01/01/2024

Guided walks last 2.5 hours and finish with refreshments back at the cars. Group size is a maximum of 8 (plus me as leader).

02/01/2024

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.

02/01/2024

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.

25/04/2024

On Thursday 25th April I'll be giving a talk entitled "Tales from the Riverbank" to West Mersea Wildlife Forum at the West Mersea WI Hall.

26/04/2024

Friday 26th April 10am – 12.30pm Arger Fen SWT
(£12 per person). Meet in the layby at CO8 5BN. TL930353. From the A134 at Nayland turn left (W) at Nags Corner, signed to Wissington and Bures. Continue along Wiston Road/Bures Road (‘wiggly’ road for a few miles); then turn right (N) at a crossroads onto Smallbridge Entry (this road is very narrow); pass paddocks, then WA Church seed store; then layby is on your right. (See also Suffolk Wildlife Trust website for location map.)
Species we’ll be hoping to see include: nightingale, blackcap, garden warbler, red kite, raven; bluebells, early purple orchid, wild garlic.
Booking in advance is essential please.

27/04/2024

Saturday 27th April 11.45am wildlife boat trip
(£18 per person). We’ll be joining Tony Haggis for a 2½ hour boat trip around the beautiful Walton Backwaters. Meet in the car park at Titchmarsh Marina in Walton on the Naze CO14 8SL at 11.45am (for 12 noon 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! You may also like to bring something to eat as we’ll be out over lunchtime!
Species we’ll be hoping to see include: waders (eg avocet, oystercatcher, godwits), brent goose, marsh harrier, common buzzard, Mediterranean gull, red breasted merganser, eider and sandwich tern possible; common seal.
Booking in advance is essential please.

03/05/2024

Friday 3rd May 6 – 8.30am Dawn Chorus at Cockaynes Wood
(£12 per person). Maybe more “Early Morning Chorus” rather than strictly “Dawn Chorus”?! Access is off Alresford Road, between Wivenhoe and Alresford – park and meet in the lane just north of the railway leading east. CO7 9JX. TM052216. (Alternative parking round the corner just south of the railway at the turning to Brett Aggregates.) This reserve is jointly managed by Essex Wildlife Trust and Cockaynes Wood Trust and has a mix of habitats – heath, grassland, woodland and ponds.
Species we’ll be hoping to see/hear include: mistle thrush, nightingale, great spotted woodpecker, treecreeper, linnet, yellowhammer, common tern, great crested grebe; butterflies (eg green hairstreak, orange tip); bluebells.
Booking in advance is essential please.

07/05/2024

Tuesday 7th May 10am – 12.30pm Alton Water
(£12 per person). Meet in the pay & display car park (coins only, £3 for the day) by Tattingstone Wonder IP9 2PB. From the A137 take Stutton Lane and then turn left into Church Road. The small car park is on your right, opposite The Wonder.
Species we’ll be hoping to see include: great crested grebe, kingfisher, coal tit, goldcrest, sand martin, common tern, chiffchaff, blackcap, garden warbler, nightingale, yellowhammer.
Booking in advance is essential please.

09/05/2024

On Thursday 9th May I'm leading two Workshops for Essex Wildlife Trust at Fingringhoe Wick - Bird Song in the morning & Warbler ID in the afternoon. For further details and bookings please contact the Centre team on 01206 729678.

10/05/2024

Friday 10th May 9.30am – 4pm Minsmere RSPB
(£25 per person + £9 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 and then the Island Mere circuit (c2 miles). Please bring a packed lunch.
Species we’ll be hoping to see include: marsh harrier, bittern, avocet, terns, kittiwake, sand martin, Mediterranean gull, barnacle goose, nightingale, marsh tit, hobby, bearded tit, warblers.
Booking in advance is essential please.

