For our main #WildEssex event of March, the weather reverted back to winter after recent welcome sun and warmth. We were on the south shore of the Stour Estuary, at Manningtree, in the teeth of a very cold breeze and dodging a spate of spiky hail showers. Dramatic views certainly as the high tide receded, but discomfort for some who headed off early to the welcoming warmth of the Skinner’s Arms!

On the exposed shoreline there were rather few birds, fewer than we expected even given the fact that some of the shorebirds will already have started their northward migrations. Most numerous were Redshanks, Teals, Oystercatchers and Black-tailed Godwits.

Especially when the sun came out between the showers, paired Lesser Black-backed Gulls and small groups of Wigeon showed well …

… as several Avocets swept gracefully across the mudflats, those against the light demonstrating just how good their bold black and white camouflage really is.

Star of the show however were the Little Egrets in pools and creeks, or wafting past, and the single Greenshank that kept coming around just to make sure everyone knew why it wasn’t a Redshank!

This was a joint group of Wild Essex regulars and Wivenhoe Tree Protectors, which to judge from the chatter in the pub worked very well. And all proceeds (£110, thanks everyone) are going to be added to the pot to help cover legal and technical expenses, trying to find alternative solutions to save the Old King George Oak, doing the work that by all rights should have been done as due diligence by those who have instead condemned it.