Trails of the Riverbank

15/01/2024

Had to make the most of a rare sunny day with a walk along the North bank of the Stour estuary.

Bitterly cold, but lovely in the sun and out of the wind.

06/01/2024

Huge amount of water in the Stour valley at the moment.

This was Flatford - Dedham this morning.

29/11/2023

A really cold, beautiful late autumn day and a lovely walk along the Stour.

07/11/2023

Beautiful walk along the flooded meadows of the lower Stour and a big bucket of chestnuts for later.

05/11/2023

Along the Stour around Flatford and 56 Gates yesterday.

02/09/2023

Lovely warm early September day on the banks of the Colne estuary.

Very big equinox tides over the weekend, love watching the comings and goings on the river, sailing boats, paddle boarders and even a few waders ( birds and people)

Plenty of blackberries, wild plums and mushrooms about of you know where to look.

www.trailsoftheriverbank.co.uk

01/07/2023

Barn owl, cuckoo and kingfisher watching in the Fens.

www.trailsoftheriverbank.co.uk

23/06/2023

A sultry summer evening on the Stour

10/06/2023

Another week of bright sunshine, starting with a chilly wind, but warmed up a bit now.

Watching kingfishers along the river and caught a flash of one on this lake too.

Seasons definitely changing, ground is now rock hard and some of the plants think it's August, not June. Could do with a bit of rain.

www.trailsoftheriverbank.co.uk

05/06/2023

NOW SOLD OUT

Another barn owl walk !

Tomorrow Tuesday June 6, meet 19.00 until 21.00 ish. Manningtree area.

Again very small group, max four.

£15.00 per person.

First come , first served, text or call 07948 150771 to book your place.

You'll need patience and warm clothes ( bit nippy in the evening with this wind ).

www.trailsoftheriverbank.co.uk

25/05/2023

BARN OWL WATCH !

19.00 until 21.00 ish, this Friday 26 May.

Manningtree area.

Yes, it's a bit last minute, but I've been watching them most evenings this week and conditions for hunting are good.

Very small group limited to four people, first come, first served. £15.00 per person.

They'll be other stuff to see, avocets, skylarks, various warblers, various wildfowl and waders and if we're lucky other birds of prey.

Text 07948 150771 to book.

www.trailsoftheriverbank.co.uk

25/05/2023

Great nightingale walk along the lake a few days ago.

We heard several of them but only had fleeting glimpses of them as they were tucked away in dense cover.

A day later I had a great view of a cuckoo in a tree directly above me. Rubbish camera work but you can certainly hear it !

www.trailsoftheriverbank.co.uk

18/05/2023

So much bird life around the lake, terns, cettis, reed and sedge warblers, blackcaps, garden warblers and great to hear several nightingales singing.

Very territorial, hear them in same place every time ( well, almost every time ).

Guided nightingale walk coming up in next the week, text 07948 150771 for details

www.trailsoftheriverbank.co.uk

09/05/2023

Really interesting day at the lake side, absolutely loads of wild life about.

Several bank voles that came within a foot or two of me. Don't seem to scare if you keep still.

A grass snake, slow worm and lots of birds including common terns, kestrel, nightingale, cettis and sedge warbler, cuckoo, blackcap and many more.

Some unusual fungi too, that I've yet to identify.

A cracking day.

www.trailsoftheriverbank.co.uk

07/05/2023

On last week's walk we saw forty one bird species including red kite, common sandpiper, sedge warbler and the biggest number of greenshank I've seen this year.

Cracking walk with a friendly bunch.

www.trailsoftheriverbank.co.uk

29/04/2023

Last chance to get tickets for a guided bird watching walk for beginners, tomorrow, Sunday 30 April at 10.00, starting at Manningtree Co Op.

Great weather forecast, lots of summer migrant birds here now, get your tickets here....

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/bird-watching-for-beginners-a-walk-along-the-stour-tickets-518667858527

07948 150771 for info.

Paths still wet and muddy in places so wear waterproof boots or wellies.

www.trailsoftheriverbank.co.uk

26/04/2023

This Sunday 30 April, there's a guided bird watching walk aimed at beginners, starting from Manningtree Co Op. Small group, great chance to learn the basics.

It's 2-3 miles and this time of year we should see getting on for forty species with a bit of luck.

Tickets available here......

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/bird-watching-for-beginners-a-walk-along-the-stour-tickets-518667858527

07948 150771 for info.

Many of the summer migrant birds now arrived and yesterday we saw blackcaps, swallows, house martins, sedge and cettis warblers.

A great time to be out and about.

