17.
with cocker spaniel and beagle adding to the
effect. We looked so impressive that the
police stopped us and asked us what we were
doing! This was because the hunt was
starting off from Maldon and it was thought
we might be going to try to disrupt it.
The first part of our walk took us
through part of the town and down to a
footpath by the River Chelmer, which
was at low tide exposing mud on
which I had seen a group of
Dunlin on my practice ramble
a month before. We then
crossed the golf course to
walk along the bank of the River
Blackwater, where fresh water
mussels were to be seen.
Crossing the weir, the party
then walked along the Chelmer and
Blackwater Navigation Canal as far
as Ulting. On our way we saw a pair
Mute Swans and a Redshank as well as a Winter
Heliotrope in flower. At Ulting, where there
are gravel workings, we saw a couple of Cor-
morants and a Pied Wagtail on the bridge.
We then walked along the road to Woodham
Walter seeing a group of Wrens, Goldfinch
and Yellowhammer. We stopped
at "The Cats" public house
for lunch, where you can
hear your Essex yokels
talking in the old Essex
dialect. From here we
walked along the back roads
to pick up a footpath to lead
us to Beeleigh Abbey. Along
the way we saw Redwing and
Bullfinches and plenty of signs