Birds at Walthamstow Wetlands seen during a walk on 5th January 2024

Wildlife seen during my walk round Walthamstow Wetlands in early January consisted mainly of small birds near the Visitor Centre, with a few larger ones on the reservoirs

Male Chaffinch with Blue Tit in the background

Two male Chaffinches

Great Tit

Two blurry Redwings, one with a berry in its beak

Pair of Shelducks on a reservoir

Male Blackbird on a tree at the edge of a reservoir

View of a reservoir with bare-branched tree and electricity pylon

Pair of Great Crested Grebes

Little Grebe with a fish

A surprising visitor to the Wetlands - rear view of Oystercatcher before it flew away

Female House Sparrow?

Male House Sparrow

Fluffed-up male Chaffinch

Another male Chaffinch

 

Visit to Abberton Reservoir nature reserve just after Christmas 2023

During my stay in Brightlingsea during Christmas week 2023, I was lucky enough to get a lift to Abberton Reservoir nature reserve - my first and, probably, last as I can only travel by public transport.

It was a dull day and kept showering every so often.  I was in a bird hide during one of the showers and was treated to distant group of Goldeneyes, plus - somewhere in the crowd - there was a female Smew!

Stonechat on a shrub at the edge of the reservoir

Layer de la Haye church in the distance past a field of sheep

Pair of Gadwells

Male and female Eurasian Teal

Swans on the reservoir in front of an electricity pylon

Male Goosander in the distance

 

Interesting architecture - houses and buildings - seen during a Christmas walk in Brightlingsea, Essex

I spent a week in Brightlingsea over Christmas and saw more than wildlife while I was there.  Below are photographs of interesting buildings in the town during a walk on Christmas Day.

Jacob's Hall - a very, very old house on the High Street

I liked the window on this house

Interesting black and white house

All the houses along the High St were different

Lovely roof above a doorway

Houses at Hurst Green

The Rosebud pub at Hurst Green

Lots of the houses had Doric Columns by the front door

Ancient barn

Timber framed house

House with interesting windows and picket fence

I liked the wrought iron porch on this large brick-built house

This amazing large house used to be a hotel/pub and is now divided into three flats

Wreck Warehouse - Cinque Port Board of Trade

Birds seen over Christmas near Brightlingsea, Essex,

I spent Christmas week in Brightlingsea, Essex, and went for several walks along the edge of the river Colne while there.  Below are photographs of some of the birds that I saw in that time.

Brent goose

Little Egret in front of the apartment where I was staying

Redshank

Pair of Eurasian Teal

Redshank with more Teal

Lots of Oystercatchers on the bank of the river

Oystercatchers in flight