Might be wet and muddy, wear waterproof shoes-boots and appropriate clothing.

www.trailsoftheriverbank.co.uk

21/04/2023

Despite the not very spring like weather plenty of summer migrants have been turning up. Swallows, martins, lots of blackcaps and chiffchaffs.
On the guided walk last Sunday there were loads of whitethroats in the hedges by the marshes.

Next Sunday 30 April I've got a great bird watching walk aimed at beginners along the Stour where we'll be looking for anything and everything.

Given reasonable weather I'd expect to see forty plus species, get your tickets here....

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/bird-watching-for-beginners-a-walk-along-the-stour-tickets-518667858527

www.trailsoftheriverbank.co.uk

Learn how to identify some of the more common birds by sight and sound on a walk along the beautiful river Stour.

16/04/2023

Big skies on the Shotley Peninsula earlier this week.

www.trailsoftheriverbank.co.uk

14/04/2023

This Sunday 16 April, starting from St Peter's Church, Ford Lane, Alresford at 11.00, we have a lovely three (ish) mile walk along the Colne.

We'll look out for and identify the many birds we're likely to see, both visually and by their calls.

We should see some early summer migrants including chiffchaff, willow warbler, swallows, martins and more.

Bluebells should out now, although the cold weather is holding them back a bit.

Wear appropriate clothing and footwear, it could be cold and muddy. Or hot and dry !

Note - We will meet at St Peters Church, Ford Lane, CO7 8AS.

Limited numbers, booking essential.

You can get tickets here.....

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/birds-watching-and-bluebells-an-alresford-walk-tickets-519537088417

07948 150771 for info.

www.trailsoftheriverbank.co.uk

13/04/2023

https://www.facebook.com/100006397536188/posts/3609504455939437/

08/04/2023

Beautiful morning walk yesterday and saw the first swallow of the year too.

Lots of variety, including buzzards, marsh harrier, blackcap, gadwall, avocet, chiffchaff and many more.

If you like to join us for Beginners Guide to Bird Watching on Easter Monday, you can get tickets here.....

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/beginners-guide-to-bird-watching-tickets-518644137577

www.trailsoftheriverbank.co.uk

02/04/2023

The first bright sunny day and a lovely woodland walk near the Colne estuary.

Main photo is of a scarlet elf cup, a fairly uncommon fungi that appears in very localised places in late winter - early spring.

Other photos show celandine in full bloom all the way along the side of muddy track and the first of the wood anemones by the stream, which seem to be bit late this year.

Fingers crossed for more sun and warmth.

www.trailsoftheriverbank.co.uk

27/03/2023

Lovely weather today, took a walk around a local lake and came across a long tailed tit's nest. Amazing, dome like structure, similar to a wren's nest.

Looks like they are still in the process of building it, they were coming to and from the nest non stop, bringing twigs and feathers

Not a great photo as I was a fair distance away but you can get an idea of what it's like.

The next beginners guide to bird watching is on 10 April and you can get tickets here.....

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/beginners-guide-to-bird-watching-tickets-518644137577

www.trailsoftheriverbank.co.uk

Guided walks around South Suffolk and North Essex; following footpaths and off-road trails, exploring the wildlife, local interest, and history of the Colne and Stour Valleys and Estuaries.

24/03/2023

Things on the move, plenty of daffodils, primroses and celandine all out now.

The sides of ditches along the small lanes around here are full of primroses at the moment.

www.trailsoftheriverbank.co.uk

21/03/2023

Short walk at dusk around a local lake. Lots of chiffchaffs about now and loads of birds singing, great time of year.

www.trailsoftheriverbank.co.uk

15/03/2023

Had a recce yesterday for this Saturday's guided walk around Brantham, East End and Bentley.

Some areas unsuprisingly extremely wet and muddy, wellies definitely best.

Lots of birdlife and saw several hares and muntjak.

Walk starts from The Arc in Brantham at 11.00 this Saturday 18 March.

Tickets available here......

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/a-suffolk-woodland-walk-in-spring-wild-garlic-and-a-forgotton-monastery-tickets-490466978937

www.trailsoftheriverbank.co.uk

13/03/2023

Lower Stour in flood this weekend.

Looking forward to some proper spring weather !

On the plus side, I did get a great view of a red kite on the walk back.

www.trailsoftheriverbank.co.uk

11/03/2023

Couple of days of rain and snow and the river is up a couple of feet and pushing through hard with chocolate coloured floodwater.

Tomorrow I'm guessing it'll be all all over the fields on the south bank too, but we'll see.

www.trailsoftheriverbank.co.uk