With all the travelling of the last week I fancied a local jaunt this morning. I popped down to Cornmill Meadow and with a big tip off from Jim I quickly found his Grasshopper Warbler and whilst here a Cuckoo was heard too.
I moved on to Fishers Green and walked the circular route under the pilons back over the bridge and returned to the car park. Surprisingly I heard no Nightingale on my first walk around but in the brambles on the lake side of the river I found two Lesser Whitethroat, four Garden Warblers and a pair of Great Spotted Woodpeckers.
Pressing on I soon heard the distinct calls of Reed Warblers and then found a couple flitting about in the reedbed. A pair of Wren were busy nest building on the river bank and another Cuckoo was calling from the picnic area.
My second trip around and this time I found Nightingales, three of them singing in somewhat muted fashion in the dull grey conditions. I carried on up the path towards Holyfield Lake stopping to watch a pair of Little Grebe fishing.
From Weir hide I scanned the skies finding it alive with hirundines many of which were Swifts and then a single Hobby high up in the clouds to give me my seventh year tick of the morning.
Year list now 225
Brian Anderson
Essex Birder using the blog as a diary of my trips around the country chasing birds. Enjoying the places it takes me and the people I meet along the way. Great to spend time with my Dad and brother as we chase our year lists and grow our life list in the process.
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