CROYDON RSPB MEMBERS' GROUP - TRIP REPORT

On our arrival at Fingringhoe, the tide was well out and good numbers of waders were feeding on the mud exposed along the River Colne. The impressive sight of a flock of around 150 avocets taking to the air was a highlight here. Black- and bar-tailed godwits, numerous curlews and plenty of grey plovers, several still sporting full breeding plumage, were also present. Three little egrets were feeding on the salt marsh and one or two juvenile Sandwich and common terns were fishing over the river channel. Apart from one busy tit flock, with a male blackcap and juvenile bullfinch also tagging along, the woods and bushy areas were fairly quiet. However, plenty of dragonflies were on the wing and identification of these provided the party with some entertainment.

After lunch, we moved on to Abberton Reservoir and first visited a number of the hides on the reserve. Among the ducks in view were large numbers of pochard, wigeon and shoveler, together with smaller groups of pintail (no adult males in full plumage yet) and gadwall. Half a dozen common sandpipers could be seen from the Scott Hide, feeding along the base of the reservoir wall, along with a couple of yellow wagtails among the more numerous pieds. From the Soper Hide we managed to pick out a distant little gull (a first winter bird with strong dark bars along upper surfaces of the wings), two first winter kittiwakes (same basic markings as the little gull, but larger and with less bouyant flight) and a black tern. There were still plenty of swallows and house and sand martins over the reservoir, but the presence of two female goldeneyes was a reminder of winter approaching.

To round off, we moved to the Layer Breton Causeway, across the western end of the reservoir, and there found our rarest bird of the day, a pectoral sandpiper. It was feeding on a mass of floating weed some distance from the causeway, but close enough to allow comfortable scope views of its main features. (This bird occurs in Europe as a vagrant only; it breeds in Alaska, Canada or Northern Siberia and winters in South America or Australasia). Also notable here were a spotted redshank (very pale in winter plumage), ruffs (showing various plumage and leg colour combinations) and a large number of ruddy ducks.