Abberton Reservoir

The sheer numbers of wildfowl in autumn and winter cannot fail to impress. Total numbers of the top seven species Ð wigeon, teal, mallard, pochard, tufted duck, coot and black-headed gull Ð can run to many thousands. Added to this there can be hundreds of shoveler, gadwall, goldeneye, pintail and great crested grebe.

In summer there is the unusual sight of 20 or 30 pairs of cormorants nesting in trees, one of the few places in Britain where this occurs. They suddenly began doing this in 1981 and have continued ever since.

Late summer brings the spectacle of large numbers of swans and ducks moulting Ð replacing their worn-out feathers Ð on the reservoir. Safety is vital while they do so because they replace all their flight feathers at once, which means that for a while they are unable to fly.

In dry winters water levels fall temporarily to expose large expanses of mud. This attracts large numbers of passage waders such as ruff and spotted redshank to the reservoir from the coast, further confirmation of the great value of the site to birds.

The surrounding farmland, too, is of value to birds. In winter thousands of golden plover may be seen there, along with small numbers of migratory geese and swans.

Finally, for the keen birdwatcher the reservoir boasts an impressive list of rarities visiting briefly in winter or passing through on migration.

A nature reserve managed by Essex Wildlife Trust is on a well-protected bay of the reservoir. Although only 9 acres, it is surprisingly rich in wildlife. It was created in 1975 with the advice of Sir Peter Scott, when a large pond was excavated close to the reservoir and a wide range of native tree and shrub species of value to wildlife were planted. Many have matured into fine specimen trees. Others have developed into valuable hedges and thickets that attract birds and insects and screen visitors on the nature trail, reducing disturbance to wildlife. A wide range of small birds nest here, particularly warblers, nightingales and finches and, in the tall clumps of gorse, yellowhammers and linnets.

The pockets of grassland provide open, sunlit sites ideal for many insects, including butterflies. In spring and summer you are likely to see small copper and wall brown, and other common species such as common blue, gatekeeper and small skipper.

The largest single feature is the pond. With a central nesting island, it attracts breeding mute swan, canada goose, mallard, moorhen and other waterfowl in spring.

There are three bird hides within the reserve, two of which give views of two floating nesting rafts for common terns. The Trust has built two further bird hides on the peninsula of farmland and grassland adjacent to the reserve, where canada geese and wigeon graze in winter. In spring yellow wagtails, corn buntings and many other small birds nest in the young tree plantations, while in summer many butterflies and dragonflies can be seen among the tall thistles and grasses.

The Visitor Centre, built with the support of Essex & Suffolk Water and Colchester Council, sits right beside the reservoir. It is a birding centre par excellence, winter and summer movements bringing a variety of birds at different times of the year so that interest is always high. If you need binoculars or perhaps a telescope, then the regular Optics Field Days offer a wide range with experts on hand to help you find one that suits. The shop stocks a better range of wildlife books than anywhere else in Essex. Come and have a really good day looking at the wildlife, and get kitted out to improve your knowledge and enjoyment at the same time.

In keeping with the small size of the reserve, management consists of small-scale maintenance of grassland, scrub and pond habitats.

Visiting