Vange and back (on foot!)

I'm all for the royal family, but given the choice between the wedding and a full day birding there was only going to be one winner. I had some pent up energy so decided to do it by foot....all the way to Vange Marsh and back via Two Tree Island (about 18 miles round trip from my house in Leigh I reckon).

I had a good start with a cuckoo singing just south on Leigh Broadway at 5.30am. Strange to hear it there. I thought it must be coming from down by the train line but it sounded much closer than that. I didn't stop to investigate. I went on to Two Tree and had my best ever views of a Nightingale in full voice (shame the light was still quite dull). I hopped over to the west side of Two Tree where I saw a female Stonechat before linking up with the coastal path to Benfleet where I saw a glowing Yellow Wag and nice, near summer plumage, Greenshank. I added Chiffchaff and Long -tailed Tit to my day list on the walk that follows the train line all the way to Pitsea. I spent the next 3 and a half hours on Vange Marsh with the biggest highlight being my first Wood Sandpiper. My good fortune wasn't over though. On the way home I decided to take the low path between Benfleet and Leigh and flushed a Jack Snipe from one of the reed pool banks. All in all one of my most enjoyable local days out. For full listing for the day please visit the SOG site.