Cattle Egrets at Abberton Reservoir

22nd April 2025

A lovely sunny day so time for a bimble around the reserve to see what has arrived. A walk along the Layer de la Haye causeway produced a rather tame Egyptian Goose that stood just a few yards away.

There were also about 20 Common Terns around, some having a rest on the bank.

Others making use of the railings by the sluice.

And this pair partaking in a bit of synchronised preening.

While others were fishing out over the water.

A Little Ringed Plover was also on the bank, and here assessing a potential overhead threat.

The warblers are now increasing in numbers with Whitethroats and Sedge Warblers both present at the southern end of the causeway.

And on the reserve I heard and saw my first Willow Warbler of the year. Amazing to think that about 50 years ago they were one of the commonest warblers in the south, but they have now moved north and are very common in Scotland. The bird was several bushes away and I had to find a small tunnel through the foliage as you can see by the shading on parts of the photos.

But the stars today were the Cattle Egrets which were feeding in the field at the south-east end of the Layer Breton causeway.

On my last visit on the 6th April there were no Cattle Egrets on site but now they are nesting in the heronry, but difficult to see as the nests are deep in the trees. Today there were six birds feeding in the field, but no idea how may are in the heronry. Watch this space.

Well, another great day at Abberton and also good to meet Bill who was also enjoying the egrets.

A Barn Owl at Abberton Reservoir

22nd April 2025

Barn Owls normally hunt from dusk and during the night but when they have young and therefore more mouths to feed they also hunt during the day. The pair of Barn Owls at Abberton had five eggs this year of which two have hatched so are therefore starting to hunt a little earlier in the afternoon.

I saw one fly past the Hide Bay Hide and then a little later past the Island Hide. When I arrived in the hide the bird was sitting in a tree, a long way away towards the Gwen Hide. After a couple of false alarms it eventually took to the air, but instead of giving us a close flypast in the hide, was harassed by a corvid so gained height and flew over the hide rather than past it making photography a lot more difficult.

Anyway here is a selection of what I managed.

I will certainly be back when more chicks have hatched, they are a bit more active and hopefully get some eye-level shots.

Also good to meet Maurice Knott and Peter Jackson.

A Mid-April Visit to Rainham Marshes

18th April 2025

A warm and sunny day so time for some breakfast in the Purfleet Hide. The resident Lapwings were parading in front of the hide, and out on one of the islands was a pair of rather smart Lesser Black-backed Gulls. 

Also a lone Egyptian Goose was having a bath, and boy when they have a bath, they really have a bath.

And a male Pied Wagtail was searching for insects amongst the dock leaves.

Along the trail the Marsh Frogs were finally finding their voice and trying to attract a female.

Along the river wall Linnets were fairly plentiful as usual and were posing well in the sun.

Always nice to get a pair on the bramble.

Warblers were well represented with plenty of Chiffchaffs and the newly arrived Sedge Warblers and Whitethroats.

In the woodland was a Jay, the first I have seen here for a while.

So what were the three most memorable moments today? Well the first was the pair of Redhanks that were showing that spring was in the air on the Purfeet scrape, although she seemed to be totally underwhelmed by the whole thing.

The second was the Common Tern that spotted a fish and went in for the kill in front of the Ken Barratt Hide.

And the third was the male Dark-edged Beefly that was hovering just four feet away in the woodland. I thought I would try my hand at some in-flight insect photography and here is the result. Reasonably happy with that.