Abberton Reservoir, Essex for Smew

Friday 1st February 2025.

I visited Abberton Reservoir near Colchester in Essex to celebrate the start of a new month. It's a place that has always been on my wish list, and after some excellent bird sightings lately and a good weather forecast, it was a thumbs-up from me today. 

My target bird was Smew, a personal favourite no longer seen at Dungeness, where it used to appear regularly. 

My visit started at the Layer de la Haye Causeway before I relocated to Peldon Village Hall and finished at Copt Hall car park 

The bird was not visible from the viewpoint on the B1026 Layer de la Haye Causeway carpark. However, all was not lost, as some rare grebes were showing well.

• There were many close Black-neck Grebes - as many as 16 were counted today.

Courtesy of Essex Birding

• 2 Slavonian Grebes were also present, which proved a little more challenging to locate. 

Courtesy of Essex Birding

Several members of the Essex Birding group advised me to look for the Smew from the Lodge Lane viewpoint. Another birder, who also wanted to see the bird, followed me to Peldon Village, where we parked at the village hall and made our way out to the viewing area. 

• 3 Smew were showing in the distance - a drake and 2 redheads.  Target achieved!

Courtesy of Essex Birding

Courtesy of Essex Birding

My partner for the day wanted to look for the Great Grey Shrike next rather than return to the causeway to look for the Canvasback.  I agreed to this, and we made our way to the Copt Hall car park and the sea wall viewing point, where we met up with 2 local birders.

• After a wait of at least half an hour, the shrike appeared in the low trees ahead of us.  Thereafter, the bird showed regularly.

Courtesy of Essex Birding
 

• A Hen Harrier had also been seen this morning, so I decided to spend the remaining time looking for it.  One of the others got a brief glimpse of a Ringtail Hen Harrier, but my efforts failed.

A special day out!

There was not enough time to visit the Layer Breton Causeway, where the Canvasback and the Ring-necked Duck were present. I also missed the Scaup at Lodge Lane.  This is a good reason to go back with my birding group, who could not make this visit due to bird fatigue after their four-day visit to Norfolk.

2025 species count = 105

New Species

102  Black-necked Grebe

103  Slavonian Grebe

103  Smew

104  Great Grey Shrike