Abberton

The intention was to be heading to Minsmere, however after a chat with Russ at the Xmas dinner I decided that a nearer venue was in order, as such I headed to Abberton with my dad.

Leaving after the school run, we arrived on a chilly Layer Breton Causeway for 9.30am. It seemed fairly low on numbers, looking quite empty. A brief scan from side to side didn't yield anything out of the ordinary so we set about taking a good look.

Layer Breton Causeway

2 Snipe were to the left edge (as we looked away from the center side of the causeway), I had a look at all the swans; nothing but Mutes. Greylag took flight from the back left and headed off in the distance which seemed to send the birds around the back and out of sight slowly to the middle. This is when dad picked up a Male Goosander; a first for him.

Goosander

Not much else on this side other than large numbers of Pochard, Tufted Duck a few Gadwall and Pintail. 

A male Cettis Warbler was sang from the left reed bed.

Crossing the road and looking back to the reserve i find a Female Goldeneye amongst the Pochard & Shoveler. There were few gulls lazing about on the water all Common & Black Headed.

Grey Herons, Cormorants and Little Egret all on view from this side as well.

Center

After an hour we headed to the reservoir; we proceeded to the new planted area and followed a couple of small paths to the back and the works area, two muddy pools held Mallard but after a while a Green Sandpiper flew calling from over the mud partition onto the other pool, Fieldfare "chacked" on the trees to our left, whilst Meadow Pipit started to take flight and move around us. Two flocks; one in the trees was a group of mixed Tit and the second, a group of Linnet went over head.

15 Snipe then left the muddy hill taking flight and headed off to the fields, its the first time i've ever heard a snipe doing their take off call.

We followed the fencing round towards the reservoir to find another Goldeneye which then turned out to be one of 8 on this side, a mix of male and female; one male even doing the courtship head banging.

A couple of Skylarks over.

Mixed Gulls; all the usual's, GBB, LBB, BHG, Herring & Common.

More of the same as expected apart from a Marsh Harrier patrolling the near shore area.

Back into the center for some food to find a sign saying weekends only and i was starving....oh well. It was hear we heard about a Red Head Smew back at the causeway.

Layer Breton Causeway - again

We didn't have too long probably another hour so headed directly to view the small wall area and the reeds where we were told the Smew was, no Smew but a Kingfisher, Peregrine & Red Crested Pochard to add to the tally.

Oh and a Song Thrush, dad likes a song thrush.

50 plus species with a few of the things you don't see every day or any day for that matter on the patch...