like to go out for a walk, suggesting that we could take her car to Hanningfield Reservoir if I liked. Since I'd been wanting to visit the reservoir for some time I eagerly agreed and yesterday afternoon we drove there and parked at the visitor centre of the nature reserve at the south-west of the reservoir. Driving along the road at the embankment near the visitor centre I'd noticed a lot of birds on the water and heading into the woods and off to the Lyster hide we found hundreds upon hundreds of ducks. Being a large body of water they were some way out so photography options were rather limited, even a Little Grebe closer to the shore was too far out for more than the most cursory record shot... but then those are small birds to photograph anyway!

Looking out through my binoculars I could see mostly Tufted Ducks and Pochard, a few juvenile gulls here and there and one lone Great Crested Grebe amongst the mass. Off in the distance were a number of what looked like rafts, each with numerous Cormorants sitting there or in the water nearby - the greatest number of these I've ever seen, only having found the odd one or two in one place before. Having had a look for anything unusual and deciding that was pretty much impossible to do with my binoculars anyway, we moved on through the woods and stopped at a pool to photograph Ruddy Darter dragonflies and Gatekeeper butterflies, then found Migrant Hawkers and Brown Hawkers patrolling over the water, a pair of Common Blue damselflies mating on a reed leaf near the water.

Moving on along the track we found more Gatekeepers, Speckled Woods and Large White butterflies and on a bramble a Migrant Hawker dragonfly hanging, perfectly posing for some photographs, which we took full advantage of! A little way on there was another, hanging from a branch this time, just as beautifully posed as the last. We moved on, following the track past what looked like a badger sett, across a meadow and into another wood where we stopped while my friend searched for a geocache, not finding it unfortunately... but finding a wood ant nest instead!

On through the woods and now heading westwards back towards the visitor centre along a footpath next to Hawkswood Road, past grassy meadows and stands of tall ragworts and daisies. Near the edge of the car park we found more Ruddy Darters and Speckled Woods at the shaded meadow edge and after watching those for a minute or so we headed into the visitor centre, looked around at the books and other things for sale and then went back to the car and drove back to Chelmsford.

Migrant Hawker on bramble

Crests, Chasers and Cuckoos

At the end of last week I took a walk along the river Chelmer, leaving just after six am to walk from Barnes Mill at Chelmer Village to Paper Mill Lock, to the north of Little Baddow. I could hear Skylarks singing from the long grass on the Baddow Meads and Warblers singing from the cover of the riverbank and as I walked east along the towpath I was accompanied by Whitethroats and Sedge Warblers. Near Sandford Lock I paused to listen to the resident blackbird, distinguished by it's imitation of a distant police siren, and continued on past the reeds and under the A12 bypass, the river now swinging north and flowing parallel to the noisy road. A big compensation here is the presence of the fishing lakes and nearby reedbeds, good spots for Reed Buntings, Sedge Warblers, Reed Warblers and Common Terns. Three Terns were flying back and forth over the lakes and two peeled off to fly across the river in front of me and head off to the east.

Insects abounded as I continued downstream, the most visible being the Common Blue Damselflies and Banded Demoiselles, big concentrations found here that saw one or two fly up with each footstep. Passing Cuton Lock with it's WW2 pillbox I followed the river eastwards, away from the town and the drone of the A12 and into quieter countryside... until you hear the noise of the work being done to restore Stonham's Lock and the heavy trucks coming and going along a rough track next to the river nearby, kicking up clouds of dust as they thunder by. To the west of Stonham's Lock the river is idyllic and here I found the creatures I'd come this way in search of... Scarce Chaser dragonflies! Chasers are a type of dragonfly I'd not seen and Scarce Chasers are, well, as the name suggests: they are quite scarce! There are only certain waterways in the UK that support these fantastic insects, although the populations in those rivers are healthy, which certainly seemed the case here as there were lots to be found all along the river.

