Trip reports
Car trip to Tollesbury and Abberton
Male goosander, RSPB Images
Sunday, 3 January 2010
The trip began on the Leyer Breton Causeway at Abberton where highlights were 3 drake and one redhead smew, numerous goosander and a whooper swan. We then moved on the to Leyer de la Hey causeway where we added spoonbill and black-tailed godwit to our rapidly growing list. On another part of the reservoir we enjoyed excellent view of a North American rarity - spotted sandpiper. We then moved on to Tollesbury and highlights here were 3 great northern divers, marsh harrier, a raft of drake goldeneye, with a smew among them, 100+ avocets, Slavonian grebes and a barn owl. There was a 'high' high tide which pushed hundreds of waders onto tiny islands.
Species recorded (H = heard, F = Feral):
Great northern diver, little grebe, great crested grebe, Slavonian grebe, cormorant, grey heron, spoonbill, mute swan, whooper swan, greylag goose, Canada goose, barnacle goose (F), Brent goose, shelduck, wigeon, gadwall, teal, mallard, pintail, shoveler, pochard, tufted duck, goldeneye, smew, goosander, marsh harrier, sparrowhawk, kestrel, peregrine, pheasant, moorhen, coot, oystercatcher, avocet, ringed plover, golden plover, grey plover, lapwing, knot, dunlin, black-tailed godwit, bar-tailed godwit, curlew, redshank, spotted sandpiper, turnstone, black-headed gull, common gull, lesser black-backed gull, herring gull, stock dove, wood pigeon, collared dove, barn owl, great spotted woodpecker, skylark, meadow pipit, rock pipit, pied wagtail, wren (H), dunnock, robin, blackbird, fieldfare, song thrush, blue tit, great tit, magpie, jackdaw, rook, carrion crow, starling, house sparrow, chaffinch, greenfinch, goldfinch and reed bunting.
Total : 77
Many thanks to Derrick Ling for leading our annual New Years Walk!