I
booked a rental car from 24th to 26th September 2026 to include visits
to a small number of sites in Essex, Suffolk and Norfolk plus an
event in Norwich.
The
main purpose of my trip was continuing to add species to my 2026 UK year
list. This included Grey Phalarope (my first record since 2011), Spotted
Redshank and Arctic Skua, taking my 2026 UK year list to 196
species (just 1 short of my 2025 species total).
24th
September 2026
Today,
I visited EWT Abberton Reservoir.
The
huge expanse of EWT Abberton Reservoir just south of Colchester in Essex is one of Europe's top
wetland sites. It is of international importance as a safe haven for wild
ducks, swans and other water birds, whether resident, passing through on
migration or over-wintering.
On
the approach to EWT Abberton Reservoir, I saw 3 Red Kites together over the village of Birch.
The
highlights during my visit to EWT Abberton Reservoir included the following (incomplete list):
Wigborough
Bay viewpoint: Spotted Redshank (1), Lapwing (at least 200), Black-tailed
Godwit (at least 20), Dunlin (at least 10), Ruff (5), Little
Ringed Plover (2), Greenshank (1), Great White Egret (16),
Swallow (3)
Layer
Breton causeway: Spoonbill (33), Great White Egret (15), Lapwing
(at least 25), Black-tailed Godwit (at least 15), Green Sandpiper
(1), Hobby (1)
Addition
to 2026 UK year list: Spotted Redshank
Here
are some other photos from my visit ....
Photo: Spoonbills
Photo: Spoonbills
Photo: Spoonbills
Photo: Great White Egret
Photo: Black-tailed Godwit
Photo: Black-tailed Godwit
Photo: Black-tailed Godwit
Photo: Black-tailed Godwit
Photo: Black-tailed Godwit
Photo: Black-tailed Godwit
Photo: Lapwing
Photo: LapwingEn-route to Norwich, I heard a report of a Grey Phalarope on a coastal lagoon adjacent to the River Deben at Bawdsey in Suffolk. Given that I had not seen this species since 2011, a detour to see it was inevitable. I found the correct location and quickly located the Grey Phalarope, albeit distantly although eventually it did move closer.
Photo: Grey Phalarope
Photo: Grey Phalarope
Photo: Grey Phalarope
Photo: Grey Phalarope
Photo: Grey PhalaropeIn addition to the Grey Phalarope, the lagoon held 5 Ringed Plovers and 2 Common Redshanks plus there was a very mobile flock of at least 100 Linnets.
Photo: Ringed Plover
In the evening, I went to a thoroughly enjoyable event in Norwich: a discussion with the artist Jackie Morris and the author Robert Macfarlane about their new book "The Book of Birds: a Field Guide to Wonder and Loss". This book is a compendium focusing on 49 species which are seriously declining or threatened with extinction in the UK and is a further collaboration following "The Lost Words" and "Spell Songs" (see here).
NWT Cley and Salthouse Marshes is one of the best-known nature reserves in the UK. Purchased by Norfolk Wildlife Trust in 1926 to be held “in perpetuity as a breeding bird sanctuary”, it is a haven for a wide range of species throughout the year and well known for rare vagrant birds. In 2012, an appeal helped Norfolk Wildlife Trust to purchase a further 57 hectares, linking their 2 reserves at Cley and Salthouse together to create a single coastal reserve of more than 300 hectares.
NWT Cley and Salthouse Marshes has 6 hides which provide views across reedbeds, pools and scrapes that are specially managed to attract breeding and passage birds. There is also an opportunity for seawatching from "Cley Coastguards".