Passing Stonham's Lock I heard a lovely call, the pee-wit fluting of a Lapwing! A common bird that I see not often enough by far, but here five were flying overhead and calling, a great sight to see and something to really warm my heart. I left them behind and continued to Little Baddow Lock, watching a Common Tern flying upstream as I crossed over the road bridge. Here I began to see more walkers and joggers, yet the river still felt remarkably secluded and I was able to enjoy the surroundings in a fair peace and solitude. Ahead I heard the unmistakable sound of a Cuckoo, repeating it's call rapidly from the willows across the river, then saw it fly quickly yet with rather leisurely wingbeats across to a tree on the south side. I spent a minute trying to locate it then saw it disappear upstream, a few fading calls from a distant perch were the last I heard.

And so I arrived at Paper Mill Lock, welcomed by a gang of scrapping Moorhens who, legs flailing at each other, made a din to end the quietude I'd enjoyed for the last mile or so. Here the mood of the river changed, boats lining the banks and people coming to and fro. Benches and tea rooms, dogs and children, the sound of canoes dragged from their stowages lending this lock a very busy and not entirely welcome air, at least so it seemed to me after the last couple of miles. I walked to the road at the far side of the lock and watched the swallows hunting insects over the water then, checking my map and considering my energy levels and the state of the sky I decided to turn back along the river homewards.

Retracing my steps I saw Common Terns and passed Mallards and ducklings at Little Baddow lock, more Scarce Chasers, Sedge Warblers, a Great Crested Grebe with a humbug-coloured chick and a number of Large Skipper butterflies before reaching Barnes Mill again and heading for home.

Male Scarce Chaser

The Norfolk pilgrimage

A couple of weeks ago I went with my brother to spend a week on the north Norfolk coast, staying in an 18th century flint-faced fisherman's cottage in the heart of the beautiful village of Blakeney, once one of the largest harbours in the UK but the harbour is now silted up and barely clinging on. The growth of Blakeney Point is the main culprit, but it is also a large draw for tourists, supporting much wildlife including a large colony of Terns and also Common and Grey Seals on the shingle spit.

One of the highlights of a trip to the north coast is the opportunity to see Marsh Harriers, last year we saw lots at Cley but this trip outshone that as we saw Marsh Harriers being mobbed over the marshes from Blakeney quayside within minutes of arriving in the village! We saw the Harriers again and again through the trip, around Blakeney, at the Cley nature reserve and at the Titchwell reserve, but at the end of a walk around Wiveton Downs and Glandford we found a Marsh Harrier in a field flying through a large flock of Woodpigeons and watched amazed as it flew back and forth over our heads, magnificent in the afternoon sunshine.

Repeated views of hunting Barn Owls, bats flying within inches of us on the marshes, Bearded Tits and Avocets at Cley, Fulmars at Hunstanton and Tawny Owls in the woods at Holkham were only some of the highlights, we saw so many wonderful things during that week. Norfolk really does justify it's reputation as it features so many habitats and supports a great wealth of wildlife. The reserves may be tourist honeypots but it doesn't take much effort to leave behind the crowds and I'll never forget a muddy morning walk along the coast path, the rain slowly clearing away and then as the sun peeked out I saw a Barn Owl, quartering the fields amongst the cattle.

A Marsh Harrier wheels overhead

Robin training

It's all go in my garden at the moment, lots of fledgling activity going on now. An explosion of House Sparrows has taken place, everywhere I look I can see little youngsters hopping around and the Robins have finally fledged, leaving the ivy that grows up my neighbour's garage to take up residence in the dense conifers. The Starlings have young too, little grey things that are very demanding, beaks wide open as they scream out their begging calls.

During all this the Robin parents have become more and more confiding, one still a little shy but the other coming down to hop around my feet as I sit in the garden and watching attentively as I refill the feeders. Their favourite food are suet pellets and as an experiment this morning I tried crouching down near one of their perches with an outstretched hand, a few pellets in my palm. The bolder bird was very interested and fluttered from perch to perch, looking alternately at me and my hand, before hovering with fast wingbeats in the air in front of me, building up courage. After repeating this a couple of times there was a quick dart and a pellet was grabbed, then taken to the chicks in the conifers. I kept still and the bird returned and after a little gathering of courage took another!

