A Double Bonus at Abberton

17th February 2026

After a great day at East Mersea, time for a pit-stop at Abberton for a quick look round and a cup of tea before the journey home. I started at the Layer de la Haye causeway and was surprised at just how much the water levels had risen following the recent rains, and also at the near lack of birds. 

At times like this when birding is hard work I tend to switch from birdwatching to people-watching. Almost immediately I spotted a small group of people gathered at the north-eastern end of the causeway staring down at the water, some with binoculars and some with cameras. Time to investigate.

As I peered over the wall I could immediately see the subject of interest, a Black-necked Grebe. Now there have been up to six present during the winter and I have photographed them several times but always fairly distant, but today this one was much closer, just 30 yards from the wall.

Now on to the Layer Breton causeway and I could see a large flock of geese in the field next to the weir. I parked up and when I was approaching the field I could hear the unmistakeable honking of Greylag Geese, but also the higher pitched call of White-fronted Geese.

As I crossed over the bridge by the weir I was confronted by an amazing site, no less than 40 White-fronts out-numbering the Greylags, and the nearest ones just 30 yards from the road. Previously this winter the nearest I have got is 200+ yards in dodgy light.

That will do nicely!!!!