The village of Wrabness sits on a low hill on the southern shore of the River Stour, just tentatively dipping its toes in the muddy waters of the estuary. A few boats rise and fall with the tides as gnarled oak trees stand patiently watching the scene.
You can wander east or west along the strand, sometimes on a raised bank, or else on picking your way along the muddy foreshore; in places you'll be on the edge of a farmer's field and at times there's a sandy beach beneath your feet.
Wrabness has its own Nature Reserve too, though a rather strange one it must be admitted. It's on the site of what was once a wartime military base and the perimeter road can still be followed. Although there are plenty of paths and tracks a lot of the land is fenced off, both to contain a few grazing stock in summer as well as to keep some areas safe for wildlife. There are probably more dog-walkers than naturalists to be found here, though as we discovered, the dog-walkers were full of information about what could be found there.
But mostly we came here to wander along beside the estuary on this bright and breezy day and breathe deeply on the early spring air.
The river breathes too; twice every day it gulps in a huge draught of sea-water, the river levels rise, boats bob at anchor and birds move towards the shore. Then the water sighs out again and leaves wide expanses of mud and stranded boats.
If you were a worm and you'd worked out a way to live a cheerful and blameless life submerged in the waterlogged mud, you might expect that you could enjoy an untroubled existence - but no. Birds with beaks specially designed for the purpose come to probe the mud and feed at every low tide - Dunlin, Godwits, Plovers, Curlew and Knot just won't leave a worm alone.
As the tide rises huge flocks of birds take to the air. It's difficult to identify them at this distance, but they are possibly Knot - or possibly not! There you are - a birdwatcher's joke!
Parts of Ragmarsh Farm have clearly seen better days and there's a feeling of much of the area being neglected, marginal land. That actually suits a lot of wildlife as well as the eccentric human visitors who are in on the secret. We only saw one other person along the estuary-side in about two hours during the morning and a handful more in the afternoon.
You may remember walking along here with us in September 2020. Part of the bank of the estuary has changed since then as a tree has tumbled over the edge, along with some fencing wire; the result of winter storms. Nothing is ever completely permanent on the living, shifting edge of the land.
The weekend boating shacks on the other hand looked a bit smarter than we remembered and a few burnt-out shacks had been replaced.
One of the paths had also been destroyed by the winter storms so we had to walk back, the way we'd come, along the "beach"; no great hardship on a sunny afternoon.
A bird list: Kestrel, Carrion Crow, Rook, Magpie, Jay, Robin, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Mistle Thrush, Dunnock, Meadow Pipit, Skylark, Green Woodpecker, Long-Tailed Tit, Great Tit, Black-Headed Gull, Herring Gull, Lesser Black-Backed Gull, Shelduck, Mallard, Wigeon, Teal, Moorhen, Pheasant, Brent Goose, Curlew, Redshank, Knot, Dunlin, Grey Plover, Bar-Tailed Godwit, Turnstone, Oystercatcher, Great Crested Grebe, Grey Heron, Wood Pigeon, Collared Dove, Little Egret, (also possible Short-Eared Owl).
Animals: Fox.
Take care.
Your detailed descriptions make me feel as though I am tagging along beside you. A beautiful walk under gorgeous blue skies.
ReplyDeleteI just love these walks, there is a melancholy air to the landscape and the slightly down at heel feel to those holiday huts.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed that beautiful walk and an impressive bird list. 39/40? species.
ReplyDeleteAnother delightful ramble for me from the comfort of my armchair. Thank you
ReplyDeleteI am absolutely certain that I would have very much enjoyed this walk, John, setting up my scope to view the shorebirds, always hoping for the presence of a rarity, while enjoying the regulars going about their business. And best of all there were few people, not very peoply as a friend of mine says! Nature is not slow to reclaim its own.
ReplyDeleteThis is a bird watcher’s paradise. Oh to walk that strand and estuary…then again you took me along. You always find such fascinating places, John.
ReplyDeleteWonderful walking with you along the edge...the place where land meets sea! Those tidal flats are full of life. But the marks of people get rubbed away with time...or else they must continually renew/repair their small buildings.
ReplyDeleteIt must take a lot of work and money to keep those beach houses from falling apart. Lovely to walk along the beach with you!
ReplyDeleteI wish I were taking that walk...just the type of place I always love. As for the birds, I need to look up most of them. Some of them I have looked up before and may actually remember, but some I have not heard of.
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful walk you had there. Parts of it remind so much of the coast here, especially where the rivers meet the sea. Life in abundance.
ReplyDeleteQuite a tranquil mood to these shots.
ReplyDeleteA lovely stroll, John. Enjoying nature at its best.
ReplyDeleteIt would be so relaxing to wander along there. You saw so many types of birds!
ReplyDeleteWonderful you saw so many birds John - some I'm familiar with others are definitely not seen around here.
ReplyDeleteAnother great walk full of interesting facts about the area, and photos of odd and ends you spied with your always creative eye - loved it all, wish I could have been there of course!
What a beautiful area to wander. I like places like this... a little forgetten and neglected (and uncrowded). Looks like the tidal surge is significant here.
ReplyDeleteOnly a significant surge when there's a storm, but there's no kind of flood defences and the river banks are very friable.
DeleteThat’s an impressive bird list. Such a pretty place to walk in late winter.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful place, maybe a little lonely. You saw so many birds, I'm impressed,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the walk. I needed that breath of fresh air, too. Life is over full for me right now.
ReplyDeleteThat's a very special environment and the birds know it.
ReplyDeleteLove how you describe the trees watching, and how the river breathes and gulps. I walked with you today from here, and it was truly pleasant. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteHi John - gorgeous to see ... and what an interesting name and I note the wooden bell cage in the churchyard, as too that's where Grayson Perry's conceptual home is to be found. Wonderful place for wildlife too - such an interesting place and post - thank you - Hilary
ReplyDeleteYes, I walked past (and of course photographed) Grayson Perry's house last time we visited and had intended to go to the church this time but was diverted by other things - next time maybe.
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