In Bird News
Image copyright: Richard Allen.
Another month, another update from Richard Allen, Wivenhoe’s bird watcher supreme. Perhaps the one downside to an estuary spring is the disappearance of the many splendid visitors we have been blessed with over the winter months:
“A beautiful sunny spring morning after a hard frost, and the walk started well with a newly arrived Chiffchaff singing its cheery song behind the Sailing Club.
Other signs of spring included several male Reed Buntings perched up singing or collecting Reedmace down for their nest, and a Meadow Pipit performing its Parachute display flight.
A Dunnock popped up briefly, Robins were singing, as were a group of Siskin which unfortunately remained invisible in the tree tops. Two Greylag Geese were obviously paired up, and others dotted the far bank.
The fast rising and very high tide unfortunately soon pushed the Godwits and Teal off the mud banks, and this combined with some disturbance from canoeists meant few waders were on view at the creek. A single Avocet, a couple of Grey Plover, and a group of Black-tailed Godwits were all that could be mustered.
Flocks of Shelduck loafed offshore, a single Little Grebe bobbed mid channel, whilst a Cormorant took two attempts to land on its favourite drying post. Walking an exaltation of Skylarks, serenaded us, and a pair of Long-tailed Tits finally gave reasonable views.
A strange owl-like call foxed me for awhile until I realised it was a male Marsh Harrier calling high overhead, we were then treated to views of the male and two females over the far reed beds. The final excitement for the tail enders on the way back was an adult Mediterranean Gull showing its fine black hood and red bill.
Recent Sightings: Lots of Chiffchaff and the first Blackcaps, and a pair of Egyptian Geese over Ferry Marsh.”
With the changing season, there’s some changing birds to seek out towards Alresford. Richard has two more walks coming up - Saturday 23rd April and Saturday 21st May. Walks start at 10am outside the Sailing Club, costing £8 per person.
You can contact Richard over here.
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