Abberton and Fingringhoe Wick

7th May 2023

Time for a visit to my favourite Abberton Reservoir and then on to Fingringhoe Wick to see what appears on the ebbing tide. The Layer Breton causeway was fairly quiet as one would expect at this time of year with just the usual suspects like the weir Heron.

It seems to be a good year for Whitethroats which appear to be abundant everywhere I go. This is particularly good news for me as I can remember when breeding pairs dropped by 77% in 1969 due to an extreme drought in their wintering grounds on the southern fringe of the Sahara Desert. It has taken a few decades for them to recover but are once again one of our commonest warblers.

Common Terns are back in good numbers now and were performing well from the causeway.

But the surprise today was to find a pair of Goldeneye still present in the first week of May. A female has over-summered the last couple of years but I can't recall seeing a pair this late.

The long-staying Pectoral Sandpiper has now morphed into a Greenshank which was difficult to spot and photograph due to the light and vegetation.....................

......................and the Sluice Tern was also on duty.

At Fingringhoe Hoe Wick Chiffchaffs, Blackcaps and Nightingales were all in full song but nigh on impossible to see as the Nightingales in particular have dropped deep into cover and the trees are now all in leaf. But the reason for coming today was to see if there were any waders left so timed my visit to coincide with ebbing tide and settled down in the Geedon Hide.

The water was still lapping at the bank when I arrived but gradually the water dropped revealing some mud and the resident pair of Oystercatchers were soon to take advantage. Because the floor of the river is so flat here a couple of inches drop in the water levels produces acres of mud and within 20 minutes the tide was out as far as the deep water channel. And despite these acres of fresh mud there was not a single wader in sight so winter is definitely over.

Then over the peace and quiet of the estuary I could hear the peeping of Whimbrel miles away near the mouth of Brightlingsea Reach. The calls gradually got closer and eventually I could make out a large flock flying quite high up the River Colne. A quick look at one of my photos revealed that there were 25 birds.

Them about half an hour later a single bird flew out of the estuary but close enough for a shot showing the distinctive bill and eyestripe. What a wonderfull end to the day!!!