After a couple more visits I put some pellets and other food in the ground feeder tray and left the birds in peace, but I have been out a couple more times with another handful of pellets for a little more hand feeding... the feeling of little Robin feet touching down on your fingers is rather cool!

Painted ladies

An influx of Painted Lady butterflies is underway in England, the fragile insects having flown from north Africa, through Europe and across the channel. They are making their way northwards but were seen here in mid-Essex this morning. I found a very ragged and faded butterfly at Manor Farm near Chelmsford drinking nectar from a dandelion and I saw a number of others in the area but none close enough to see if they were in a similar state as this one.

Painted Lady butterfly

A Walk Through Dedham Vale

Yesterday morning I took the train to Manningtree and met my brother at the station, originally planning to wander around the Manningtree/Mistley area but when I got to the station I suggested we might want to go along the river to the west, out to Flatford. I'd heard cuckoos there before and since my sighting in Writtle my brother has been saying that he hadn't heard one... he soon agreed when I suggested there was a possibility that there could be some over there!

Before I left the platform I'd seen Chaffinches, Whitethroats, Rooks, Carrion Crows and rabbits and as we walked along the trackway to the river we also saw Swifts, Pied Wagtails, Wrens, Canada Geese, Dunnocks, Blackbirds and more Rooks, this time feeding youngsters in a field. At the river where the path junction takes you left to Flatford we could hear more Whitethroat, Sedge Warblers and Reed Warblers (according to my brother... I can't yet id Reedies by their song), and yet more Chaffinches on the posts nearby.

Turning left we could see Rooks flying back and forth, there must be a rookery nearby but I'm not sure where, plus Canada Geese, Grey Herons and Cormorants flying overhead. Sedge Warblers and Reed Warblers were calling from the reeds nearby and on the river we could see Shelducks, Oystercatchers and Mallards. Reed Buntings were flying in pairs from the reeds, sweeping high into the air before plunging down into the reeds again, calling to each other as they flew. Pheasants were heard too, out of sight in the fields to the left, while cows were lowing in the pasture across the river.

As we approached Flatford we could hear a Cuckoo in the distance, lovely to hear one again, particularly now knowing my brother had finally had heard one. We saw lots more Whitethroats and Reed Buntings here, one Whitethroat hunting caterpillars in a hawthorn had six wrigglers in it's beak and was still hunting for more! We sat down at the wooden portage near the mill and watched the ducks on the river, a female steaming along with a trail of ducklings in her wake and two male Mallards coming to us in hope of a little food and nibbling our fingers as we gave them some crumbs from a cereal bar.

At the millpond Swallows were zipping around, flying amongst the buildings, across the water and through a gap in the hedge to the field beyond, coming extremely close to us as we stood on the track! Always a wonderful sight, we spent some time enjoying the spectacle, then walked out a little way along the river path that leads to Dedham, watching more ducks and ducklings, a Great Spotted Woodpecker in the trees and attempting, not very successfully, to photograph the Swallows on the wing. Turning back we stopped at the lock gates to watch a pair of Grey Wagtails flitting around, gathering the many flies that hung above the water and seemingly playing chase with each other. All the time the Cuckoo was calling in the distance and we could hear its calls moving around.

Back along the track towards the concrete river gates we caught sight of the Cuckoo flying from the west behind the Willows, perching in a tall tree out of sight and calling once more. We moved around along a side path that followed the river and managed a few glimpses of the Cuckoo moving about from tree to tree. Lots of Orange Tip butterflies and damselflies and dragonflies too, a really nice spot. Walking back to the river gates my brother spotted some Linnets, Reed Buntings and Whitethroats in the reeds and brambles behind the gates so we spent a little time trying to photograph those before walking back along the path towards the train station, spotting a very distant wader down at the river's edge which I think was a Redshank and also a brief glimpse of a Yellowhammer along the hedgerows.