The highlights during my visit to NWT Cley and Salthouse Marshes included the following (heard only records in italics):
"Cley Coastguards" (sea): Red-throated Diver (1), Gannet (at least 25), Guillemot (at least 20), Razorbill (5), Sandwich Tern (at least 15), Common Scoter (3), Wigeon (at least 15), Teal (at least 25), Cormorant (3), Dunlin (5), Oystercatcher (3), Atlantic Grey Seal (1)
"Cley Coastguards" (marsh): Golden Plover (at least 20), Egyptian Goose (2), Stonechat (1 male), Linnet (2), Meadow Pipit (2)Bishop's Hide overlooking Pat's Pool: Pink-footed Goose (at least 250 flew over in various groups), Teal (at least 200), Shoveler (at least 50), Shelduck (2), Dunlin (at least 50), Black-tailed Godwit (at least 20), Lapwing (at least 250), Ruff (at least 20), Avocet (3), Grey Heron (1), Water Rail (1 heard calling), Red Kite (1), Marsh Harrier (1), Common Buzzard (1), Chiffchaff (1 singing male), Kestrel (1), Linnet (1), Wall (1)
East Bank: Pink-footed Goose (at least 250 flew over in various groups), Greylag Goose (at least 200), Wigeon (at least 200), Shelduck (at least 10), Mallard (at least 10), Dunlin (at least 50), Black-tailed Godwit (at least 30), Common Redshank (at least 20), Lapwing (at least 10), Ruff (3), Curlew (2), Oystercatcher (1), Little Egret (1), Cormorant (at least 30), Common Buzzard (1), Bearded Tit (2 heard calling), Cetti's Warbler (1 singing males), Meadow Pipit (at least 10), Skylark (1), Wall (1), Ruddy Darter (1)
26th September 2026
I spent my last day at 2 sites in Essex: Canvey Point and EWT Two Tree Island.
Canvey Point is located at the easternmost end of Canvey Island and faces out in to the River Thames.
It is a well-known location for recording seabirds (including Gannets, skuas, shearwaters, petrels, auks, rarer gulls, etc.) blown in to the outer estuary from the North Sea in strong north or north east winds during the period August to October.
The highlights from my visit included the following: Arctic Skua (2 birds upriver together plus another single bird upriver), Sandwich Tern (2), Cormorant (at least 10), Curlew (at least 10), Oystercatcher (at least 10), Turnstone (2), Little Egret (at least 10), Shelduck (at least 10), Canada Goose (7), Meadow Pipit (4)
Addition to 2026 UK year list: Arctic Skua
EWT Two Tree Island is situated adjacent to the internationally protected Thames Estuary and it is a winter refuge for a huge diversity and abundance of winter wildfowl (most notably Dark-bellied Brent Geese) and waders plus a wide range of breeding and migrant birds during the rest of the year.
EWT Two Tree Island was reclaimed from the sea in the 18th century when a seawall was built around the saltmarsh and it was originally used for farming. It is now managed as a nature reserve.
Approximately 4 miles of trails, which are a mixture of gravel and grass paths, provide access through the grasslands and scrub areas. At the end of the western section of the reserve is a bird hide which overlooks a lagoon which provides a valuable habitat for roosting and breeding water birds. The eastern section is part of Leigh National Nature Reserve where the saltmarsh is one of the best surviving in the Thames Estuary.
There are excellent views of Hadleigh Castle from the western end of EWT Two Tree Island.
The highlights from my visit included the following (heard only records in italics): Black-tailed Godwit (at least 200), Common Redshank (at least 100), Dunlin (at least 50), Oystercatcher (at least 20), Curlew (at least 10), Ringed Plover (at least 10), Greenshank (6), Grey Plover (2), Avocet (1), Turnstone (1), Teal (at least 30), Little Egret (at least 20), Grey Heron (2), Moorhen (1), Canada Goose (15), Sandwich Tern (1), Lesser Black-backed Gull (1), Chiffchaff (3), Cetti's Warbler (1 singing male), Linnet (6), Goldfinch (at least 10), House Sparrow (at least 10)
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Restore and rewild our natural world
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Stay safe, stay well, stay strong, stay connected with nature
