Over-Summering Ruddy Shelducks at Abberton Reservoir

30th July 2026

Ruddy Shelducks do occasionally appear at Abberton Reservoir, but have you noticed they tend to appear at the same time of year?

Many of us will be aware of the Oare Marshes Bonaparte's Gull which first appeared at Oare Marshes in early July 2013 in its full summer plumage. It then stayed until it had moulted into its winter plumage a few months later and then disappeared, never to be seen again, that is until the next year when it repeated the process. This is the 14th year it has returned and nobody knows where it goes for the rest of the year, but probably not back to the states. It returned on the 3rd July this year.

Well, looking back at my photos and a couple kindly provided by Ian Plume, a similar pattern with the Ruddy Shelducks at Abberton Reservoir has emerged. Here are the seven photos I located, and in some years there were more than one bird present.

August 2011

August 2013

July 2019

July 2021

July 2023: Photo Ian Plume

July 2024: Photo Ian Plume

July 2026

There are two things to notice. The first is that all the photos are taken in July or August, and just like the Bonaparte's Gull this coincides with their adult moult, which in the case of Ruddy Shelducks occurs from mid-July to September. Also all the photos are of females, and here I am assuming that the first photo is of a female with a muddy face.

In my blog of the 8th July 2021 I wrote "Also the female Ruddy Shelduck was back. It is suspected she is from the Dutch population and has been coming here for the last couple of years to moult."

And from my blog of the 14th July 2019 "The origin of these birds is always a discussion point for they have been seen at Abberton several times over the years, but not in the neighbouring areas. They could of course be unringed escapes, but there is a 600-strong feral population in The Netherlands so they could be commuting from there which would explain why they are not being seen anywhere else".

So with a little research I now know this phenonemon goes back to at least 2011 and is still evident day. But although it would appear that the most likely explanation is that they are coming from The Netherlands for their annual moult, it doesn't explain why they are all females!!!

Answers on a post card.

And a special thanks to Ian Plume for the use of two of his photos.

A Stroll Along Walton-on-the Naze Beach

30th July 2026

Walton-on-the-Naze beach is one of my favourite beaches. No, I am not talking about the family beach along the promenade, but the beach north of The Tower that runs from where the sea wall turns inland, to Stone Point, a length of just over a mile. So what is so special? Well, despite normally seeing a rather limited number of wader species compared to other sites, it has the advantage of allowing you to get close to the waders, very often down to just 10 metres.

As soon as I stepped down to the beach I was welcomed by several large clumps of Golden Samphire, one of my favourite coastal flowers.

There were a few Sandwich Terns around, this one loafing on the mud, and others flying along the coast.

The commonest wader by far was the Ringed Plover with probably 100+ present along the beach.

Also good to see a number of juveniles.

The advantage of coming here at this time of year is that the Turnstones are still in their summer plumage.

And still more flying in.

There were more Dunlins than I expected this early in the season, and also a bonus seeing them in their summer plumage.

This is a juvenile.

And as the tide was coming in more waders were arriving.

But my favoutite wader on this beach is the Sanderling. I was told by Brian Combes they were back but failed to find any on my outward journey. Then on the way back I managed to find just one, a juvenile. I suspect more will arrive at high tide.

Well, another fantastic day on the beach at Walton and I am sure I will be back later in the year.

Green Sandpipers Galore at Lemsford Springs

25th July 2026

Lemsford Springs is never a high bird diversity site with just a few regulars and the occasional unexpected visitor, but today was even more so, probably due to the time of year. Apart from the site speciality, the Green Sandpiper, the only two support acts were a single Little Egret......................

.......................and a couple of Stock Doves.

But to compensate the Green Sandpipers were out in force.

And the more you looked, the more you found....................

....................with some just loafing around.

Here is a group of four........................

...............and here a group of five, probably the largest group in a frame I have ever taken here. Altogether there were 12 birds present and the day before that there were 14. The record for the site is 20.

At that point this bird decided to have a bath and started with a soak and a gentle ruffling of feathers to get those feathers wet.

Obviously that wasn't working, so the ruffling of feathers went up a gear.

And in final desperation the bird took to flying a yard and then plunging head-first into the water.

When Green Sandpipers have a bath they really go for it!!!!!