Essex revisited - Part 3

The final aim of my pilgrimage to Essex was to meet up with Simon and Clive, birdwatching friends from my school days in Colchester. The plan was to revisit some of our old birding haunts to see what we could turn up.

Colchester Royal Grammar School, still the Gold Standard for excellence in teaching and learning

Me (hatted) with Clive, Pat (Simon's wife) and Simon at Clacton-on-Sea

Part of the Essex Marshes, habitat of wildfowl and wading birds. Here we found Avocets and Little Egrets that were not present in my birding days in the area

Abberton Reservoir, one of our favourite birding haunts. Countless times I cycled the 10 miles around the reservoir on that track

Wivenhoe, on the Estuary of the River Colne. The Wharfe-side buildings are still there but no longer trading commercially - now luxurious homes

Pinmill on the River Orwell - many a weekend family sailing was undertaken from this village

This Essex Skipper butterfly was a "lifetime first" of this species for me!





Clive, Pat and Simon, afternoon tea at the tower café, Walton- on- the Naze


I recorded 89 bird species during my four-day trip to Essex, of which the most interesting for me were Little Egret, Avocet, Marsh Harrier, Bar- and Black-tailed Godwits, Yellow Wagtail, Turtle Dove, Spotted Redshank, Little Tern, Little Owl and Corn Bunting.