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.

10/07/2025

Thursday 10th July 10am – 12.30pm Chalkney Wood
(£15 per person). Meet in the Forestry Commission car park in Tey Road at TL872279. I think the nearest postcode is CO6 2LQ. From the A1124 between White Colne and Earls Colne take Tey Road south for 1/2 mile or so. The car park is signed to the left on a sharp right-hand bend and is c200m down a dirt track.
Species we’ll be hoping to see include: treecreeper, common buzzard, great spotted woodpecker, grey wagtail, kingfisher and nuthatch possible; butterflies (eg purple emperor, purple hairstreak, white admiral, silver washed fritillary); dragonflies (eg banded demoiselle, migrant hawker, brown hawker).
Booking in advance is essential please.

12/07/2025

Saturday 12th July 10am – 12.30pm Gt Holland Pits EWT
(£15 per person). Meet in the small reserve car park. TM204190. CO13 0EU for satnav. It's not easy to find!! Travelling from Kirby Cross towards Clacton, at the end of Gt Holland turn right at the mini roundabout (by the old Lions Den pub) onto Little Clacton Road. It is on your right after about ½ mile just after a lefthand bend - the track is to the left of a white house called "Seawinds". If you get as far as Dairy House Farm you've missed it!
Species we'll be hoping to see include: common woodland birds, long tailed tit, chiffchaff, great spotted and green woodpeckers, jay, bullfinch, common buzzard; butterflies - white letter hairstreak, purple hairstreak, white admiral, small heath, common blue, purple emperor possible; dragonflies – southern hawker, ruddy darter, emerald damselfly.
Booking in advance is essential please.

15/07/2025

Tuesday 15th July 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 completion of a 40 hectare wetland creation project, this site is looking very promising. It’s a linear walk over rough ground to the banks of the River Crouch; and there are 3 hides overlooking pools.
Species we’ll be hoping to see include: marsh harrier, skylark, barnacle goose, reed bunting, waders (eg black tailed godwit, avocet, greenshank, green sandpiper, & scarcer species possible), bearded tit, cuckoo, yellow wagtail, common tern; butterflies (eg small heath, wall brown); dragonflies (eg ruddy darter, southern migrant hawker).
Booking in advance is essential please.

18/07/2025

Friday 18th July 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: 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.

19/07/2025

On Saturday 19th July 9.30am-12.30pm I'm leading a Dragonfly 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.

19/07/2025

On Saturday 19th July 1.30-4.30pm I'm leading a Butterfly 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.

20/07/2025

On Sunday 20th July 9.30am-12.30pm I'm leading a Butterfly ID Workshop for Essex Wildlife Trust at The Naze. This will include a classroom session followed by a guided walk. For further details and bookings please contact the Centre Team on 01255 679379.

24/07/2025

Thursday 24th July 10.15am wildlife boat trip
(£20 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 10.15am (for 10.30am 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 weather-appropriate clothing/sunscreen!
Species we’ll be hoping to see include: waders (eg avocet, oystercatcher, godwits), marsh harrier, Mediterranean gull, terns; common seal (including pups).
Booking in advance is essential please.

31/07/2025

Thursday 31st July 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. There’s the option to bring a picnic lunch.
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.

08/08/2025

Friday 8th August 10am-12.30pm Foxearth Meadows
(£15 per person). (Near Glemsford, not far from Long Melford). Meet at the reserve entrance at TL833459. The nearest postcode is Constable’s Barn CO10 7HZ and the entrance is c200m NW from there. Details of how to find Foxearth Meadows can be found on the A Rocha website www.arocha.org.uk. There is a composting toilet at the site. This is quite a new nature reserve specifically managed for its dragonflies and damselflies and we’ll be hoping to see a number of different species (22 species have so far been recorded). We’ll also hope to see marsh tit, common warblers, nightingale, kingfisher, hobby.
Booking in advance is essential please.

13/08/2025

Wednesday 13th August 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. The plan is to take a route that will explore Walton Hall Marshes as well as the scrub area (approx. 3 miles).
Species we’ll be hoping to find include: returning waders (eg greenshank, whimbrel, black tailed godwit, avocet, green sandpiper), sandwich tern, migrant passerines (eg spotted and pied flycatcher, willow warbler, wheatear, whinchat), rarities possible.
Booking in advance is essential please.

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.

29/08/2025

Friday 29th August 10am – 12.30pm Bawdsey (East Lane)
(£15 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!
Species we’ll be hoping to see include: warblers, swallows & martins, redstart, wheatear, whinchat, shoveler, tufted duck, common sandpiper, gannet & skuas possible, and hopefully one or two surprises.
Booking in advance is essential please.

05/09/2025

Friday 5th September 10.15am wildlife boat trip
(£20 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 10.15am (for 10.30am 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 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.

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.

17/09/2025

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

25/09/2025

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

23/10/2025

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

11/11/2025

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

19/11/2025

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