Sedge Warbler

Return to Writtle

Having woken up early, around 4am(!), I decided to get out early and go to Writtle in search of the huge crow/unlikely Raven I saw on Saturday. I took a circular route to the Agricultural College via the footpath leading from St John's Road to Fox Burrows Lane, then west along the lane to Lordship Road and the start of the east/west bridleway. I saw a few crows here, flying off from the college heading south-east. I just had time to get my binoculars on them before the disappeared behind the trees, just time to notice a larger one had a chevron shaped tail, but too brief to say if it was a Raven or just wishful thinking. Truth be told the rarity of Ravens here leads me to doubt I have seen one. The crow I saw on Saturday certainly was an order of magnitude bigger than the other Carrion Crows I've seen and comparing tails of other crows the chevron tail was definitely different, but different enough to be a sign it was a Raven? I'd only believe it if I got a photo of the bird and it was corroborated by an experienced birdwatcher.

Heading on along the bridleway through the college I stopped at the new reservoir, a foolhardy Swallow overhead blown around by the gusting winds. Very quiet here, no sheep in the field behind today and very few birds around on the water - a few Tufted Ducks, a mallard with her large collection of ducklings, a few lesser black-backed gulls. I scanned the water's edge slowly and could see no sign of the Little Ringed Plovers. I watched a mallard close to the near bank and then some movement caught my eye and what had been just another lump of mud became a rather angry plover! It was so small and had sat so still among the foam at the bank that I hadn't even seen it, even in motion it pushed my 8x binoculars to the limit to watch it! A stretched wing and a flurry of action sent the mallard off and the Little Ringed Plover disappeared into the weeds out of sight below the rise of the land. The action was rather defensive and I wonder if these plovers are nesting here - would be great if they are!

Moving on, past the hiding Whitethroats (even more elusive among the foliage blown about by the winds) and a lone Stock Dove in a ploughed field, near the end of the bridleway I saw a few insects flying as the clouds had thinned slightly. I wondered if this might bring out the swallows and then as I thought it I saw a House Martin flash by! Ok, so not a Swallow as such, but pretty good timing all the same! Some more followed and I watched them for a while then walked on to the gate where I'd watched a Cuckoo on Saturday. I could see the large tree where it perched but all was quiet, just a Carrion Crow feeding down amongst the crop stems. I turned back along the bridleway and a Pied Wagtail was energetically wandering around the path, a bird I always love to see, one of my oldest favourites. By now there was quite a crowd of Martins swirling overhead so I tried to see if I could get a few photos of them in flight. Very difficult, their flight was so quick and erratic but I managed a few shots that came out ok.

Further along the path I spotted a Yellowhammer in the hedgerow, it's beak stuffed with nest material - a very encouraging sight and the best view of a Yellowhammer I've ever had, I usually only hear them calling for their 'little-bit-of-bread-and-no cheeeese'. Back to the reservoir I could see a Grey Heron had arrived but couldn't see the Little Ringed Plover, either out of my view or keeping still. I walked on through the college and then back to the village green, sitting at a bench by the duckpond with a jam sandwich... which meant that I was soon in the middle of a scrum of ducks and geese! Some of the smaller hybrid bibbed Mallards were very sweet and bold, standing almost on my shoes and as I offered them a morsel they nibbled at my fingers, something I wouldn't have wanted the large domestic goose to do!

I walked up to the junction of Ongar Road and Lordship Road and took the public footpath past the allotments and wound out through the college land again, crossing the stream a couple of times and looping back south to Great Oxney Green, attempting to photograph an Orange Tip butterfly along the way and managing to misfocus my little camera. I tried to get out my SLR but the butterfly flew off before I could. Ah well, another time perhaps. Still, as passed horses in a meadow and approached Victoria Road I saw a fox jump up from the long grass off in the empty meadow to the right and dash towards the high weeds by the fence! I didn't see where it went, I lost it when it disappeared into the tall weeds, but was really great to see a fox out in a slightly more rural area! That was the last nature of the day, I reached the village and walked back to Writtle along the main road and from there took the bus back home.

A House Martin against the overcast sky

A busy weekend

The May Day weekend was a busy one for me, three walks in four days! On Friday afternoon I walked around the Chelmer Valley Nature Reserve with a few friends from work. Not too much going on that day but we did see Mistle Thrushes gathering worms for chicks, a glimpse of a Blackcap, some Chiffchaffs, Whitethroats, Comma and Small Tortoiseshell butterflies and quite a lot of rabbits.