13/05/2024

Monday 13th May 10am – 12.30pm Wrabness EWT
(£12 per person). Meet in the reserve car park. TM167315. CO11 2TF. From the B1352 between Bradfield and Wrabness turn left into Wheatsheaf Lane, take the first left just past the bridge, and the car park is on your right (there is a height barrier). Most of the paths are tarmac/hard surface, with only one or two grassy areas.
Species we’ll be hoping to see include: sand martin, nightingale, turtle dove, cuckoo, song thrush, linnet, whitethroat, lesser whitethroat, blackcap, common buzzard, yellowhammer.
Booking in advance is essential please.

16/05/2024

Thursday 16th May 10am – 4pm Upper Hollesley Common/Hollesley Marshes
(£25 per person). Meet in Upper Hollesley Common car park in Heath Road, IP12 3HU. From Melton take the B1083; then left onto Heath Road (signed to Hollesley and Sutton Heath); drive through Sutton Heath; the car park is on the left almost opposite Red Lodge.
Please bring a packed lunch. After lunch we’ll drive to nearby Hollesley Marshes RSPB, IP12 3JW.
Species we’ll be hoping to see include: woodlark, stonechat, Dartford warbler, coal tit, redstart, hobby, avocet, marsh harrier, cuckoo; also butterflies (eg small copper), green tiger beetle.
Booking in advance is essential please.

18/05/2024

On Saturday 18th May I'm leading two Workshops for Essex Wildlife Trust at Fingringhoe Wick - Bird Song in the morning & Warbler ID in the afternoon. For further details & bookings please contact the Centre team on 01026 729678.

21/05/2024

Tuesday 21st May 10am – 12.30pm Flatford
(£12 per person). Meet in the National Trust car park (£5 in coins or bring NT membership card for free parking). CO7 6UL. Flatford is well signposted from the B1070 in East Bergholt, then follow the one-way system to the car park. There’s the option to stay on for lunch in the tearooms after the walk. This will be more of a general wildlife walk in Constable country; and there are several inclines to negotiate!
Species we’ll be hoping to see include: warblers (eg blackcap, chiffchaff, Cetti’s, reed, sedge) common buzzard, grey wagtail, swallow, cuckoo; butterflies, solitary bees, dragonflies, wildflowers.
Booking in advance is essential please.

28/05/2024

On Tuesday 28th May at 7.30pm I'll be giving a talk entitled "Essex Diary" to Braintree & Bocking Townswomens Guild.

30/05/2024

Thursday 30th May 10am – 1pm Old Hall Marshes RSPB
(£12 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: cuckoo, marsh harrier, common tern, wader chicks (avocet, redshank, lapwing), warblers, bearded tit possible.
Booking in advance is essential please.

01/06/2024

On Saturday 1st June I'll be having a stand at the Naze Protection Society Event at the Columbine Centre in Walton on the Naze. The event runs 10am-4pm, with a number of speakers and stands to browse; and I'll have a range of greetings cards and wildlife photos for sale.

04/06/2024

On 4-7 June I'll be helping to lead a Birdwatching Break at Sizewell Hall on the Suffolk coast. For further details visit their website at www.sizewellhall.org.uk.

08/06/2024

Saturday 8th June 12.45pm wildlife boat trip
(£18 per person). We’ll be joining Tony Haggis for a 2-2½ hour boat trip around the beautiful Walton Backwaters. Meet in the car park at Titchmarsh Marina in Walton on the Naze CO14 8SL at 12.45pm (for 1.00pm 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 weatherproof clothing!
Species we’ll be hoping to see include: terns (sandwich, common & little), Mediterranean gull, marsh harrier, common buzzard, avocet, ringed plover, oystercatcher; common seals with pups.
Booking in advance is essential please.

