DAVID'S NATURE BLOG

21 OCTOBER 2024 – ABBERTON RESERVOIR/EAST MERSEA

There was a change of plan overnight, as we were originally travelling to Norfolk for a day’s birdwatching at Titchwell RSPB Reserve, but as there was no positive news from the reserve, John suggested Abberton and Mersea as a viable option – which of course was considerably nearer than Norfolk.

It was grey, grey day, with very light winds forecast, and a chance of brighter conditions later in the afternoon, but we continued to Abberton as planned, arriving at the Layer Breton causeway first at around 9.30 a.m.

Within a very few minutes of John setting up his telescope, he’d found one of our target birds - a Black-necked Grebe way out on the reservoir. A total of six were reported through the day but we managed four; from a personal point of view, I don’t ever recall seeing more than two on any one occasion previously, so that was very good start.

Nearby, a Great Egret (previously known as Great White Egret) was on show at the opposite end of the causeway, so I ‘sped’ off with a view to obtaining a photograph or two. In fact, throughout our time at Abberton, we were to see at least 10 Great Egrets - more than any of us had seen there previously. As it happens numbers of Little Egrets were on a similar par. Very impressive, and a true indication as to how both species had increased in the UK (in fact both breeds successfully) in the past few years.

Other species seen from Layer Breton included: good numbers of Pochard; Wigeon; Moorhen; Coot; Gadwall; Shoveler; Mallard; Tufted Duck (2) Mute Swan; Lapwing; Egyptian Goose; a Grey Wagtail; Pied Wagtail; Goldfinch; Grey Heron, and a single Western Marsh Harrier.

On to the Visitor Centre at Layer de la Haye, there were impressive numbers of Coot (possibly 2000 or more at a guess); but very little else of note other than some of the species seen at Layer Breton. Visiting the Centre, we made immediately for the Hide Bay Hide, where a truly impressive array of birds was on show for us. These included – at least 6 Great Egrets; a similar number of Little Egrets; a singleton Spoonbill; several Grey Herons; Wigeon; Pochard; Mallard; Pintail; Shoveler; Teal; Egyptian Geese; Canada Goose; Lapwing; Black-tailed Godwit; Ruff (2); Pheasant; Great Black-backed Gulls (c12); Herring Gull, Black-headed Gull; Goldfinch (c100); Starling (c100) and Robin.

Then, on to Mersea Island, with a sizeable flock of Golden Plover on the mudflats over the Strood which connects the island to the Essex mainland, then a quick look at West Mersea (opposite Bradwell Nuclear Plant) which netted a single Mediterranean Gull, with virtually nothing else on the Blackwater estuary. East Mersea (from the Cudmore Grove Country Park) proved an entirely different scenario however, with many birds observed (mainly waterfowl and wading birds), as the exceptionally high tide eventually almost entirely covered the spit.

Right from the outset, good numbers of Eurasian Wigeon could be seen at relatively close quarters (arguably, one of our most beautiful winter ducks); together with Common Teal and a sprinkling of other waterfowl too). There were impressive numbers of Little Egret (we observed at least one flock of 30 plus individuals, with at least 50 seen in total. Flocks of Redshank; Curlew (c120); Black-tailed Godwit; with a few Grey Plovers and many Avocets (which I missed as I turned back earlier than John and Mike who continued a while longer); Snipe; Lapwing; Sanderling; Dunlin; several Brent Geese and Great Crested Grebes on the Blackwater . Mediterranean Gulls seemed plentiful and must have been in the low 20’s. Up to five Little Grebes were seen in the surrounding ditches. On the way back a singleton Ringed Plover was seen from the Strood, where the high tide was causing problems for traffic going to and from the island, although the delay wasn't massively long.

All in all, an excellent day’s birdwatching, which would probably have rivalled and even exceeded what we might have seen at Titchwell from a point of view of the sheer spectacle seen on the Blackwater.