01/01/2026

On the first Monday of the month I lead Ladybirders (a guided birdwatching walk for ladies) for Essex Wildlife Trust at The Naze. For dates, further details and bookings please contact the Centre team on 01255 679379.

01/01/2026

On alternate Wednesdays I lead Ladybirders (a guided birdwatching walk for ladies) for Essex Wildlife Trust at Fingringhoe Wick nature reserve. For dates, further details and bookings please contact the Centre team on 01206 729678.

01/01/2026

Guided walks last 2.5 hours (unless otherwise stated) and finish with refreshments back at the cars. Group size is a maximum of 8 (plus me as leader).
Booking in advance is essential on all walks please.
Lift shares may be possible for some walks - please ask!
If you are booked and have to cancel within 2 weeks of the day (or fail to attend) it will incur the full charge if I'm unable to fill your place.

26/08/2026

Wednesday 26th August 10am – 1pm Abberton Reservoir EWT
(£15 per person + site entry donation or bring EWT membership card). Meet at the north (reserve) end of Layer de la Haye Causeway (there’s plenty of parking along the causeway) – B1026 - Church Road/Wigborough Road. We’ll probably view from the causeways and Wigborough Bay, depending on the latest bird news.
Species we’ll be hoping to see include: common tern, red crested pochard, great white egret, spoonbill, cattle egret, yellow wagtail, returning waders (eg black tailed godwit, ruff, green sandpiper, greenshank, little ringed plover), marsh harrier, hobby, osprey and other rarities (eg black tern) possible.
Booking in advance is essential please.

28/08/2026

Friday 28th August 10am – 12.30pm Manningtree/Cattawade
(£15 per person). Park and meet in Riverside Avenue East (off the B1352, Station Road) CO11 1US. We’ll have a walk and birdwatch from the river wall, White Bridge and the north marsh at Cattawade.
Our main target will be the long-staying Hudsonian godwit (an American wader and a rarity in the UK). Other species we’ll be hoping to see include: black tailed godwit, little egret, shelduck, greenshank, lapwing, green sandpiper, avocet, kingfisher.
Booking in advance is essential please.

03/09/2026

Thursday 3rd September 10am – 1pm Old Hall Marshes RSPB
(£15 per person). Meet in the reserve car park at the far end of Old Hall Lane, Tolleshunt D’Arcy CM9 8TP. TL959122. From the B1026 take Chapel Road/Back Road and turn in to Old Hall Lane, which is quite a narrow lane. Drive to the far end, over the speed bumps round the gardens/cottages, through the metal gates, over the cattle grid and follow signs to the car park (open 9am-5pm Mon-Fri). The walk is approx 3 miles (the short circuit!) over uneven ground, including the seawall.
Species we’ll be hoping to see include: marsh harrier, hobby, common tern, waders (eg avocet, black tailed godwit, ruff, golden plover, spotted redshank, greenshank, little stint, wood sandpiper (and maybe a rarity or two), bearded tit, cattle egret and spoonbill possible.
Booking in advance is essential please.

09/09/2026

Wednesday 9th September 10am – 12.30pm Dovercourt West End
(£15 per person). Meet in the car park on the left just before the recycling centre in West End Lane, Dovercourt CO12 3SF. TM247301. The walk is 2-3 miles, mostly along an earth seawall.
Species we’ll be hoping to see include: sandwich tern, common tern, oystercatcher, ringed plover, reed warbler, sedge warbler, marsh harrier, linnet, stonechat, scarcer species possible at this time of year.
Booking in advance is essential please.

10/09/2026

On Thursday 10th September 9.30am - 12.30pm I'm leading a Bird Migration Workshop at Fingringhoe Wick for EWT. This will include a classroom session followed by a guided walk round the nature reserve. For further details and booking please contact the Centre Team on 01206 729678.

