Quick Trip in Essex.

As I had a hospital appointment at 4 o'clock today, the boys decide we will stay close to home as the next few days are going to be very wet, it is today or wait a few days for it to clear.
So we meet up & head to Layer- Breton causeway at Abberton, its still dull when we arrive, the first sighting is 2 drake Goldeneye,  we park & scan both sides of the road, the drakes have gone out to the middle so no photo, as I said it's dull so just as well they would not have been worth it.


Egyptian Goose

Brian soon picks out 2 male Smew, then a single Snipe is seen, as the light is getting better now we scan again & another 12 Snipe appear, all the usual stuff are spread all over, plenty of Mute Swan, Teal, a female Goldeneye shows,a nice Egyptian Goose strolls by.
We move to a new site that a fellow had just told us about just round the corner,
It's called Abbots Hall Farm, the boys knew about this but we haven't visited before, it turns out to be a great place to watch birds.
We head down a track towards the large hide, as we go we see all sorts of Finches, Linnets, Greenfinch,a few Yellowhammers, Reed Bunting also seen, apart from the water on the track it's still a nice walk.
When we reach the hide it is empty, a nice long roomy hide, so we spread our self out on the benches,
There are some Pintail along with a single Heron, a couple of Little Egrets, plenty of Brent Geese
At least 6 Marsh Harriers are picked out, at the right time of year this will be on our list to visit again.

We head towards home via a stop off at Bradwell -on sea, we walk to what is reported to be the oldest Church in England, called St Peter Ad Murum, this is another new place to us.
Heading down we soon come to the Bradwell Bird Observatory with feeders out side, it is full of Greenfinch, Goldfinch, many Tits, including a single Marsh Tit, that the locals have called Brian as it comes every day they thought to give it a name, I wonder why Brian! as we have never been here before it is too much of a coincident I think.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                          We have come here to try to see a Male Hen Harrier, one was seen here this week, we always find female, but the male eludes us, after a good time looking for one it is time for us to go, so missed out again, another nice place, that we will visit again.


 Brian

So nothing special about today , but a very pleasant day out just watching some nice birds at some nice places.