SEPT 2017 NATURE TRAIL by D Thorpe

HOWLANDS Marsh, Essex Wildlife Trust’s 186-acre nature reserve between St Osyth Priory Park and Flag Creek, has footpath access beside Martins Farm Country Park.

On a recent visit it seemed I had the place almost to myself if grazing cattle are discounted. The flocks of winter wildfowl had not arrived with only few resident feral greylag geese and ducks.

The latter were not easy to identify with the males still in brown eclipse plumage, shortly to be replaced by breeding finery to brighten the winter months.

Some early wigeon, told by white on the wing, and smaller teal were on the main fleet alongside local mallard.

The unmistakeable throbbing wing beats of mute swans were heard before two were seen flying low to open freshwater to feed on pondweed behind the seawall.

Two green sandpipers that usually take off in whistling flight were approached in a wet creek. Soon on the wing, their identity was confirmed by their dark backs and white rumps, a contrast more familiar in house martins.

Ready comparison could be made as a strong autumn passage of both martins and swallows was underway, these hirundines being the most numerous birds seen during my two-hour ramble. House martins preferred the airspace above the reedbeds towards Wellwick, while swallows swooped low over the grazing cattle that attract their insect prey.

Behind the seawall, small saltmarsh plants glasswort and annual seablite were turning purple and across the marsh some dykes were lined by now deep brown water dock.

A curlew made its plaintive call just once on taking to the wing and a hare allowed the closest approach before running. A less timid rufous-chested whinchat with pale eye-stripe perched on a gate en route to Africa.

The hummocky grassland here was originally saltmarsh reclaimed from the sea in medieval times. A maze of former tidal creeks survive from before the wall shut out the sea, filling with freshwater in wet times with drainage chiefly by man-made reedy dykes.

When putting the final touches to this article I have just heard that since my visit a new embanked service track had been created to the priory park running alongside and into part of the footpath down to the reserve. This is a stark reminder of forthcoming change and development on adjacent land that will inevitably impinge on this special place.

For your diary: Wednesday, October 25, at 7.30pm – Local Wildlife Protection and Development, a talk by Essex Wildlife Trust’s Dr Annie Gordon at Beaumont village hall, organized by Tendring Essex Wildlife Trust group.