Returning home from Abberton yesterday afternoon, we saw reports of a Northern Waterthrush being reported from a garden at Heybridge, just 10 miles from Abberton. The bird news messages were not particularly helpful. "In a garden between Heybridge Creek and Chelmer Blackwater navigation canal briefly then flew north towards canal".
The news was vague at best but this morning we decided we would travel to Abberton and search for the Canvasback that we dipped yesterday and wait to see if there would be any positive news on the waterthrush. However, these plans changed quickly, because as we arrived at Layer Breton Causeway the Waterthrush was reported as seen in the creek at Heybridge! A quick U-turn and we were joining the twenty or so other birders already present. The bird had been seen briefly three times before we arrived but had then flown towards the houses bordering the creek two minutes before we arrived!
Thirty minutes had gone by and suddenly the bird flew back in calling. During the next hour, it gave a couple of brief views, so brief in fact that although I saw the bird with my eyes by the time I lifted my bins it had disappeared again. A further two hours passed without any sign, then it suddenly appeared in a small tree beside the creek, it remained in the tree for a couple of minutes before dropping into the creek. It didn't stay in the creek for very long and soon it disappeared over the grass bank and out of sight again. The views were much better this time and not only did I manage to get my bins on it this time I also had time to get my scope trained on the bird.
The crowd had quickly swelled from twenty or so when we arrived to well over one hundred by the time we decided to leave.
It's only the eighth record for Britain and only the third for the mainland. With us not travelling to the islands the chance of seeing a Northern Waterthrush would have been very slim, but not only have I seen one, but I've seen it in my home county of Essex!
 |
| The creek and area favoured by the bird |
 |
| Northern waterthrush |
No comments:
Post a Comment