Fingrinhoe Wick (23 April 2023)
On the positive side we all experienced surround sound Nightingales and some saw them for the first time in their lives. Fingringhoe hosts 30-40 pairs, or about 1%, of the UK breeding population. The males arrive in mid-April and their singing, especially at night, is at its peak before they’ve attracted a mate*. It wasn’t just the Nightingale song which delighted us; there was plenty of other song as birds claimed territory and attracted mates including Chiffchaffs which could be seen everywhere. Another positive was our combined species list of 79 which included such highlights as Marsh Harrier, Whitethroat, Whimbrel and Bullfinch. Fingringhoe Wick is also a beautiful Essex Wildlife Trust reserve on the Colne Estuary with a real sense of peace and quiet. It feels as if you are exploring the 200 acres rather than following the huge tarmacked paths at some reserves. It also has plenty of cosy little hides and a pleasant visitor centre which are both ideal for escaping the rain. And yes, that is the negative side… it poured nearly all day! A less than ideal service from the new coach company also detracted from my enjoyment of the day. That said, many claimed to have enjoyed the day. There’s a sense of camaraderie in surviving a day that like together but it really is a special place! The Essex coastal marshes are quite different from the usual areas we visit on the south coast.
Undeterred by the weather we split up to explore; some sensibly going in the opposite direction from the majority. Many of us headed towards Margaret Hide to view the estuary at low tide however it wasn’t just closed, as we’d been warned, but the whole area was inaccessible because of flooding. Instead, we clustered around Kingfisher Hide and looked out from there. A brief glimpse of a Spoonbill was the highlight thanks to Tony L. Throughout the day we saw Black-tailed Godwits and Bar-tailed Godwits in their whole range of plumage from non-breeding to full breeding splendour. The brick red stops at the legs in Black-TGs but carries on to the vents in Bar-TGs. The odd Redshank, an Avocet, a few Grey Plover and some Dunlin could be seen before the tide came in from this area and all the other viewpoints overlooking the estuary including, the Crawshaw Hide and the new Geedon Bay Hide. From Kingfisher Hide there were also Little Grebes, Teal and Pochard and the sound of Reed Warblers, Reed Bunting and Cetti’s Warbler.
The best route back to the centre from Kingfisher Hide winds through the scrub past several viewpoints and hides. Nightingales singing around the edges of the open patch by the huge concrete wall that remains from the gravel extraction days (they tried to blow it up but failed) was particularly good. Each hide we entered had little groups of our party sheltering and eating sandwiches! Many then stopped at the centre to dry out and buy warming drinks. By now it was pouring but some ventured around the west side of the reserve where the Nightingale song is often best. Lake and Thurstable Hides offered dry sanctuaries and views over the lake but Nightingale Hide itself, a screen without a roof, was not a great place to stand.
At this point the 3pm National Warning Siren from our phones surprised many of us, even though we knew it would happen! A quick look out over the saltmarsh showed the many Little Egrets and a wet Buzzard in a tree. With an hour and a half left, after fortifying hot drinks, some of us returned to Kingfisher Hide to look out at high tide. Others lingered around their favourite group of Nightingales, 4 singing at once in one small patch, and some just stayed dry in the centre! Needless to say, by the time we had to leave the rain was holding up and a watery sun was trying to force its way through the clouds. Many people have asked for a return visit if we can choose the weather!
Species reported by members of the group: Avocet, Bar-tailed Godwit, Blackbird, Blackcap, Black-headed Gull, Black-tailed Godwit, Blue Tit, Bullfinch, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Cetti’s Warbler, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Coal Tit (h), Collared Dove, Common Gull, Common Tern, Coot, Cormorant, Cuckoo (h), Curlew, Dunlin, Dunnock, Feral Pigeon, Feral/Hybrid goose, Goldfinch, Great Black-backed Gull, Great Crested Grebe, Great Spotted Woodpecker (h), Great Tit, Green Woodpecker (h), Greenfinch, Grey Heron, Grey Plover, Greylag Goose, Herring Gull, House Martin, House Martin, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Jay, Kestrel, Lapwing, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Linnet, Little Egret, Little Grebe, Long-tailed Tit, Magpie, Mallard, Marsh Harrier, Mistle Thrush (h), Moorhen, Mute Swan, Nightingale, Nuthatch (h), Oystercatcher, Pheasant, Pied Wagtail, Pochard, Red Kite, Redshank, Reed Bunting, Robin, Rook, Sand Martin, Sedge Warbler, Shelduck, Skylark, Song Thrush, Starling, Stock Dove, Swallow, Teal, Tufted Duck, Whimbrel, Whitethroat, Willow Warble, Wood Pigeon, Wren.
by Rebecca Dunne
*BTO “Using the results of recent studies undertaken by the University of Basel, we were able to target survey effort to those times when all males should be singing. Although the species is famed for the quality of its song, it is also known for its night-time singing. Research has shown that night-time song serves to attract a mate and stops once a male is paired. Nocturnal song is therefore much reduced soon after females arrive and is then restricted mainly to those males which remain unpaired. Twilight and morning songs, in contrast, have a territorial function and are given by all territorial males but at greater frequency early in the season. Surveys undertaken around or soon after dawn in the first two or three weeks after the birds arrive will have the best chance of detecting all the males present.”