I
booked a rental car from 18th to 21st April 2026 for a trip away
from home to include visits to various sites in Essex, Suffolk and
Norfolk.
The
main purpose of my trip was continuing to add species to my 2026 UK
year list.
The
main highlight of my trip was seeing only my second Iberian Chiffchaff
in the UK at Westleton Heath in Suffolk after my first in Kent in May 2010.
In
addition, I added 12 species to my 2026 UK year list: Swallow, Common Tern, Cuckoo, Yellow Wagtail, Sedge Warbler, Woodlark, Stone Curlew, Wheatear, Dartford Warbler, Spoonbill, Swift, House Martin, Reed Warbler
18th
April 2026
– EWT
Abberton Reservoir, Essex
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.
As
I arrived in the village of Birch, close to EWT
Abberton Reservoir, I saw my first Swallows (3) of the year.
The
highlights during my visit were as follows (heard only records in italics): Swallow
(4), Cuckoo (2 calling males heard), Nightingale (1
singing male seen plus 2 singing males heard), Yellow Wagtail (5), Sedge
Warbler (1 singing male seen plus another singing male heard), Common
Whitethroat (3 singing males), Chiffchaff (3 singing males heard
plus a pair seen), Blackcap (2 singing males heard), Cetti’s
Warbler (1 singing male seen plus 3 singing males heard), Red Kite
(1), Marsh Harrier (1), Common Buzzard (1), Sparrowhawk
(1), Kestrel (4), Red-legged Partridge (1), Linnet (5), Skylark
(3 singing males), Green Woodpecker (1 heard calling), Common
Tern (6), Little Egret (at least 10), Grey Heron (at least 15
plus 2 juveniles), Oystercatcher (2), Tufted Duck (at least 30), Mallard
(at least 20), Shoveler (6), Wigeon (2), Greylag Goose (at
least 25), Egyptian Goose (at least 15), Canada Goose (2), Mute
Swan (at least 15), Black Swan (1), Great Crested Grebe (6), Cormorant
(at least 30)
Additions to 2026 UK year list: Common
Tern, Cuckoo, Yellow Wagtail, Sedge Warbler
During my visit, I was also pleased to meet Mike Lane for the first time, a long-standing wildlife photographer and YouTube content creator .... Mike Lane FRPS - YouTube
Photo: male Chiffchaff
Photo: male Blackcap
Photo: Great Crested Grebe
Photo: male Tufted Duck
Photo: male and female Tufted Ducks
Photo: Red Kite
Photo: Red Kite
Photo: Kestrel
Photo: Grey Heron and juveniles plus Little Egret
Photo: Grey Herons
Photo: Grey Heron18th April 2026 – EWT Hanningfield Reservoir, Essex
I returned home via EWT Hanningfield Reservoir where I heard another calling Cuckoo plus I had the opportunity to photograph a pair of Great Crested Grebes plus a Grey Heron.
Photo: Great Crested Grebes
Photo: Great Crested Grebe
Photo: Great Crested Grebes
Photo: Great Crested Grebes
Photo: Great Crested Grebes
Photo: Great Crested Grebe
Photo: Grey Heron19th April 2026 – NNR Westleton Heath, Suffolk
I had an extremely early start from home in order to arrive at NNR Westleton Heath at 7:30 a.m.
NNR Westleton Heath is part of the best remaining tract of heathland in Suffolk and located just outside the village of Westleton. In medieval times a large area of heath known as the Sandlings (on account of its dry sandy soils) stretched along the Suffolk coast. Today only about 20% of the heathland remains and the rest has been lost to modern farming and forestry. The site is particularly good for heathland and woodland species.
The highlights during my visit were as follows (heard only records in italics): Iberian Chiffchaff (1 singing male), Nightingale (1
singing male seen plus 5 other singing males heard), Woodlark (2 singing
males seen plus another seen), Dartford Warbler (1 singing
male), Wheatear (3), Stone Curlew (pair), Swallow (2),
Willow Warbler (1 singing male), Common Whitethroat (1
singing male), Blackcap (2 singing males seen plus 3 other singing
males heard), Chiffchaff (pair plus another seen plus 5 other singing
males heard), Common Buzzard (1 heard calling), Green
Woodpecker (1 heard calling), Great Spotted Woodpecker
(1 heard “drumming”), Red-legged Partridge (2), Yellowhammer
(1 singing male), Skylark (2 singing males), Coal Tit
(1 singing male), Stonechat (1 male), Linnet (3)
Additions to 2026 UK year list: Iberian Chiffchaff, Woodlark, Wheatear, Dartford Warbler, Stone Curlew
Photo: male Iberian Chiffchaff
Photo: male Iberian Chiffchaff
Photo: male Iberian Chiffchaff
Photo: male Iberian Chiffchaff
Photo: male Nightingale
Photo: male Nightingale
Photo: male Nightingale
Photo: male Nightingale
Photo: Stone Curlew
Photo: Stone Curlews
Photo: Woodlark
Photo: Woodlark
Photo: male Willow Warbler
Photo: male Willow Warbler
Photo: male Stonechat
20th April 2026 – Kelling Heath, Norfolk
Having surprisingly failed to see a Dartford Warbler at NNR Westleton Heath in Suffolk, I tried at Kelling Heath in Norfolk where I failed again!
