Trip reports

Seaton, near Wickhambreaux

Sunday, 10 December 2006

The first hard frost of the winter, with ice on the puddles and the wet soil feeling solid underfoot. A good number of us gathered on this bright, crisp morning to see if the disused gravel pits at Seaton, now full of water, had any of the usual wintering birds that have tended to favour this area over the past few years. Scanning the field that separates the lakes from the narrow country road, a grey wagtail was seen feeding on the very muddy ground, close to the first stile we had to climb over to gain access to our main area of interest. This field is used for grazing cattle, hence the muddy condition of the soil near to the gate and stile, but this is often a good start for birdwatching, as thrushes and other ground-feeding birds can probe around in the churned-up black topsoil; but there were few feeders there this cold morning.

After crossing the field and climbing over another stile, we reached the lakes, which we could see held a good number of duck and other water birds. The majority of duck were wigeon, with a good number of tufted duck and a few shoveler, but the only real winter visitor we managed to find was a solitary goldeneye. Maybe the very mild temperatures so far this winter have held back the usual winter migrants The vista before us was very pleasing; with the bright light and blue sky, everything looked clear and sharp. The low winter sun reflecting on reeds in the lake margins created a pale, gold border surrounding the calm water. These near-perfect conditions enabled us to see and identify the waterfowl more easily. The Little Stour that runs between the lakes was flowing well and clear, but not as deep as expected after a couple of weeks of rain. With a tree-covered hill to the east, marshland beyond, and another lake across the river to the south, all hemmed in by farmland and low hills, it is certainly a nice area to visit in search of wildlife.

Following the direction of the river, we walked slowly eastwards in search of more bird species. As with current trends, small birds seemed to be difficult to find. A few members of the tit family were seen, and a couple of finches; some of us were lucky enough to see a kingfisher as it flew fast and low across the reedbed. A Cetti's warbler gave a short burst of song on a number of occasions, and the yaffle of the green woodpecker was heard a couple of times. A little egret obligingly perched high in a tree, and watched us for a short while, but flew off before we got too close. On our return journey we noticed all the ducks and gulls suddenly take off from the lake and circle round, usually a sign of a predatory species nearby, but a careful search revealed nothing. The only raptor we managed to see was a kestrel - there was no sign of the marsh harriers and sparrowhawks that frequent this super little habitat.

The bird species list was not high, but the morning was very enjoyable, with everyone feeling pleased they had made the effort to get out and make the most of what nature has to offer on a cold and frosty day.