FELDY FINCH FLOCK

There was a wonderful winter chorus from a large finch flock perched in Feldy View on a sunny New Years Eve. Most of the continuous twittering songs were coming from 50+ linnets. Some took time to feed on the birch catkins. 

Also feeding in the birch trees were 20+ goldfinches, not quite joining in the linnet chorus.

Goldfinch feeding on the birch catkins in Feldy View on Wednesday.

Two of the many linnets feeding in the birches on Wednesday.

Two glossy ibises were seen feeding distantly on the Ray Island saltmarsh on Wednesday. They often disappeared out of view down into the saltmarsh rills. 

A female pintail flew up the Strood channel before returning back and landing on the mud for a rest. Other wildfowl on the Strood included 150 teal and 150 wigeon while 1000 brent geese were commuting between the Ray Channel and a nearby wheat field at Peldon. Two marsh harriers, two buzzards and three kestrels were noted, while 20 skylarks flew around a weedy field.

Daniel Woollard enjoyed watching two red squirrels in the back garden of his Cudmore Grove bungalow on Wednesday.

Another red squirrel photo by Daniel on Wednesday.

Jack Hoy watched two woodcock fly around the Cudmore Grove car park late Wednesday afternoon, one apparently chasing each other, or maybe one just following the other. 

Two male blackcaps were seen in Carrie Horwood's Fairhaven Avenue garden on Wednesday - one pictured here by Carrie.

A pair of blackcaps was seen in the Firs Chase garden on Wednesday- a female on the sunflower hearts while a male was seen feeding on ivy berries.

A distant glossy ibis was seen on the Bonner's saltings near Ray Island on Tuesday 30th late morning. It stayed into the afternoon when it was seen by Rob Lee.

One little egret is a regular sight near the Strood seawall sluice - in this case standing on top of the seawall on Tuesday.

Ducks seen along the Strood channel on Tuesday were 120 wigeon, 100 teal and 130 shelduck, while 1000 brent geese were in a Peldon field and two red-breasted mergansers were in the Mersea Quarters.

Numbers of cormorants gathering in the Strood Channel has been increasing in recent days with 20 together on the mud on Tuesday. In the background is a mixed wigeon and teal flock. Three marsh harriers were seen passing through at various times, while in the fields were a stonechat and sixty linnets.

A pair of blackcaps and a goldcrest were in the Firs Chase garden on Tuesday.

Daryl Rhymes looking offshore from the Esplanade on Tuesday morning saw a Slavonian grebe, three great northern divers, red-throated diver and a black brant seen briefly towards Old Hall.

A female sparrowhawk was photographed by Carrie Horwood after it had swooped past her bird feeders and then perched on her neighbour's fence on Tuesday. Other birds noted in her Fairhaven Avenue garden included ten long-tailed tits, four blue tits, two wrens, three dunnocks, great tit, two robins and a blackbird.

Rob Lee reported a grey wagtail on his patio at Barrow Hill on Tuesday.

A kestrel was seen hovering over a weedy field by the Strood on Monday 29th, two marsh harriers also noted. Other birds of note seen were 150 wigeon, 200 teal, 8 mute swans flying, 17 little grebes, 40 avocets, 20 cormorants on the mud, grey heron, two stonechats and 70 linnets. A thousand brent geese were in a field at Peldon while a pair of red-breasted mergansers was seen from the Hard.

The ring-necked parakeet flew over Firs Chase early on Monday morning and a sparrowhawk flashed past the bird feeders in the garden.

Martin Cock saw a Slavonian grebe offshore from the West Mersea Esplanade on Monday.

On Sunday 28th Steve Entwistle reported at Maydays a great spotted woodpecker, green woodpecker, ten redwings, 35 fieldfares, two linnets, five yellowhammers, five reed buntings and two corn buntings. There were 800 brent geese in a field opposite Bocking Hall from the East Mersea road, while a Mediterranean gull was at Chapmans Lane.

Along the Strood on Sunday were 100 wigeon, 100 teal, marsh harrier, 100 dunlin, three Mediterranean gulls, and 80 linnets. A sparrowhawk was seen in the Firs Chase garden.