On Saturday morning I took the bus to Writtle, another birdwatcher had posted to birdforum.net that Little Ringed Plovers were at a new reservoir on the Writtle Agricultural College land. I walked quite a bit around the area and got pretty sunburnt as it was really a lovely day. I missed the Little Ringed Plovers (but actually found one in one of the photos I took at the reservoir!) but saw a pair of Common Terns, a Grey Heron, lots of Tufted Ducks, Lesser Black-backed Gulls, Mallards with ducklings and along the rest of the walk I saw lots of Swallows, a Cuckoo in a tall tree off Cow-watering Lane, Whitethroats everywhere and the air was full of Orange Tip butterflies too, more than I'd ever seen! As I walked north past The Orchards along a field edge beside a stream a huge crow flew out of a tree ahead! I see lots of Carrion Crows around but this really was a BIG bird, far larger than the ones I regularly see. I didn't take in the details but size alone suggested it may have been a Raven, indeed the guy who'd told me about this place was around that morning and saw a huge crow he thought might be a Raven too. Rather tantalising!

On Monday I woke very early and left before 6am to walk to the Chelmer Valley Nature Reserve again, hoping I might see more than I did on Friday. At the automatic weir on the river by the Essex Record Office I saw a Grey Wagtail, the first I've seen so far this year, and at the river near Tesco on Springfield Road I saw a Moorhen with two young and a female Mallard with a large flotilla of ducklings in tow. On the north side of Victoria Road I saw a family of Song Thrushes by the river behind MacDonald's, at least four dumpy fledglings there keeping close to the protection of the nettles. Across the river a Song Thrush and a Blackbird were being harassed by a Blackbird fledgling, a very hungry chap, he was begging from any bird that came near (perhaps abandoned?). At the viaduct were lots of rabbits (there were huge numbers out all around the reserve this morning), one having lost an eye in the past, just healed-over skin where the right eye should be. Along the footpath in the wooded part of the reserve I watched a pair of Chaffinches courting and mating - the female leaning forward with her tail raised as the male shuffled in s-shapes around her with head and wings lowered, then they mated and he repeated the shuffling before mating again.

On the rough ground nearby lots of Whitethroats, greenfinches, more rabbits and lots of crows and magpies overhead. Green Woodpeckers calling from the trees and a possible Stock Dove on the meadow on the far side of the river, Swallows hawking for insects above. Walking back along the main path to the weir and bridge I took the riverside track and saw a pair of Blackcaps in a willow, too flighty to allow me long enough to raise my camera but a great view of the female through my binoculars, the best view I've ever had of these shy birds. Then in another willow a Wren belted out his ear-splitting song, only a few feet away. I took some photos of him singing and then headed back into town, watching a long-tailed tit taking insects to a hidden nest near the Riverside outide pool while a Sparrowhawk circled high overhead.

Not a bad weekend all told!

Singing Wren in a riverside Willow

One hot Friday

Last week was unseasonably warm and sunny for April so on Friday lunchtime I took a roundabout walk into Chelmsford via my usual Manor Farm route, thinking that if my bad ankle (still a little weak after a recent sprain) held up I might venture out to Little Baddow instead of the town. I decided not to push it and took the shorter walk but that was a good decision, both from a wildlife perspective and also because I'd forgotten my hat and the sunburn I picked up would have been rather worse had I lengthened the walk!

It was very quiet as I walked the track around Manor Farm, very few Swans out on the west field and only one or two brief snatches of Skylark song heard, but the Great Crested Grebe was looking particularly fine and eight Greylag Geese had joined the small number of Tufted Ducks on the water. The wind was blustery and the sky rather cloudy as I walked towards the smaller reservoir but I could see a Whitethroat up on the wires ahead and took a few photographs as it sung there, before dropping into the cover of the reeds in the nearby ditch. As I approached I could hear it singing still and seaching with my binoculars I could see it moving around in the undergrowth, moving off to the north along the ditch. As I followed it the bird flew off to a bush further along, then off into the cover of the crops in the next field. I could see a male Reed Bunting perched in the bush so I slowly approached, moving carefully to try to avoid spooking him, pausing to take a few shots as I got nearer. Then the bunting flew off into the stems in the bordering field, so I retraced my steps and walked on.

