Smooo

Today, as predicted, I was whisked away to Abberton to help out on the WREN Group visit there. The main reserve bit of the reservoir used to be quite good, but since they've had to fill the place with more water so that the people of Colchester can wash their cars it will take time to get back to what it was.  Last time I was here it was for a very confiding Wheatear, this time everything was far off, or smaller.

With only 2 scopes between 13 it was a bit of a struggle.  Again it was the Layer causeway where all the good stuff was to be found.  Most of us wanted to see Smew, and we did, five of the beauties, one even came close enough to persuade me to get the camera out.  Sorry!

We met up with the family Anderson out on a little tour of the Essex countryside, and there were a few other familiar faces on the causeway and if you could forget the icy wind it was quite pleasant.  We managed to find the two White-fronts from a gaggle of Greylag, sift the RC's from the Common Pochard herd, and then I found the Scaup. Happy days for my fellow Wansteadians, however while I revelled in my brilliance I missed the Bittern landing in the reeds in front of the others.  Tits'n'arse.

and now the obligatory Heron coming into land shot...