Bowers Marsh January 5

 Bowers Marsh January visit 5

Two more visits to Bowers,  this one 23 January a frosty morning we arrive at 8-30 just before sunrise with the intention of doing the circular walk hoping to find the elusive Bearded Tits. 

The gate is closed so we set of along the entrance toward the car park it is very quiet and still, part way down the track we notice what appears to be debris from a vehicle which turns out to be a car which has left the track and ended in the ditch under the hedge, judging by the tyre tracks it had left the car park at speed and plunged into the ditch and travelled a short distance coming to rest on its side under the hedge.

We continue on past the car park and round by the cattle shed stopping a while watching and listening for any signs of birds, to the east the dark sky is beginning to lighten up as the sun breaks the horizon

With the glow of the morning sun ahead of us we take the path toward the bird feeders along the North side of the sodden field from all the rain we have had these past few weeks. We stop at the feeders for a short time although still early and not yet very bright there are a few  birds in the bushes, Blue and Great Tits, the ever present Robin, Chaffinch and Goldfinch.

As we are watching the feeders two guys, binoculars hanging from their necks come around the corner behind us and stop and exchange pleasantries before heading off down the track dodging the puddles as they go.

We now go on our way down the flooded track, at the bottom of the track we catch site of a few Fieldfares high in the bare trees and we note the hawthorn and blackthorn which on our last visit were covered with berries are now completely stripped of berries.

Turning left where the footpaths meet we head toward East Haven Lagoon along the path between the flooded Dons Marsh and the open field to our left, in the distance the sound of honking Geese as they graze the wet fields and other water fowl calls can be heard.

Reaching the sign post we turn right toward the fresh water lagoon and picnic area, the sun to our left is obscured by light clouds and the frost under foot is beginning to thaw.

Reaching the bridge we stop scan the reeds and strain our ears for any sound of the Beaded Tits but the only sounds we hear are coming from the wild fowl on the lagoon and the gentle breeze.

Further on to our left the wet grassland that extend over to East Haven Creek here there are many Canada Geese foraging on the grass and in the pools of water occasionally more fly over and land in the pools stirring up a crescendo of noise as they jostle for space, amongst them are one or two Greylags.

Looking across the wet grasslands far in the distance flying low and away from us a Marsh Harrier searching for its breakfast, waiting a while in the hope it will come back over the field toward us but alas it disappears from vision.

We sit a while on the bench and survey the reeds for any signs of the Beaded Tits but so far no luck they are not showing today, we scan the lagoon with its array of wild fowl and Geese before we move on.

It has now warmed up from our early start as we continue our amble around the lagoon stopping and closely scanning the reed beds but at this time nothing to be seen, beyond the reeds and lagoon it opens out to more wet grassland with dykes and pools of water and views all round the distant countryside of Fobbing, Basildon and Pitsea.

Reaching the fork in the path we continue going right along the wet grassland with distant views to Benfleet and beyond, we stop here awhile and the two guys we spoke to at the start of our journey have now caught up with us having like us, almost completed the circuit. We stand aside to allow them to pass safely and they asked if we had seen the Bearded Tits way back in the reeds, alas we said we had missed them and asked where they had spotted them, "There was a flock of up to 20 feeding in the reeds on the South side of the lagoon, managed a few photos but not very good" one replies, we thanked them as they continued on and we decided we would continue round back to the car park as we had walked over 2 mile and still had a good mile to go.

We reached Great Pound viewing point and in the meadows are grazing sheep, further on down the path along the hedgerow I catch site of a Robin high in the tree singing his little head off.

Now on the last stretch of our walk with hedge rows on both sides of the pathway with the branches covered with moss and lichen. 

Stopping and looking through an opening in the hedge row we see, out in the field more Geese and ponies grazing.

A very satisfying three and a half mile walk around the reserve if somewhat saddened with not seeing the elusive Bearded Tits which we had set out to find and photograph but hopefully next time we will have success. Image from both Anne and myself.