5 JANUARY 2026 – SPELLBROOK; TEDNAMBURY MARSH and THORLEY WASH

There was a light dusting of snow outside, but otherwise pristine, extremely cold, sunny conditions; just right for a morning’s walk along the River Stort, with the aim of attempting to get as many bird species as possible - to boost my bird list (thus far a rather paltry 29) for the new year.

I chose to take a bus down to Spellbrook, then walk along the towpath, south towards Tednambury Marsh (hoping to connect with Ravens that I saw here for the first time in September 2025); then walk back along the towpath north through Spellbrook and finally Thorley Wash. Rather stupidly, I gave myself about three hours, but in fact I was out for a total just exceeding five - and that was without any resting time whatsoever!!

As soon as reached Spellbrook and crossed the level crossing and reached the bridge over the Stort, I got my first Kingfisher of the year; then a Eurasian Buzzard flew over. Taking the towpath southwards, there were quite a few Redwings flying around – all seemingly quite restless - and a Goldcrest flitting over the catkins of a larch. Nearby, at least three little Grebes were making their way south along the Stort, but were always extremely wary, and were difficult to photograph.  Two more Buzzards were seen, but no sign of any Ravens, regrettably.

As I approached the tributary leading to Tednambury Marina, I saw a Fox skulking along a line of reeds out in the open, but I wasn’t quick enough to capture an image with my camera, and it was soon gone. Nearby, a small passerine alighted on a prickle - it was a female Stonechat - a species I don’t ever recall seeing here in Winter. At this point, and all the way to Tednambury Lock, the river was frozen, with a light dusting of snow on the surface, and here I saw a large Roach lying dead on the ice (and in otherwise prefect condition) and wondered how it got there, concluding that it had possibly been left by an Otter as the water froze; I couldn’t think of any other rationale.

I walked past the lock, with Redwings passing over me continually for a while, but turned back at that point, with very little else on show, except for several Blackbirds (all males); a Wren; a couple of Robins, and a few Woodpigeons, and walked back towards Spellbrook and Thorley Wash.

I couldn’t find the Stonechat again, but three Cormorants were perched atop a dead tree as the river coiled north-east, then south and north again, and where I saw a large flock of 30 plus Jackdaws perched in a tree (I’ve never seen so many together); then the Little Grebes came into view again, but were as wary as ever, and were extremely difficult to photograph. A Kingfisher gave me a closer, better view before I crossed the road into Thorley Wash.

Across the road just past the weir, there were several birds on the river - mainly a few Mallards and Moorhens; three Mute Swans and two Gadwall - the latter are quite rare at Thorley Wash - I’ve only seen the species three times here previously since my first in 2007. I attempted to photograph them and managed a couple of shots, when a cyclist whizzed by on his bike and disturbed the birds, which promptly took to the air, along with four other Gadwall that I hadn’t seen - making six in all (three drakes and three ducks) the largest number I’ve yet recorded here. Along this stretch there was a Grey Heron behind the weir; at least ten Cormorants perched in a dead oak; a Dunnock on the opposite bank; and a lone Common Teal that I observed overhead, which was also a less common occurrence at the Wash. Apart from a couple of Blackbirds and Robins, I didn’t see another passerine until I got onto Thorley Wash Reserve, when I saw two more Goldcrests and a group of four Long-tailed Tits. A little further north along the Stort Navigation a Red Kite was seen briefly, and a lone Little Egret was seen perched in a Larch along the bank, before it too flew off as a dog walker passed by. Approaching Twyford Lock I saw another Fox snuggly resting quietly amongst some dead bramble, but as soon as I lifted my camera, all I managed was a partial image as the animal shot off into the bushes behind. I did feel kind of guilty for disturbing its slumbers.

It had been an interesting walk with me adding 13 new birds for the year - now standing  at 40; but that was insignificant compared to the super birds and mammals I’d seen today. I did feel extremely privileged. But at slightly over five hours out walking in extremely cold conditions, I arrived home very tired indeed.

SPELLBROOK LOCK - TOWARDS THORLEY WASH

MUTE SWAN AND LITTLE GREBE

LITTLE GREBE

LITTLE GREBE

REED MACE

FROZEN WATERS AT TEDNAMBURY LOCK

FROZEN ROACH AT TEDNAMBURY

CORMORANTS AT WALBURY ESTATE

GADWALL

GADWALL - TWO OF SIX

MUTE SWANS

MUTE SWANS

SOUTH TOWARDS SPELLBROOK

ALONG THE STORT BY THORLEY WASH RESERVE

4 JANUARY 2026 – GARDEN ENCOUNTERS

It was mid-morning, and rather than taking photos through the kitchen window, I ventured out into the cold, frosty beautiful light, and waited for birds to come into the garden by standing still as best I could.

I’d already seen Great and Blue Tits and Robins on the feeders from the window, with a Woodpigeon; two Collared Doves; a Magpie and a lone House Sparrow (although there were several more in my neighbour’s garden). But with a Red Kite wheeling around in the distance too, that was all the impetus I needed to get me outside.

