An Afternoon Visit to Abberton

8th August 2025

Not the best of time of year to visit Abberton, but on the way home from Fingringhoe so lets hope some migrants have dropped in. As I drove up the Layer de la Haye causeway my worst fears were realised when there was only one car parked in the laybys and no scopes on the wall, but worth a look anyway.

I first peered over the wall on the eastern side to see just a lone male Yellow Wagtail which, despite being about 30 yards away, immediately flew out over the reservoir never to be seen again. On the western side between the two causeways there were three Common Sandpipers, but these were all very skittish and this is the closest I could get, about 25 yards. The juvenile Pied Wagtail was one of about 30 along that bank.

At the Layer Breton causeway there were two Spoonbills on Spoonbill Island in the south-west corner, although sometimes there can be 10+ birds present.

At the far end of the causeway in the north-east corner a Great White Egret was fishing quite close to the road, a sight you wouldn't have seen 15 years ago.

Great Crested Grebes have an incredibly long breeding season and can start nesting as early as February, and here is one incubating eggs in the middle of August. No wonder there are so many of them.

Also along the bank was a lone Common Tern having a breather from fishing,

But the real action was back at the sluice on the Layer de la Haye causeway where a small party of terns were putting on a fantastic aerial display. Enjoy!!!