A Jaunt Around Essex - Part 1

 1st October 2020

Not much about and no megas to go for within reasonable travelling distance so therefore a trip to our favourite stomping ground, Abberton Reservoir. As is tradition our first port of call was Layer Breton causeway for breakfast and a cup of tea. As we were admiring the gloomy weather and hoping it would brighten up before too long as forecast, I saw out of the corner of my eye a large brown bird flying away, a Bittern. Unfortunately this is often the best view you get of Bitterns at Abberton!!

On the banks of the causeway there unusually high numbers of Chaffinches feeding on the seeds. Further down the bank a Pied Wagtail was searching for food at the water's edge. 

However, what was different today was the appearance of a Grey Wagtail which I have sometimes heard at Abberton, but to the best of my recollection have never photographed here before.

As far as wildfowl were concerned there were still good numbers of Mute Swans flying around, but it was very noticeable that the males of both Shoveler and Teal were both starting to moult out of their eclipse plumage.

At the Layer de la Haye causeway a couple of Black-tailed Godwits were feeding in the shallows providing a few opportunities despite the poor light.

Great Crested Grebe numbers were stating to build up, including this rather grown -up "humbug" juvenile.

There was still no sign of any wintering ducks such as Goldeneye and Goosander despite three Goldeneye spending the summer here, but it was fairly obvious that the Cormorants had learned the trick of feeding on the large shoal of Perch living inside the sluice. I wonder what will happen when the Goosanders return?

But what was new was the number of juvenile Black-headed Gulls hanging around the sluice, presumably in the hope that a Cormorant would drop a fish. Dream on!!!!

Now for Part 2 of our jaunt we are off to Fingringhoe. Watch this space!!