Stour Estuary Field Trip - 21st October 2001


Despite the atrocious weather and sever flood warnings ten of our group managed to make this field trip. Unfortunately your web author was not among these ten so apologies for the lack of photographs.

Starting from Copperas wood close to the River Stour and the RSPB reserve, our party headed straight for the hides and shelter from the driving rain. The wood is rich in ferns, soft shield-fern being particularly well represented. 100 species of bird (43 of which have nested) have been seen, including all three species of woodpecker and the nightingale. Purple hairstreak is notable among the 23 species of butterfly and over 300 species of moth that have been recorded. 

Species Seen:    

  1. Great Crested Grebe
  2. Cormorant
  3. Little Egret x3
  4. Grey Heron
  5. Mute Swan
  6. Greylag Goose
  7. Brent Goose
  8. Shelduck
  9. Wigeon
  10. Teal
  11. Mallard
  12. Pintail
  13. Goldeneye
  14. Sparrowhawk
  15. Pheasant
  16. Jay
  17. Magpie
  18. Ringed Plover
  19. Grey Plover
  20. Lapwing
  21. Dunlin
  22. Black-tailed Godwit
  23. Bar-tailed Godwit
  24. Curlew
  25. Redshank
  26. Greenshank x30
  27. Black-headed Gull
  28. Herring Gull
  29. Wood Pigeon
  30. Green Woodpecker
  31. Great Spotted Woodpecker
  32. Skylark
  33. Swallow x1
  34. House Martin x1
  35. Meadow Pipit
  36. Wren
  37. Dunnock
  38. Robin
  39. Goldcrest
  40. Long-tailed Tit
  41. Carrion Crow
  42. Chaffinch