Essex - Wildfowl & Waders on the River Stour (Day Trip)

Summary

This gentle walk is initially centred around Manningtree at the western end of the Stour estuary. We will explore the mudflats and salt-marshes for their rich birdlife as we slowly wander north-west along the seawall with superb views over the marshes and across to Cattawade on the Suffolk side of the river. Our walk will allow us excellent views of the waders being pushed towards us on the in-coming tide, and these in turn attract predators such as Peregrine Falcons and Marsh Harriers, with even Hen Harriers and Short-eared Owls are also possible. After lunch in a local cafe or pub, we will then drive a few miles east to Wrabness EWT Reserve, where we hope to encounter smaller birds such as finches and buntings, diving ducks and the possibility of a scarce grebe. The walk will conclude here around 4pm, with a total length of around 3 miles on level, easy going seawall with occasional muddy patches.

This whole area is a superb place to see wintering flocks of wildfowl and waders, particularly Black-tailed Godwits, plus Eurasian Wigeons, Eurasian Teal, Eurasian Oystercatchers, Dunlins, Pied Avocets, Common Ringed Plovers, European Golden Plovers, Grey Plovers, Eurasian Curlews, Red Knots, Common Redshanks and Ruddy Turnstones, often providing excellent views as the in-coming tide pushes them off their feeding grounds towards us and then onto their high tide roosts. Other birds likely to be encountered are Dark-bellied Brent Geese, Common Shelducks, Northern Pintails, Common Goldeneyes, Little Egrets, Mediterranean Gulls and the chance of scarce grebes or Red-breasted Mergansers at high tide.

• Wintering flocks of wildfowl and waders
• A variety of habitats covered – mudflats, saltmarshes and woodland
• Birds of prey including Peregrine Falcons, Hen Harriers and Short-eared Owls
• Passerines, ducks and possibility of a scarce grebe at Wrabness EWT Reserve