Salcott Cum Virley

Salcott Creek is a simple ,level walk along side the tidal estuary creek. The site is best accessed from the Village of Salcott-cum-virley. A footpath from the village to the sea wall takes you across farmland where you may see Nagâț, Ciocârlie and a selection of gulls feeding on the fields. Try and get to Salcott creek on a rising tide (see the link to the tide table below). This can give the best results from a bird moment aspect. When you step up on to the seawall the site and sounds of the Essex Marshland is very evocative. Listen as well as look. Fluierar cu picioare roșii are nearly always the first bird you will be alerted to. Rață fluierătoare, Rață mică and Călifar alb are a safe bet to be seen soon on. Culic mare are both sides of the wall, the Creek is to your left and the farmland to your right. Many birds can be seen feeding on the sensitively grazed grasslands. Species such as the thousands of Gâscă neagră which winter along the Blackwater Estuary. Nagâț, Culic mare and Ploier auriu, some of the grassland is flooded in the Autum and winter months. This will lead to many birds feeding on the water log soils.

Looking back over the estuary with high tide, Gâscă neagră on the water are often accompanied by Ferestraș moțat and over the winter by grebes and divers. Corcodel cu gât roșu and Cufundar mare are recorded here. The barrow dykes often with sedge reed will have warblers in Summer and Presură de stuf, Pițigoi de stuf and Stufărică in winter.

The whole site is hunted over by Erete de stuf, Ciuf de câmp and wintering Erete vânăt. Șoim călător are much a bird which should be looked for sitting on low posts across the site. Șoim de iarnă is always a delight to see resting on a fence post or low flight hunting. Large flocks of mix waders moving around the marsh waiting for the tide to uncover the rich feedings of the mut flats. These will include Sitar de mal, Fugaci de țărm, Ciocîntors, Ploier argintiu and Scoicar.

The grass banks of the seawall will often have a selection of finches such as Cânepar, Sticlete and possible Inăriță cu cioc galben. All in all making this coastal site a worthwhile visit.