12/09/2026

Saturday 12th September 10.45am wildlife boat trip
(£21 per person). We’ll be joining Tony Haggis for a 2 hour boat trip around the beautiful Walton Backwaters. Meet in the car park at Titchmarsh Marina in Walton on the Naze CO14 8SL at 10.45am (for 11am boat trip). From Kirby Road (B1024) turn into Coles Lane (signed for Titchmarsh Marina and Harbour Lights restaurant) and drive to the boatyard car park at the far end (it’s a long narrow lane with speed bumps!). Maximum 11 places (plus me!) so please book early to avoid disappointment. Please bring weather-appropriate clothing!
Species we’ll be hoping to see include: waders (eg avocet, oystercatcher, godwits), marsh harrier, Mediterranean gull, terns; common seal. Scarcer species such as osprey possible.
Booking in advance is essential please.

15/09/2026

Tuesday 15th September 10am – 12.30pm Frinton on Sea to Holland Haven
(£15 per person). Meet on the Greensward at the southern end of The Esplanade near Frinton Golf Club, CO13 9EP. There is plenty of free parking along The Esplanade and Second Avenue. We’ll walk along the seawall to Holland Haven and back via the Country Park and by the golf course (approx 3½ miles).
Species we’ll be hoping to see include: yellow wagtail, common buzzard, whitethroat, sedge warbler, reed warbler, reed bunting, waders (eg avocet, green sandpiper, ruff, black tailed godwit, snipe), wheatear, stonechat, terns offshore, scarcer species possible.
Booking in advance is essential please.

23/09/2026

Wednesday 23rd September 10am – 1pm Tollesbury Wick EWT
(£15 per person). Meet in the free car park in Woodrolfe Road, Tollesbury CM9 8SE (where there are toilets). From there it’s a few minutes’ walk to the nature reserve.
Species we’ll be hoping to see include: teal, shoveler, gadwall, waders (eg avocet, godwits, golden plover), terns, wheatear, marsh harrier, barn owl, stonechat, scarcer species possible.
Booking in advance is essential please.

28/09/2026

Monday 28th September 9.30am – 4pm Minsmere RSPB
(£30 per person + £10 reserve entry or bring RSPB membership card). Meet in the reserve car park. TM473672. IP17 3BY. The plan is to do the coast circuit (c2 miles), have lunch in the car park, and then do the Island Mere circuit (c2 miles). Please bring a packed lunch.
Species we’ll be hoping to see include: waders (may include scarcer species such as ruff, spotted redshank, little stint, curlew sandpiper), marsh harrier, bearded tit, treecreeper and marsh tit in the woodland, skuas and shearwaters may be passing offshore, rarities are possible (eg red backed shrike and pectoral sandpiper).
Booking in advance is essential please.

02/10/2026

Friday 2nd October 10am – 1pm Blue House Farm EWT
(£15 per person). Meet in the reserve car park in Blue House Farm Chase, North Fambridge CM3 6GU. TQ 857969. Following recent completion of a 40 hectare wetland creation project, this site is looking even more promising. It’s a linear walk over rough ground to the banks of the River Crouch; and there are 3 hides.
Species we’ll be hoping to see include: black tailed godwit, lapwing, marsh harrier, skylark, brent goose, barnacle goose, reed bunting, barn owl, scarcer species possible.
Booking in advance is essential please.

08/10/2026

Thursday 8th October 10am – 12.30pm Landguard Point
(£15 per person). Meet in the pay & display car park by the View Point Café at the far end of View Point Road, Felixstowe IP11 3TW (where there are toilets). Part of the walk will be on the shingle beach. The site is a migration hotspot, but this can be very weather dependent!
Species we’ll be hoping to see include: terns, wheatear, redstart, common warblers, pipits, Mediterranean gull, ring ouzel, rarities possible; gannet, scoters, skuas, divers and early brent geese may be passing offshore.
Booking in advance is essential please.

10/10/2026

On Saturday 10th October 9.30am - 12.30pm I'm leading a Wader ID Workshop at Fingringhoe Wick for EWT. This will include a classroom session followed by a guided walk round the nature reserve. For further details and booking please contact the Centre Team on 01206 729678.

