Trip reports

RSPB Local Group Walk - Fingringhoe Wick

Saturday, 20 February 2010

After a false start to our first walk due to the weather in January the weather for the February walk was very good. It was sunny and warm with a lovely clear blue sky for the 11 of us on the walk.

We started off at the pond opposite the visitor centre where we all had good views of what was originally identified as a female (red head) Smew but was later re-categorised as a juvenile drake. A pleasant walk around the reserve saw us encounter amongst others a Marsh Harrier, a Common Buzzard and a Green Woodpecker. We then walked down to the river where 4 Red - breasted Mergansers were seen along with Curlew, Avocet, Oystercatcher, Grey Plover, Ringed Plover, Redshank, Black tailed Godwit, Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe, Little Egret, Grey Heron, Dunlin and about 200 Brent Geese.

On the walk back to the centre we also saw a small party of Goldfinch, some Fieldfare and a Song Thrush. Altogether 39 species of birds were seen by the group.