WAY MARKERS

1Having parked, walk north through a small reedbed listening for both Sedge and Reed Warblers. The gardens around you vary in size, the big ones have woodpeckers, Long-tailed Tits, finches etc.

2After Black Bridge (grid ref: SZ 346 862) follow your map between residential streets watching all the time for the commoner species. It’s quiet, so Sparrowhawks can surprise you!

3After passing behind the Co-op, mind how you go on a stretch of muddy ground across a biggish reedbed at (grid ref: SZ 345 870). There are Cetti’s Warblers and Water Rail here all the time, along with Snipe in winter. The river becomes more obvious here and the scene, having left houses behind is tranquil and interesting. On reaching the Causeway scan the tidal mudflats for Mediterranean Gulls, godwits, Curlew, Redshank, Shoveler, Wigeon, Teal, Little Egret and so on, dependent on season. Mute Swans breed, and Bearded Tit and Osprey are possible.

4Walk south-east along the Causeway with woodland birds including woodpeckers and Jay on your right and take the path south across the B3339. Farmland, then a golf fairway set on an inclined down is the site of the 1970 festival that gave rise to so much. Yellowhammer, Sky Lark, Red-legged Partridge and so forth can be enlivened in spring by Whinchat, Wheatear and other short-term migrants. The gorse and bramble has breeding Whitethroat and occasional Lesser Whitethroat. On regaining the car park via a short pavement stretch whip your scope from the boot! Fulmars nest on Fort Redoute (grid ref: SZ 344 854).