Trip reports

Bird Walk at Heybridge Gravel Pits on Saturday 12 April

Saturday, 12 April 2008

It was beautifully sunny thereby producing the best weather of any of the series of monthly walks this autumn and winter, but it was very windy which led to an absence of sightings of small birds around the pits. Fourteen people met in the large car park at Heybridge Basin and set off along the seawall towards the Heybridge end. Unfortunately the tide was right out which exposed large mudflats and most of the waders were observed at some distance. There were however many good sightings. The most numerous birds were Black-tailed Godwits almost all now in their brick red summer plumage, but surprisingly amongst them we found one Bar-tailed Godwit still in winter plumage. A few Dunlin were seen, not yet sporting their black bellies, and two small groups of Avocets were also watched. One Grey Plover was observed moving furtively across the mud and three separate Little Egrets were seen, one of which was trying to swallow a fish, whilst at the same time protecting its meal from marauding larger gulls. Many Redshank were present, odd Curlews were picked out and there were a few pairs of noisy Oystercatchers. A small group of Teal were on the estuary, numerous Shelduck and two groups of Brent Geese. Several immature larger gulls were noted, one of which, a Great Black-backed, was struggling with a very large flatfish which it was trying to manipulate into position to gorge. We did eventually see a group of three adult Lesser Black-backed Gulls.

Moving down to the lower levels surrounding the pits, the only ducks on the water were Mallards, Tufted Ducks and Teal. There were hundreds of Black-headed Gulls on the water and on the islands in readiness for breeding, but the highlight was a close view on a very small island of a pair of Little Ringed Plovers.

We walked round the area of scrub which should by now be alive with bird activity and with evidence of early returning warblers but probably due to the wind we saw nothing at all. On the return walk we had our only good view of a small passerine, a very smart male Reed Bunting in a bush for about 30 seconds before flying off.