18 APRIL 2026 - SAWBRIDGEWORTH to BISHOP’S STORTFORD

I’d read reports of a decent fall of migrant birds along the Stort Navigation between Sawbridgeworth and Bishop’s Stortford, which included Willow Warbler; Garden Warbler; Lesser Whitethroat; Cuckoo, as well as good numbers of Common Whitethroat; Sedge Warbler; Blackcap; Swallow and House Martin. So, I took a bus to Sawbridgeworth and walked down to the towpath along the Stort Navigation, beginning there at around 8.45 a.m. The weather was clear, sunny, and reasonably warm at around 14 Degrees C with a light easterly.

Virtually the moment I set out, I began to think that it wasn’t such a good idea to choose a weekend to undertake this walk, because very soon, small groups of children (possibly scouts and girl guides - with their respective leaders) followed me in; with the usual runners; bikers and dog walkers too. But they would soon pass, I thought, so I ventured on.

Cetti’s Warblers sang vociferously - seemingly from every other bush - a stark difference from several years back when the species just didn’t occur (only rarely); and I was even lucky to see a couple (possibly paired) in the bushes across the river, although it was almost impossible to train the camera on them before they skulked back into cover. Virtually in the same location I photographed a Sedge Warbler (together with its reflection) that ‘posed’ for me near the surface of the water - and that doesn’t happen too often.

Common Whitethroats were everywhere but were always difficult to see well; as were Blackcaps, although these were not so many. A few Song Thrushes could be heard but I only managed to see just the one. Chiffchaffs too were obvious by their song but again chose not to reveal themselves. Blue Tits; Great Tits; Long-tailed Tits and a couple of pairs of Reed Buntings, along with Robins, were seen, along with a single male Greenfinch. On the river, several Moorhens and Mallards were either collecting nest material or in mating mode; whilst overhead Jackdaws; Carrion Crows; some Rook; Magpies and a lone Jay were seen.

The ‘crowds’ continued to come and go; and what with the boisterous nature of some of the kids, together with passing trains, and the planes flying to and from Stanstead Airport, it was  quite difficult at times to hear the birdsong. And really, what are radios doing being played in such idyllic surroundings…………it seems that some people just do not respect their countryside!! It wasn’t at all the quietude I expected to find; and I was becoming more frustrated by the minute. But I had no choice but to continue in the hope that soon, the situation would change for the better. But the birdlife along the river was surprisingly sparse given that spring was well underway. Maybe the cool easterly flow of winds was having a negative effect on the migrant birds - because I saw or heard no Lesser Whitethroats; Willow Warblers; Garden Warblers; Swallows or Martins; and sadly, no Cuckoos either. And that continued all the way through Spellbrook and Thorley Wash. But was good to see were Mute Swans on nests - one just south of Spellbrook Lock and the other next to Spellbrook Weir.

Butterflies too were quite sparse, although there were good numbers of Small Whites and Orange Tips, with the occasional Speckled Wood; Peacock; Red Admiral, and a Large White or two. I even saw my earliest ever Large Red Damselfly (a teneral male) at Thorley Wash, where I also saw my second ever Treecreeper for the site. In fact, the only common species seen the entire morning were swarms of St. Marks flies!

Spring wildflowers were beginning to bloom beautifully - Red Deadnettle; White Deadnettle; Dandelion; Speedwells; Lady’s Smock, and Marsh Marigold were prolific, especially on Thorley Wash Reserve.

I guess I’ll give it another go in a few days’ time, and hopefully then, the bird migration would be in full swing……………if the weather holds!

MOORHEN ON NEST

RABBIT IN GARDEN ADJOINING RIVER

SEDGE WARBLER

SONG THRUSH

WINTER WREN

MUTE SWAN ON NEST (1)

MUTE SWAN ON NEST (2)

LADY'S SMOCK WITH ATTENDANT ORANGE TIP

FEMALE ORANGE TIP

TREECREEPER THROUGH THE BRANCHES

LARGE RED DAMSELFLY - TENERAL MALE

DANDELIONS

RED DEADNETTLE

WHITE DEADNETTLE

 

 

9 APRIL 2026 – FINGRINGHOE WICK NATURE RESERVE and ABBERTON RESERVOIR, ESSEX

It was an 8.15 a.m. start from my house, and we were heading for Fingringhoe Reserve, then on the Abberton Reservoir - mainly for Spring migrants.