The usual Chiffchaffs, Wrens, Great Tits, Blue Tits and Chaffinches were to be seen and heard around the smaller reservoir, Orange Tip butterflies fluttering around. At the path to the river I watched a pair of Robins, one resting on a post with a caterpillar in it's beak before flitting away into the willows. On the north side of the river I followed a rough beaten track through the nettles and discovered a World War 2 pillbox I'd not known was here, one of many such fortifications in the area but now seemingly a place frequented by the local youngsters. I picked my way back to the main path and then up to Sandford lock, sitting here for a minute in the sunshine then walking west along the river.

Whitethroats were singing from the trees and bushes as I ambled along the towpath and I heard one calling, a very strange sound that I didn't recognise and spent some time trying to spot the bird hidden in some dense vegetation, but fortunately it put me out of my misery by flying up to a clear perch. One Whitethroat singing from a bush flew up into a willow as I passed, hopping around and singing in the branches. I took some distant and rather obscured photographs before it flew off into some low brambles, leaving me resigned to those being the best shots I'd get... but then it flew into another willow and posed boldly on a hanging branch not ten metres from where I stood, so I quickly fired off a number of shots, some of which (though the bird was small in the frame with my 300mm lens) came out rather well - hurrah!

I stopped by the horse paddocks at Barnes Mill to watch the horses grazing there and then walked on past the mill and over the inlet channel to the Baddow Meads, a large floodplain used for grazing. A large herd of horses had been turned out onto the Meads and were charging about, rushing towards me as I left the style behind - which alarmed me somewhat! They had a foal amongst them so I was concerned they may be rather protective and see me as a threat, and indeed the large males did stand between me and the others so I backed off towards the style again and they drifted off towards the edge of the meadow and began to feed. I waited a moment and as they seemed to have lost interest in me I walked on across the Meads, casting a glance back every now and then. I'm sure I was fine with them, I just get a little nervous around large animals in situations like that. It was worth pressing on though as when I neared the river I saw a Common Tern flying along above the river, every so often banking over hard and diving into the river with a loud 'plop!' before climbing back up to continue on it's way downstream. I've seen these birds a number of times on the river in town and at Central Park but not for a while, so was really very pleased to see this one.

That was the last of the entertainment for the walk, I crossed under the road bridge that leads from the Army and Navy roundabout to Chelmer Village and on into town for some shopping and a bus ride home.

A posing Whitethroat

Catching up - part 2

I've left it a little long to write this post so some details are perhaps a little hazy but hopefully I'll have remembered the important parts of the day.

After talking about the wildlife I'd been seeing with some of the people on Flickr, where I post photographs and talk to other local people I'd arranged to meet up on Sunday the 19th with a couple of others and to take them on a wildlife walk up to Manor Farm and Sandford mill. We met at the Vineyards around 8.30am, a rather unpromising grey and blustery morning but headed off towards Maldon Road and the start of the footpath at the roundabout of Baddow Hall Avenue.

As we followed the footpath beside the sliproad of the A1114 the morning traffic drowned out much of the natural sounds but we did find a Dunnock in a hawthorn here, singing bravely over the roar of the cars. Ahead where the path veered right a white flash as a rabbit ran for the safety of it's warren, another motionless beneath a bush, watching with wrinkled nose. We slowly trod the track beside the pines, looking out for signs of life. A lone Robin could be heard in the depths of the spinney but little else bar the flies moved. At a junction of tracks we looked out into the left field, a place where I'd seen Grey Partridges before, but found just a few Mute Swans sitting far out in the distance. We climbed the earth bank surrounding an old reservoir, dried out but a patch of reeds at the far end suggested a little water remains - possibly a spot worth watching.

Taking the track eastwards we could see Skylarks in the air and a few Swallows high up, plus some Tufted Ducks, Coots and Great Crested Grebes on the fishing reservoir to the left. On up the track and turning off down beside the reservoir we could hear Great Tits and Chiffchaffs calling, while a Robin and a Willow Warbler sang from the Alders. A pair of Wrens sang in the thicket and a speckled wood butterfly fluttered in the nettles.

