A nice day spent around Abberton Reservoir and Copt Hall in Essex. The pick of the sightings were Black-throated Diver, 9 Black-necked Grebes, Slavonian Grebe, male Smew, 6 Scaup and Spoonbill (all Abberton), plus 2 Short-eared Owls, Merlin and 10 Mediterranean Gulls (Copt Hall). #essexbirding