01/01/2025

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.

01/01/2025

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.

01/01/2025

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.
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.

16/08/2025

On Saturday 16th August 9.30am-12.30pm I'm leading a Wildlife & Photography Workshop for Essex Wildlife Trust at Fingringhoe Wick. This will include a classroom session followed by a guided walk. For further details and bookings please contact the Centre Team on 01206 729678.

21/08/2025

Thursday 21st 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.

27/08/2025

Wednesday 27th August 10am – 12.30pm Brightlingsea
(£15 per person). Meet near the toilet block at the far end of Promenade Way, Brightlingsea CO7 0HH (beyond the lido and boating lake, towards Bateman’s Tower) (free roadside parking should be available). TM078162.
Species we’ll be hoping to see include: a selection of waders (eg black tailed godwit, avocet, curlew), marsh harrier, green woodpecker, Cetti’s warbler, wheatear, common tern, reed bunting; in recent years spoonbill, osprey and red backed shrike have been seen here around this time.
Booking in advance is essential please.

29/08/2025

Friday 29th August 10am – 4pm Bawdsey (East Lane) & Boyton Marshes
(£30 per person). Meet in the free car park at the far end of East Lane, Bawdsey IP12 3AP. We’ll walk north towards Shingle Street past a series of lagoons and arable/marsh land, and keep stopping to scan out to sea. It’s a good migrant spot if conditions are right! We’ll then drive to Boyton Marshes (c7 miles away) in the hope that the juvenile black stork is still there, and there should be some waders too. Please bring a packed lunch.
Species we’ll be hoping to see include: warblers, swallows & martins, redstart, wheatear, whinchat, shoveler, tufted duck, common sandpiper, gannet & skuas possible, marsh harrier, black stork (if it’s stayed) and hopefully one or two surprises!
Booking in advance is essential please.

04/09/2025

Thursday 4th September 10am – 12.30pm Manningtree & Mistley
(£15 per person). Park and meet in Riverside Avenue East (off the B1352, Station Road) CO11 1US. We’ll have a short walk and birdwatch from the river wall; and then drive the short distance to Mistley Walls (the road running alongside the River Stour between Manningtree and Mistley Towers), where we’ll scan the river from the roadside and also walk through to Mistley Quay for a different viewpoint.
Species we’ll be hoping to see include: black tailed godwit, knot, little egret, shelduck, lapwing, avocet, green sandpiper, greenshank, kingfisher, Mediterranean gull.
Booking in advance is essential please.

05/09/2025

Friday 5th 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.

08/09/2025

Monday 8th 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), marsh harrier, barn owl, stonechat, scarcer species possible.
Booking in advance is essential please.

09/09/2025

I'll be joining the team at Sizewell Hall to co-lead their Birdwatching Break 9th-12th September, including giving a couple of talks and leading guided walks. For further details please visit their website at www.sizewellhall.org.uk.

16/09/2025

Tuesday 16th 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.

17/09/2025

On Wednesday 17th September I'm giving an illustrated talk to Colchester U3A at Highwoods Community Centre.

18/09/2025

On Thursday 18th September 9.30am-12.30pm I'm leading a Wader ID Workshop for Essex Wildlife Trust at Fingringhoe Wick. This will include a classroom session followed by a guided walk. For further details and bookings please contact the Centre Team on 01206 729678.

22/09/2025

Monday 22nd 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.

24/09/2025

Wednesday 24th September 10am-1pm Hanningfield Reservoir EWT
(£15 per person + site entry donation or bring EWT membership card). Meet in the EWT reserve car park in Hawkswood Road, CM11 1WT, TQ725970 (the site opens at 10am, so view from the causeway if you arrive early!).
Species we’ll be hoping to see include: common woodland birds, coal tit, treecreeper, goldcrest, great spotted woodpecker, red crested pochard, marsh harrier, yellow legged gull, waders (eg green sandpiper, black tailed godwit, ruff), scarcer species possible
Booking in advance is essential please.

25/09/2025

On Thursday 25th September I'm giving a talk entitled "The Essex Coastal Marshes in Winter" to West Mersea Wildlife Forum.

03/10/2025

Friday 3rd October 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.

09/10/2025

Thursday 9th October 10am – 12.30pm 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.

14/10/2025

Tuesday 14th October 10am – 12.30pm 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.

17/10/2025

Friday 17th 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.

18/10/2025

On Saturday 18th October 9.30am-12.30pm I'm leading a Wader ID Workshop for Essex Wildlife Trust at Fingringhoe Wick. This will include a classroom session followed by a guided walk. For further details and bookings please contact the Centre Team on 01206 729678.

22/10/2025

Wednesday 22nd October 10am – 12.30pm Colne Point
(£15 per person). Meet in the reserve car park at the far end of Lee Wick Lane/Beach Road, St Osyth. CO16 8EX. TM108125. Follow the long winding lane through the farm/cottages (past “private” and “keep out” signs!), past the sewage works (where it becomes a rougher track surface), through the gate and over the seawall to the small car park area.
Species we’ll be hoping to see include: brent geese, waders (eg curlew, golden plover, lapwing), corn bunting, marsh harrier, common buzzard, peregrine, stonechat, something rarer such as merlin or short eared owl possible.
Booking in advance is essential please.

23/10/2025

On Thursday 23rd October I'm giving a talk entitled "Essex Diary" to Witham U3A.

24/10/2025

Friday 24th 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.

30/10/2025

Thursday 30th October 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, waders (eg black tailed godwit, ruff, green sandpiper, greenshank, little ringed plover and maybe a rarity or two), marsh harrier, hobby, osprey and other rarities possible.
Booking in advance is essential please.

11/11/2025

On Tuesday 11th November I'm giving a talk entitled "Wild Essex in Winter" to Mersea Island Horticultural Society.

15/11/2025

On Saturday 15th November 9.30am-12.30pm I'm leading a Raptor ID Workshop for Essex Wildlife Trust at Fingringhoe Wick. This will include a classroom session followed by a guided walk. For further details and bookings please contact the Centre Team on 01206 729678.

19/11/2025

On Wednesday 19th November I'm giving a talk entitled "Tales from the Riverbank" to Billericay WI.

06/12/2025

On Saturday 6th December 9.30am-12.30pm I'm leading a Duck ID Workshop for Essex Wildlife Trust at Fingringhoe Wick. This will include a classroom session followed by a guided walk. For further details and bookings please contact the Centre Team on 01206 729678.