37
The cold, wet Spring was epitomised by the continuous
rain which was a feature of our annual visit to the
Mill Green/Highwood woodland complex to hear nightingales.
For the first time in the Club's history, not one night-
ingale was heard, a great disappointment to those present
who have neuer heard this prince of songsters, which, alas,
here in S.E. England is on the north western limit of its
shrinking European range. However, we were almost fully
compensated at the very end of the afternoon by the full
concert repertoire of that other African migrant, the
Garden Warbler, another songster much reduced in numbers
this year.
Visits to Weald Park and Tiptree Heath in high Summer were
most enjoyable, if unexciting species-wise, and then in
early September, Autumn migrants were sought out at Walton
on the Naze, possibly the best spot to observe the seasonal
movement of birds on the Essex Coast. Here, side by side,
we were able to observe the ever-changing population of
birds which use our coast as a feeding and resting station
on their migration south to African wintering quarters ,
birds such as Wheatear, wood warbler, Whinchat, swifts,
sand martin, swallow, little tern, and turtle dove, all of
which were seen today, together with birds freshly arrived
from Arctic or Scandanauian breeding grounds to over-winter
on our shores, dunlin, knot, Sanderling, turnstone, ringed
plover and bar-tailed godwit. Incredibly we saw a pair of
ringed plover on the shingle beach today with a newly hatched
chick, only a few days old, but beautifully camouflaged.
Another coastal visit in October, to Tollesbury, on a
beautifully warm sunny day, produced more migrant waders:-
many bar-tailed godwits, and grey plover, one of which was
still most resplendant in full black breeding plumage;
little stint and snow bunting were other coastal special-
ities which members enjoyed today. I think when we see
the Brent geese, as we did today, newly arrived from their
Arctic Siberian breeding grounds, on our Essex Coast, then
we know in our hearts, the Ornithological year has turned
full circle and deepest winter cannot be far away.
MARTIN HENRY January, 1980
Tye Green Cottage, Good Easter