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rewarded by seeing large quantities of fine
specimens of Jews Ear, Auricularia auricula.
We also noticed that as the weather has been so
mild there were a lot of catkins and pussy-
willow showing.
We then followed the road towards the farm and,
still following the footpath signs, crossed some
very wet fields to come to the Viper, where we
stopped for liquid and solid refreshment. After
lunch we decided not to continue the entire walk
because conditions underfoot were so bad, so
we walked up towards Highwood, turned and went
across a field, where we saw signs of deer, to
bring us back to the cars through Mill Green
woods. I know I felt better for the fresh
air after looking at rain for weeks and hope the
rest of the party felt the same way.
MAUREEN TOLLFREE
BIRD GROUP, MEETING TO ABBERTON RESERVOIR,
27th January, 1985
A bright but cold morning brought some interesting
birdwatching at Britain's top wildfowl reservoir.
Perhaps the most spectacular sighting was a huge
raft of Wigeon said to number some 40,000 birds.
When they flew from the water to graze on adjacent
pastures it was like a huge cloud.
Ducks on the whole were well represented with
good views of such Essex rarities as Pintail,
Smew and Goosander as well as the more common
species amounting to 11 different types of duck
in all.