However, because we’d heard that a pair of Peregrine Falcons had been seen around the steeple at St. Michael’s Church, Bishop’s Stortford of late (with photographs being put online) we thought we’d have a go at seeing them - but the birds didn’t seem to be present at the time; although Mike had  a Swallow flyover here (his first for the year), so it wasn’t so much of a dip out for him. So, on to Fingringhoe, with hopefully better luck with Nightingales.

When we arrived at the car park at Fingringhoe, Nightingales were already in full song, with at least 3-4 males singing heartily from the dense vegetation of Hawthorn; Blackthorn; Brambles, and others, but none were keen to show themselves. There was also a very brief snatch of song from a Willow Warbler, and there were a few Chiffchaffs getting in on the act too.

We traipsed around the maze of bushes - never really straying far from the car park - with no more than a glimpse of one of the singing males (though at one point Mike claimed views of one male chasing another across the stony pathway behind us). But by the end of the morning we would have heard at least 12 different males singing, and possibly more.

We found ourselves splitting up briefly, when I encountered a gentleman who told me he was the recorder for reptiles on the reserve, and told me that despite there being very little activity of Adders in recent days, he’d seen a male that morning atop a bank nearby, and I went back to tell John and Mike, with the consequence that we went off to find it. We’d already looked at ‘Adder Alley’ - which was known as a good place to see these magnificent snakes - but we’d not been successful. 

We might have found the said bank, but the Adder couldn’t be found at that location, and it was a good half an hour later, whilst we three were searching in an interesting grass and sandy open area, when Mike found an adult male, basking in dappled sunlight along the track we’d walked down earlier! It was a beautifully marked individual - black zig-zagging mark the entire length of it's spine - and was approaching two feet in length. It possessed a somewhat menacing almost bejewelled ruby-red eye, and was continually tasting the air with its forked tongue. Of course, once found it didn’t stay static for very long, and soon it was working its way through the leaf litter, coursing this way and that before finally, making its way up the bank before disappearing out of view.

But a little way along, I found another male (a different individual, that was broader in the body than the first), and as we all watched, we could just about make out the form of a brown adder (a likely female) immediately behind it, although ‘she’ soon slithered out of sight. And although we tried, we didn’t find any others.  I saw the ‘recorder’ I’d met earlier again and he soon went off to find the adders for himself.

Given that it was a rather warm, sunny day, we struggled getting butterflies, with only a few Small Whites (and maybe a Green-veined too, though it was difficult to tell with flight views); a few Peacocks and a Brimstone.

On the way to Abberton, we called in at Fingringhoe Gravel Pit where we saw a huge flock of around 80 or so Sand Martins; a lone Swallow; a couple of Redshanks; two Oystercatchers, and three Buzzards overhead.

At Layer Breton Causeway there was very little activity on view, and we didn’t see any of the Cattle Egrets, that we understood were breeding here, although we did get prolonged views of European Spoonbills - including three males in full breeding plumage - as they flew in and out of the nesting area, amongst the nests of Grey Herons. Opposite, the colony of Great Cormorants was in full swing. We also saw a Little Egret in flight, but it seems none were breeding here.

Before reaching Layer De La Haye Causeway and the Essex Wildlife Trust Centre, we called in at Billett’s Farm, where we joined a small group of birding photographers looking out for the usual annual spring arrival of migrant Yellow Wagtails; and we weren’t disappointed. There were at least 12 males, almost every single one in pristine bright yellow garb - one almost needed sunglasses to view them; and a probable second year male Northern Wheatear, on the fence posts behind them.

There was little activity elsewhere too, and although migrants were coming in, it seemed that it had slowed in recent days, with the consequence that a visit to Gwen’s hide revealed little but a male Common Whitethroat; a male Reed Bunting, and the sound  of a singing male Sedge Warbler, somewhere in the scrub around the hide. We also saw two lovely Mediterranean Gulls in in flight that were in full summer plumage, and which John originally picked up on call. Disappointingly, there were no Willow Warblers singing, although one was seen by others earlier in the day. But I did see my first Speckled Wood butterfly of the year.

I held back awhile to get some quite close shots of Rooks feeding in the grass for what I assumed were grubs of some kind; but their crops were huge consequently, giving the birds the unenviable ‘tag’ of being the ugliest of all the crows species we have in the UK - though they are undeniably interesting, nonetheless.

On the way back to John’s car - following a coffee at the café - we picked up a flock of around 20 Sand Martins, and a single Swallow, before leaving for home.

ADDER (M)

ADDER (M)

ADDER (M - head, top right)

CORMORANT COLONY

EURASIAN SPOONBILL (M)

YELLOW WAGTAIL (M)

ROOK

SPECKLED WOOD BUTTERFLY