Stour Wood and Estuary Field Meeting
Saturday 22 April
The Stour Estuary
We could not have chosen a better time to visit Stour Wood, this RSPB managed site with its ancient coppiced woodland (primarily sweet chestnut) and Copperas Bay. As we slowly walked through the woodland, carpeted by a sea of Wood anemones our guide Rick spoke about the history of the woodland, showing us several indicators to its age. We were also able to see and hear about the work that continues to this day, through RSPB management, to ensure the place remains a haven for birds and flora for many generations to continue to enjoy.
The site is probably the best in East Anglia for wood anemones (Anemone nemorsa), which take many years to spread, and we were able to see some examples of the pink and quite dark mauve colour variations. Honeysuckle (Lonicera periclymenum) is also abundant and is the choice plant for the breeding White Admiral butterfly.
Wood Anemones
We left the wood at its western boundary and walked down to Copperas Bay via Wrabness Railway Station, which is on the line to Harwich. Good views of the bay and river can be seen from here, before you join The Essex Way Footpath. It was low tide on the Stour, but we managed to get good telescope views of 78 Brent Geese and lots of Curlews. As we climbed back up towards the railway line, through and area known as Bramble Fields we heard three nightingales and after a short wait managed views of two, probably males squabbling over territory. Our excellent walk concluded with a late lunch in the car park..
Pink Anemone (photo R.Vonk)
Barry Cooper
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