I didn’t have to wait long to see the Kite wheel back into view, though regrettably it didn’t fly over the house, so I had to be content with slightly more distant views, which would have been great through binoculars, but were more challenging through the camera and telephoto lens. But I persevered, despite the freezing conditions (even in the sun) which made it harder to press the shutter ………………… I’d already discovered that gloves are quite useless out in the field so to speak, but also one often finds it difficult to even find where the shutter is, given that you need to keep an eye on the subject through the viewfinder; it’s easier without them!!

After a while, a second Kite came into view – though it proved impossible to get both in the same picture space for photographic purposes. Also, I was hopeful that either one might venture over the house; but that didn’t materialise, so I had to make do with more distant shots. But sooner than I’d anticipated the kites were gone, and I had to turn to the more usual garden fare for my photographs. But the light was so beautifully clear and bright, I was able to take full advantage of the conditions to achieve a some ‘contra-joure’ photos of Blue Tits and Robins, that proved extremely satisfactory indeed.

As well as the birds, the skies were busy with ‘birds’ of another kind ……………….aeroplanes and their attendant vapour trails, that made interesting photographic subjects too in the vibrant light.

So, here is a selection of the better shots.

BLUE TIT

RED KITE

RED KITE

ROBIN 

ROBIN

ROBIN

ROBIN

ROBIN

1 JANUARY 2026 – A WALK ALONG THE RIVER STORT

Traditionally (weather permitting) I do a walk along the Stort down to Thorley Wash Reserve, not just for the exercise, but to kick-start my birding list for the New Year; and hopefully, to take some photographs too.

On this occasion the weather was fine, with fairly clear skies and sunshine, but with a bracing north-easterly; but at least it was dry. I started out at 9.0 a.m. thinking that three hours should be sufficient time to achieve a good species count. But right from the outset, I could tell I was likely to struggle because, quite frankly, the birds just weren’t around. I’d had something of a clue from the lack of birds in my gardens that morning – just three species in a brief spell of watching from my kitchen window shortly after rising from my bed at around 8.00 a.m. namely, a single Blue Tit; a Collared Dove, and a lone Robin.

So, venturing out, a few Woodpigeons were seen, along with a small group of House Sparrows around the corner from my house - but none of the usual species such as Carrion Crows; Jackdaws; Blackbirds and Starlings. A few Goldfinches were seen overhead, but nothing more until I took the towpath along the Stort in the direction of Southmill Lock, when I saw a lone Blue Tit and a Coal Tit, then my first Mallards and a couple of Moorhens. But surprisingly no other species until I turned at the entrance to Rushy Mead Nature Reserve (managed by the Essex Wildlife Trust) when after a while I spied a single Winter Wren; a few Redwings; a couple of Magpies and more Blue Tits - and that was about it for the Reserve.

Back along the Stort towpath I took a slight detour into Bluebell Wood but it was completely devoid of birdlife, so I turned back to the towpath, walking a few hundred yards without seeing a single bird, until I came to a bend in the river shortly before reaching Twyford Lock, when I heard a loud call that was familiar but I couldn’t quite place it to a particular species, but persevered until in a tree in a someone’s garden (which adjoined the river) and which had a Little Egret perched in it only a week before (and which wasn’t here today) I found what was making the call - a lone Rose-ringed Parakeet, a bird I’d never seen anywhere near this site previously. A Jay flew out of the same group of trees, together with a couple of Magpies, and a Green Woodpecker ‘cackelled’ in the distance. Down at Twyford Lock, the usual Mallards and Moorhens were absent – and so were birds I usually saw along this stretch, such as Long-tailed Tits; Great Tits; Goldcrests and Great Spotted Woodpeckers.

So, crossing the road, I took the gate onto the towpath with the intention of going down to Thorley Wash Nature Reserve (managed by the Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust) - and after a few steps located an adult Great Cormorant perched high on a dead tree, managing just the one photograph before the bird was disturbed by a walker's barking dog. I also had a very brief view of a Common Buzzard before that was lost to view behind some trees. A little further along the muddy towpath and there was a flurry of activity as a flock of ‘finches’ alighted in a larch, although I couldn’t identify them until they moved into another larch where the light was more accommodating - they were Eurasian Siskin, a small flock of some twenty or so, with at least two Goldfinches amongst them. In a nearby larch, a large group of about fifteen Redwings were perched with a single male Greenfinch - all three species I’d found hard to see at this location in 2025. A Great Tit and a Robin were also seen here. A pair of Mute Swans - always elegant - were seen here too.

I wanted to walk on, but the conditions became muddier and more slippery, so for me with my walking stick (actually, a Nordic Pole that I’ve been using as support due to a failing right hip) really quiet dangerous - I didn’t relish falling into the river, especially with my photographic equipment - so I decided to turn back and call it a day at that point. On the walk back. I saw a few Jackdaws and a lone Red Kite at Thorley Wedge, just around the corner from my house. I’d managed a paltry 27 species, quite a disappointing species count for the first day of the new year. But I have 364 days left to rectify that, so it wasn’t all doom and gloom!

GREAT CORMORANT

MUTE SWAN

MUTE SWAN

MUTE SWANS - COB AND PEN