The highlights during my visit were as follows (heard only records in italics): Woodlark (1 singing male), Linnet (5), Mistle Thrush (1), Blackcap (1 singing male), Chiffchaff (2 singing males plus another bird heard calling), Skylark (1 singing male), Brown Hare (2), Roe Deer (4), Reeves' Muntjac (1)
20th April 2026 – NNR Westleton Heath, Suffolk
I had a return visit to NNR Westleton Heath and finally saw a singing male Dartford Warbler in addition to Woodlark (pair), Nightingale (1 singing male heard only) and Linnet (1).
20th April 2026 – EWT Abberton Reservoir, Essex
On my way home, I had a brief return visit to EWT Abberton Reservoir where I added Spoonbill (1) to my 2026 UK year list. In addition, I saw Swallow (at least 20), Sand Martin (at least 20), Yellow Wagtail (2) and Mediterranean Gull (2).
21st April 2026 – RSPB Rainham Marshes, EssexRSPB Rainham Marshes is not far from my home and easily visited by public transport which I do several times a year.
RSPB Rainham Marshes protects 411 hectares of ancient, low-lying grazing marsh in the Thames Estuary. Its complex of wet grassland, reedbeds, scrapes, pools and ditches, together with grassland, scrub and woodland, supports many breeding and wintering birds. Wildlife also includes scarce wetland plants and insects and a key population of the nationally declining Water Vole.
The highlights of my visit were as follows (heard only records in italics): Swift
(at
least 40), Sand Martin (at least 100), House Martin (at least 10),
Swallow (at least 10), Reed Warbler (1 singing male seen plus at
least 7 other singing males heard), Sedge Warbler (1 singing male seen
plus at least 5 other singing males heard), Common Whitethroat (1
singing male seen plus 2 other singing males heard), Lesser Whitethroat
(2 singing males), Blackcap (1 singing male seen plus at least 10
other singing males heard), Chiffchaff (1 singing male seen plus at
least 10 other singing males heard), Cetti’s Warbler (1 singing male
seen plus at least 10 other singing males heard), Marsh Harrier (1), Kestrel
(1), Common Pochard (at least 15), Tufted Duck (at least 15),
Mallard (at least 15 plus a female with 11 ducklings), Shoveler (at
least 10), Gadwall (2), Shelduck (1), Lapwing (5), Avocet
(2), Oystercatcher (2), Common Redshank (1), Grey Heron (2),
Little Egret (3), Great Crested Grebe (pair), Little Grebe (2),
Coot (at least 20 plus a pair with 3 juveniles), Moorhen (1), Mute
Swan (2), Canada Goose (at least 50), Greylag Goose (at least
50 plus a pair with 4 goslings), Egyptian Goose (2), Orange
Tip (2),
Green-veined White (1), Small White (at least 3)
Additions to year list: Swift, House Martin, Reed Warbler
Photo: Swift
Photo: Swift
Photo: Swift
Photo: Reed Warbler
Photo: Reed Warbler
Photo: male Tufted Duck
Photo: male Tufted Duck
Photo: male Shoveler
Photo: male Shoveler
Photo: male Common Pochard
Photo: male Common Pochard
Photo: male Common Pochard
Photo: male Gadwall
Photo: female Mallard plus ducklings
Photo: Mallard ducklings
Photo: Great Crested Grebe
Photo: Great Crested Grebe
Photo: Great Crested Grebe
Photo: Great Crested Grebe
Photo: Great Crested Grebe
Photo: Great Crested Grebe
Photo: Coot plus juveniles
Photo: Coot plus juveniles
Photo: Greylag Geese plus goslings
Photo: Greylag Geese plus goslings
Photo: Greylag Geese plus goslings
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