Sue and I are taking a long weekend break in Suffolk. On the way we stop off at Abberton reservoir a nature reserve run by the Essex Wildlife Trust. I remember when there was just a basic wooden hide here but now there is a visitors centre complete with café. How times change! But the cup of tea and sandwich were very welcome before we set off to the hide on the edge of the reservoir. As we walk over the grassland we are serenaded by a Skylark as it makes its ascending song flight before plunging back to its perch on a fence post.
The reservoir is vast but there is a good selection of geese close to the hide. Canada. Greylag and Egyptian are present although there is no sign of the small flock of White-Fronted Geese which had been present a few days earlier.
There is also a good selection of duck feeding on the edges of the reservoir. Eurasian Wigeon are the commonest species present, but out on the reservoir itself there are a few Goldeneye.
Tucked in amongst the Wigeon we find a sleeping Pintail.
After walking back to the car park, again to the sound of the displaying Skylark its time to resume our journey to Suffolk.
Common Pheasant [sp] (Phasianus colchicus)
Greylag Goose [sp] (Anser anser)
Canada Goose [sp] (Branta canadensis)
Mute Swan (Cygnus olor)
Egyptian Goose (Alopochen aegyptiaca)
Eurasian Wigeon (Anas penelope)
Mallard [sp] (Anas platyrhynchos)
Northern Shoveler (Anas clypeata)
Northern Pintail (Anas acuta)
Eurasian Teal [sp] (Anas crecca)
Common Pochard (Aythya ferina)
Tufted Duck (Aythya fuligula)
Common Goldeneye [sp] (Bucephala clangula)
Great Cormorant [sp] (Phalacrocorax carbo)
Common Buzzard [sp] (Buteo buteo)
Common Kestrel [sp] (Falco tinnunculus)
Eurasian Coot [sp] (Fulica atra)
Common Redshank [sp] (Tringa totanus)
Black-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus)
European Herring Gull [sp] (Larus argentatus)
Lesser Black-backed Gull [sp] (Larus fuscus)
Common Pigeon [sp] (Columba livia)
Common Wood Pigeon [sp] (Columba palumbus)
Western Jackdaw [sp] (Coloeus monedula)
Rook [sp] (Corvus frugilegus)
Carrion Crow [sp] (Corvus corone)
Eurasian Blue Tit [sp] (Cyanistes caeruleus)
Common Starling [sp] (Sturnus vulgaris)
Common Blackbird [sp] (Turdus merula)
European Robin [sp] (Erithacus rubecula)
Pied Wagtail [sp] (Motacilla alba)
Pete's Favourite Things 