Essex Way Photo Competition

Essex Way flyer

To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Essex Way, CPRE (Campaign to Protect Rural England) Essex is launching a photographic competition; everyone is invited to join.

CPRE Essex played a leading role in bringing about this beautiful 81-mile walk from Epping to Harwich. There can be no better way of acclaiming its joys than sharing pictures of it.

You are invited to take shots of landscapes, buildings, people… whatever takes your fancy as long as your images are taken on the Essex Way.

Age Groups & Prizes

Continue reading “Essex Way Photo Competition”

Dawn Walk Results in Waves of Song

Tawny Owl - Wikimedia File Image

Dawn Walk Results in Waves of Song

Steve Hallam led a small group on the annual Dawn Chorus Walk when they were greeted by waves of song.  His account of the walk is shown below…

Steve Hallam describing the waves of song

On the morning of 18th May, the population of West Bergholt could be divided into two groups:

  • the eight people who came on this year’s Dawn Chorus walk, and
  • those who had made a mistake.

This was one of the best ‘shows’ since I have been leading these walks (and this was nothing to do with me!), as I will explain.

Continue reading “Dawn Walk Results in Waves of Song”

Early Start for Dawn Chorus – 18th May

Blue Tit leaves nest hole

Early start to see a Blue Tit leaving nest holeEarly Start for Dawn Chorus

To get the best from the Dawn Chorus means an early start but it is well worth it.  Steve Hallam will be leading this years’ Dawn Chorus Walk around Hillhouse Wood, offering the chance to see and/or hear nightingales and many other dawn choristers like the Blue Tit having its own early start (see right).

Previous years’ walks have seen and/or heard over Continue reading “Early Start for Dawn Chorus – 18th May”

Dawn Chorus can reward an early start

Blackcap

Blackcap singingDawn Chorus can reward an early start

It might be an early start but the Dawn Chorus can truly deliver its own reward.  Once again Steve Hallam will be leading the Dawn Chorus Walk around Hillhouse Wood, offering the chance to see and/or hear nightingales and many other brilliant dawn choristers like the Blackcap (see right).

Previous years’ walks have seen and/or heard over Continue reading “Dawn Chorus can reward an early start”

Guided Walks at Hillhouse

Wodland flowers to see on Spring Nature Walk

FoHHW welcome to the guided walksBluebells & Dawn Chorus Guided Walks

Guided walks at Hillhouse Wood are a regular feature of the calendar, Steve Hallam reports on the two Spring walks deciding that 2016 is a year of ‘firsts’:

Each Spring the Friends of Hillhouse Wood organise two guided walks – one to look at the Bluebells, and a Dawn Chorus one.  These are normally 2-3 weeks apart, to match each one to when its subjects are at their best.  However this year things were different, and for the first time ever we ran both walks on the same weekend. Continue reading “Guided Walks at Hillhouse”

Nightingales at Hillhouse Wood

Dawn Chorus walk 2016

Dawn Chorus 2016Hillhouse Wood for Nightingales & more

If you miss out on the guided Bluebell walk today, why not come to the Dawn Chorus walk tomorrow morning?  Led by Steve Hallam, this walk offers the chance to see nightingales and many other brilliant choristers.  Previous years’ walks have seen and/or heard over 20 species, for example, in 2013 the following list was collected:

  • Tawny Owl.
  • Whitethroat.
  • Robin.
  • Nightingale.
  • Blackbird.
  • Wren.
  • Pheasant.
  • Rook.
  • Wood Pigeon.
  • Blackcap.
  • Blue Tit.
  • Chaffinch.
  • Canade Goose.
  • Chiffchaff.
  • Goldcrest.
  • Mallard.
  • Jackdaw.
  • Great Tit.
  • Buzzard.
  • Green Woodpecker.
  • Greater Spotted Woodpecker.

The walk will start from the Old Church at 3:45am on Sunday 8th May.  You should bring warm clothing, stout footwear, a flask of hot drink and a torch – please note that the walk will only go ahead weather permitting.

If you haven’t been on one of these walks before you will find it a rewarding and delightful experience at a very special time for the wood’s varied wildlife; if you would like to know more then check out this report from the 2013 dawn chorus walk.

Other useful links are:

 Woodland Trust  Colchester Natural History Society Essex Wildlife Trust

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