Passing behind the cottages we saw a wren in a bordering tree holding it's left leg up, possibly having injured it the poor bird could not put weight onto the limb. I know though that many birds with similar injuries manage to carry on well, not quite as bad as might be thought at first sight. More butterflies here, Peacocks and Orange Tips, and a male Chaffinch high in the wires. We came out onto Sandford Mill Road and turned north to the river crossing, Bev seeing what may have been Little Grebes down on the river and Chris watching a Goldcrest up ahead. Another Chiffchaff in the trees here and at the small clearing to the right we startled a rabbit and a Sparrowhawk - I'd only just said to Bev and Chris that rabbits and a Sparrowhawk were sometimes here so I was pretty pleased!

More Chaffinches on the wires (perhaps they should be called Wirefinches) as we turned left at the fork and crossed over Bundock's Bridge, then right along the towpath towards Sandford Lock, spotting a Mistle Thrush in the field to the left. At the lock we turned south along the road back to the river crossing, retracing our steps through Manor Farm to the reservoir where we chatted to a man walking his dog. We mentioned our (well, my!) reluctance to go to the larger reservoir due to the no tresspassing signs, but he said that was intended towards fishermen, not walkers and that it was fine to go to the water's edge. We hastened along the farm track to the crossways and turned right along the track to where it came closest to the reservoir, where no ploughing was done or crops planted. There we found an excavated hollow lined with wood chippings, a little fishing spot, that was unoccupied so we went down to look closer at the birds. A single Great Crested Grebe was out fishing on the water and a number of Tufted Ducks and some Mallards were on the bank just opposite where we stood. As we looked out a bird flashed across in front of us and I tried to track it with my binoculars. Against the sun it was hard to see but the shape and flight was unmistakeable - a Kingfisher!

We walked back along the track towards the crossroad but paused when we spotted some Peacock butterflies in a ditch, then realising the field in front of us was full of Skylarks. The sound of song carried across to us and a number could be seen hovering in the field, scuffling in the air as they drifted too close to each other's territories. We spent quite some time watching them and trying to photograph them (rather difficult at such a distance!) before walking on, finding it very difficult to drag ourselves away! At the crossroads Chris stopped and scanned the horizon, then pointed at a bramble on top of the earth bank. There a Whitethroat was singing, a song I'd also heard but not heard, ignored as I thought of Skylarks. It was a way off but wonderful to see, the first I'd seen in Essex! With that we strode on back to Great Baddow and the end of the walk, a very pleasant morning indeed.

Skylarks fighting over territory

Catching up - part 1

Have been for a few walks over the last week or so but kept putting off writing this so a bit of a memory exercise!

On Saturday the 18th I took a late stroll out to the bridle-way that leads from the end of Vicarage Lane in Great Baddow out to Brook Lane. This is a lovely old track that leads into the more rural outskirts of Great Baddow and Galleyend, lined with trees and bounded by fields and open meadows. A good place for a quiet walk, this area also features a fair amount of wildlife.

The sun was low in the sky when I approached the bridle-way, a Robin singing in the bushes beside the Lawn Cemetery and Great Tits calling 'tea-cher, tea-cher' in the trees above. The spring growth was beginning to move on apace, fresh green leaves glowed in the afternoon sun and shafts of golden light were angling across the path as I crunched along, listening out for birds as I went. I paused here and there to look through my binoculars at the blue and great tits, a couple passing with their dog followed then by a horse and rider. Skylarks were singing in the distance, off to the right in the field of yellow Oilseed Rape, a sound to unwind the stresses of the week and raise a smile on the lips.