16/10/2026

Friday 16th October 10am – 1pm The Naze
(£15 per person). Meet in the pay & display car park near the EWT visitor centre in Old Hall Lane, Walton on the Naze, CO14 8LE. TM264235. Drive through Walton and then follow Hall Lane, Naze Park Road and Old Hall Lane to the end! The car park is on the right.
It’s migration time so it’s hard to predict, and almost anything could turn up, but species we’ll be hoping to see include: brent geese, sanderling, goldcrest, firecrest, brambling, warblers, thrushes, skuas. Rarities such as yellow browed or Pallas’s warbler, wryneck, red backed shrike, ring ouzel possible!
Booking in advance is essential please.

20/10/2026

Tuesday 20th October 10am – 4pm Abberton Res/Fingringhoe Wick EWT
(£30 per person + site entry donation or bring EWT membership card). Meet at the north (reserve) end of Layer de la Haye Causeway (there’s plenty of parking along the causeway) – B1026 - Church Road/Wigborough Road. We’ll probably view from the causeways and Wigborough Bay, depending on the latest bird news. Then we’ll drive to Fingringhoe Wick CO5 7DN for a change of habitats and spend the afternoon scanning the saltmarsh and river. Please bring a packed lunch.
Species we’ll be hoping to see include: goosander, pintail, scaup, red crested pochard, great white egret, spoonbill, waders (eg black tailed godwit, ruff, green sandpiper, greenshank), marsh harrier, brent goose, avocet, rarities possible.
Booking in advance is essential please.

28/10/2026

Wednesday 28th October 10am – 1pm Old Hall Marshes RSPB
(£15 per person). Meet in the reserve car park at the far end of Old Hall Lane, Tolleshunt D’Arcy CM9 8TP. TL959122. From the B1026 take Chapel Road/Back Road and turn in to Old Hall Lane, which is quite a narrow lane. Drive to the far end, over the speed bumps round the gardens/cottages, through the metal gates, over the cattle grid and follow signs to the car park (open 9am-5pm Mon-Fri). The walk is approx 3 miles (the short circuit!) over uneven ground, including the seawall.
Species we’ll be hoping to see include: marsh harrier, hobby, common tern, waders (eg avocet, black tailed godwit, ruff, golden plover, spotted redshank, greenshank, little stint, wood sandpiper (and maybe a rarity or two), bearded tit, cattle egret and spoonbill possible.
Booking in advance is essential please.

06/11/2026

Friday 6th November 9.15am wildlife boat trip
(£21 per person). We’ll be joining Tony Haggis for a 3 hour boat trip around the beautiful Walton Backwaters. Meet in the car park at Titchmarsh Marina in Walton on the Naze CO14 8SL at 9.15am (for 9.30am boat trip). From Kirby Road (B1024) turn into Coles Lane (signed for Titchmarsh Marina and Harbour Lights restaurant) and drive to the boatyard car park at the far end (it’s a long narrow lane with speed bumps!). Maximum 11 places (plus me!) so please book early to avoid disappointment. Please bring warm, weatherproof clothing!
Species we’ll be hoping to see include: waders (eg avocet, oystercatcher, godwits), marsh harrier, Mediterranean gull, red breasted merganser, brent goose; common seal. Scarcer species possible.
Booking in advance is essential please.

07/11/2026

On Saturday 7th November 9.30am - 12.30pm I'm leading a Raptor ID Workshop at Fingringhoe Wick for EWT. This will include a classroom session followed by a guided walk round the nature reserve. For further details and booking please contact the Centre Team on 01206 729678.

05/12/2026

On Saturday 5th December 9.30am - 12.30pm I'm leading a Duck ID Workshop at Fingringhoe Wick for EWT. This will include a classroom session followed by a guided walk round the nature reserve. For further details and booking please contact the Centre Team on 01206 729678.