Trip reports

Bird Walk at Warren Gorge, Grays.

Sunday, 12 November 2006

None of the 16 participants on this walk at one of EWT's newer sites had previously visited this area. With a very modern Visitor Centre only opened in spring of this year, this is part of a larger area of former chalk quarries known collectively as Chafford Gorges Nature Park. It is particularly noted for its flora with up to 7 species of orchid, and it attracts large numbers of butterflies in summer, when bats can also be observed in the evenings hawking insects over the small lakes.

Attracted to the area by a report from an observer listing many species of birds seen there only a few days earlier, we spent over two hours enjoying weak sunshine and sheltered from a moderate cool breeze. Unfortunately species such as Lesser Redpoll, Siskin, Bullfinch and Water Rail were not located, but good views were obtained of several attractive birds. A female Green Woodpecker was very obliging in a dead tree, a Sparrowhawk passed overhead and many ducks were present including several Gadwall, the males so beautifully vermiculated. A party of Long-tailed Tits fed in the waterside willows and a couple of Fieldfares were also seen.