I paused at the pond halfway along the track, a single moorhen skulking at the weedy edges while both Mistle and Song Thrushes sang from somewhere in deep cover. A short scan of the horse meadow and then on towards Brook Lane, past a gathering of Woodpigeons and Magpies in a meadow to the left. At the road I turned right, towards the old pump at the junction with Watchouse Road. Just a hundred yards or so to the north I left the road at Barn Mead, crossing the ditch over a wooden bridge and onto the footpath crossing the field back to the start of the bridleway. At this southern end the path follows the edge of the field beside some tall old trees and hawthorns, a good spot for birdwatching as I've seen Goldcrests, Treecreepers and many others here in the past. Slowly and quietly I followed the path, keeping a close ear and eye on the trees but very aware that with the sun behind me I was very obvious. I was fortunate though as a Great Spotted Woodpecker flew in and landed in a large oak near where I stood and moved around pecking at the bark for some time. Further on I caught a glimpse of a small grey bird, too brief to be positive but almost certainly a Blackcap.

I struck out here across the field of Oilseed Rape, following the clear path made by the farmer, most welcome to find. All around me was the sound of Skylark song, the birds either out of sight of my myopic vision or hiding amongst the stems. Indeed, I did see one scurry along the path and disappear in the crop again, just a quick view but good for all that. With that I reached the bridleway again and turned north towards home, passing the Robin still singing in the bushes and, as I walked through Great Baddow, noticing a Sundog either side of the setting sun - a good finale to the walk and something that probably very few people would notice and so for me all the more special.

The bridle-way in the evening light

Good Friday

A very appropriate name for the day and a rather enjoyable walk. The day started warm with patchy sunshine and so I took my usual Manor Farm/River Chelmer walk into Chelmsford. At the new reservoir I could see a number of Tufted Ducks, some Canada Geese, Coots, Mallards, two Greylag Geese (first time I've seen those here) and a pair of Great Crested Grebes - which I haven't seen for a long time so they were most welcome!

Walking on along the track to the smaller old reservoir next to the farm buildings I could hear Skylarks overhead and as I followed the path around the edge of the reservoir I saw a Cormorant circling low overhead, losing it behind the trees as it headed westwards. Pausing where the path turns away from the water's edge I saw a Kingfisher dart across and as I stood hoping for another glimpse a call behind took my attention and I turned to find a Willow Warbler in a bush nearby, the first I've seen this year.

On along the path, a Pheasant calling off to the north and the trees full of Wrens, Great Tits and Blue Tits, I came to the cottages at the end of Sandford Mill Road. Exploring here a little I could hear Chiffchaffs and Chaffinches in the willows but could spot neither (my hearing and observation skills being pretty poor I often struggle to spot small birds in trees or pin down where their calls are coming from). On across the river I could hear another Chiffchaff but this time, yes!, I managed to spot the little thing high in a willow, fluttering about and pecking at the small twigs. Just past here I paused at a little clearing where sometimes rabbits can be seen. No rabbits today but high above a Sparrowhawk circled and disappeared with a lazy flap of it's wings.

Turning left past Sandford Mill I flushed a Blackbird from a tree where it was taking berries from the ivy, also scaring to the air a Mistle Thrush that flew to the river and perched in a willow there, always a good bird to see. Over the bridge and on along the river's edge with the sun's warmth gaining strength, Dunnocks singing from the trees, Moorhens on the water and a Pheasant calling from the trees in the distance. On along the towpath, butterflies and insects buzzing around me, a Magpie keeping station on the path ahead and the calls of Green Woodpeckers heard now and again.

As I passed a couple with their dog I spotted a Jay flying east, then from across the river some small birds flew past me and into a bramble patch, then a glimpse and, yes - Reed Buntings! Three males, just in view for a few seconds but unmistakable, lovely little birds and great to see here. A little further on a Skylark in the distance, snatches of song heard on the breeze and then nearby a Green Woodpecker yaffling. Watching the grass of the horse paddocks I spotted him, a low flapping flight across the grass and then down onto a fence, quickly hopping to cling to a vertical post - the preferred perch for these lovely green and red birds. A pause, a look around followed by a circling of the post and a climb to the top. Then another low flight away out of sight.

At Barnes Mill I sat at the lock for a moment then I walked on along the river, a Great Spotted Woodpecker tapping at a tree behind the mill. From there an uneventful stroll across the Baddow Meads into Chelmsford and back to the busy modern world.

A good walk - I feel much better for it!

Bundock's Bridge