11/06/2024

Tuesday 11th June 10am – 12.30pm Landseer Park
(£12 per person). Meet in the car park in Landseer Road, Ipswich (IP3 0HH, entrance is opposite Holbrook Road). This is an Ipswich Borough Council ‘green open space’, with lots of wildflower planting and a small woodland area.
Species we’ll be hoping to see include: chiffchaff, blackcap, great spotted woodpecker, song thrush, jay, long tailed tit; butterflies - marbled white, small skipper, ringlet, purple hairstreak, white letter hairstreak, dark green fritillary and small blue possible; other insects (eg Roesel’s bush cricket, beewolf, stag beetle).
Booking in advance is essential please.

13/06/2024

On Thursday 13th June I'll be leading two Workshops for Essex Wildlife Trust at Fingringhoe Wick - Butterfly ID in the morning & Dragonfly ID in the afternoon. For further details and bookings please contact the Centre team on 01206 729678.

14/06/2024

Friday 14th June 10am – 4pm Strumpshaw Fen RSPB
(£25 per person + £4.50 reserve entry or bring RSPB membership card). Meet in the RSPB car park in Low Road, Strumpshaw, NR13 4HS, TG341065 (about 6 miles east of Norwich). We’ll take two circular walks – c1½ miles in the morning, and c2½ miles after lunch. Please bring a packed lunch.
Species we’ll be hoping to see include: marsh harrier, bittern, hobby, kingfisher; butterflies (eg swallowtail); dragonflies (eg Norfolk hawker); Chinese water deer; orchids.
Booking in advance is essential please.

15/06/2024

On Saturday 15th June (9.30am) I'll be leading a Wildlife & Photography Workshop for Essex Wildlife Trust at The Naze. For further details and bookings please contact the Centre team on 01255 679379.

20/06/2024

Thursday 20th June 10am – 4pm Lakenheath Fen RSPB
(£25 per person + £4 reserve entry or bring RSPB membership card). Meet in the RSPB car park in Station Road (B1112), Lakenheath, IP27 9AD. TL724865. There is a visitor centre with toilets. The main circular trail is approx 3 miles. Please bring a packed lunch.
Species we’ll be hoping to see include: marsh harrier, bittern, bearded tit, common crane, kingfisher, water rail, common tern, sedge warbler, grasshopper warbler, hobby; dragonflies.
Booking in advance is essential please.

24/06/2024

Monday 24th June 10am – 12.30pm Elmstead Woods
(£12 per person). Meet in the village car park in Clacton Road (A133), Elmstead Market (CO7 7DA) (between the traffic lights and Beth Chatto Gardens, near the junction with Bromley Road, car park entrance next to Market Close). The walk will be approximately 2 miles, but please note that we’ll go through a cattle field where the ground is trampled and very uneven. The site includes new woodland, old woodland and a section of the Tenpenny Brook.
Species we’ll be hoping to find include: banded demoiselle (and other dragonflies); butterflies; common buzzard, warblers (eg whitethroat, willow warbler and blackcap), green woodpecker, yellowhammer, house martin, possibly quail calling; butterflies & dragonflies.
Booking in advance is essential please.

28/06/2024

Friday 28th June 9.30am – 4pm Minsmere RSPB
(£25 per person + £9 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 and then the Island Mere circuit (c2 miles). Please bring a packed lunch.
Species we’ll be hoping to see include: marsh harrier, bittern, avocet, terns, kittiwake, sand martin, Mediterranean gull, barnacle goose, marsh tit, hobby, bearded tit, warblers, first returning waders; butterflies, dragonflies, beewolves & more.
Booking in advance is essential please.

01/07/2024

On Monday 1st July at 7.30pm I'll be giving a talk entitled "Tales from the Riverbank" to Alresford Gardening Club.

13/07/2024

On Saturday 13th July I'll be leading two Workshops for Essex Wildlife Trust at Fingringhoe Wick - Butterfly ID in the morning & Dragonfly ID in the afternoon. For further details and bookings please contact the Centre team on 01206 729678.

16/07/2024

On Tuesday 16th July at 2pm I'll be giving a talk entitled "Tales from the Riverbank" to Navestock WI.