Along the Strood channel on Saturday 27th was this mixed flock of teal and redshank near the sluice outflow. Wildfowl noted were 150 wigeon, 150 teal, 64 shelduck and 1000 brent geese by the Ray Channel, also 70 avocets, 200 dunlin, two marsh harriers, buzzard, while 25 stock doves were in the fields.

A green woodpecker was feeding in a paddock near the Firs Chase caravan park on Saturday. 

A male blackcap was in the Firs Chase garden on Saturday.

On Boxing Day along the Strood Channel, there were lots of ducks again with 100 wigeon, 100 teal, four shoveler and fifty shelduck, also 45 avocets feeding there. Four marsh harriers were noted - one of them flushing a snipe off the saltmarsh, while in the fields were 75 golden plover, 20 linnets, 18 stock doves and a stonechat.

A great spotted woodpecker was drumming in The Lane on Friday.

Jack Hoy reported a sparrowhawk in his Mersea Avenue garden.

XMAS LUNCH-TIME GUEST

Merry Xmas folks! The lonesome Mersea ring-necked parakeet made an appearance in the Firs Chase garden during the Xmas lunchtime. Maybe in a few years time when the birds become established here, Xmas lunch won't be interrupted at all!

 

Also making an appearance in the Firs Chase garden on Xmas day were about twenty long-tailed tits on the fat-ball feeders.

Birds noted during a brief Xmas Day walk in the cold north-easterly wind along the Strood seawall included this lapwing feeding on the mud. In the nearby field were fifty golden plover while birds along the channel were 40 avocets, 25 black-tailed godwits, 40 shelduck, 30 wigeon, marsh harrier and a Mediterranean gull. From the Hard seventy ringed plovers were on the nearby mud and eight red-breasted mergansers were by Packing Marsh Island.

Michael Thorley photographed this wood-mouse in his East Mersea garden near Meeting Lane on Xmas Day.

Along the Strood Channel on Wednesday 24th was a variety of waders and wildfowl - some pictured here include shelduck, wigeon, grey plover, knot, dunlin and oystercatcher.

As well as 30 teal along the Strood on Wednesday, 100 wigeon also noted.

 

The regular flock of avocets was in the Strood on Wednesday with 68 counted, also 300 dunlin there while seventy golden plover were seen in a field.

Two black-tailed godwits were feeding near the Strood seawall on Wednesday. Two kestrels, stonechat and two rock pipits also noted, while 55 ringed plovers were on the mud by the Hard.

A glossy ibis was reported on Wednesday by Jack Hoy, seen by one of his friends, flying along the Ray Channel towards Old Hall Marshes in the afternoon.

A muntjac deer was grazing in a field behind the East Mersea Golfhouse on Tuesday 23rd. There was no sign of any snow bunting at the Point but what was of interest were a great northern diver, 18 red-breasted mergansers and four great crested grebes in the river Colne. Waders seen from the Point included 110 turnstones, 25 ringed plovers, 20 avocets, 300 dunlin and 8 sanderling as the tide was coming in. 

On the Golfhouse saltmarsh pools on Tuesday were 100 wigeon, 30 teal and 15 shoveler. 

A stonechat and two rock pipits were the only small birds noted on a cold and grey breezy day.

The ring-necked parakeet was seen briefly beside the Firs Chase garden on Tuesday 23rd.

Monday 22nd was a nice sunny day with a gentle breeze blowing as seen here in front of the Firs Chase caravan park at high tide. Wildfowl along the Strood channel included 98 shelduck, 8 shoveler, 150 brent geese, 100 wigeon and 70 teal. Also of interest were 94 avocets, 25 Mediterranean gulls, three marsh harriers, 18 stock doves and two rock pipits. 

A firecrest was seen feeding among the ivy clumps beside the path along the top of the caravan park, in the company of a big mixed tit flock. Two green woodpeckers were feeding in a small paddock near the caravan park.

Offshore from the Victoria Esplanade on Monday morning, Jonathan Norgate saw a great northern diver, three red-throated divers, four red-breasted mergansers and 100 great crested grebes.

At the East Mersea boating lake on Monday Martin Cock reported two greenshank, two Mediterranean gulls, buzzard, three fieldfares and two water rails heard calling. The black brant was with 500 brent geese near Rewsalls Farm.

Andy Field watched the harriers going into the Langenhoe evening roost from the Shop Lane seawall on Monday and counted 28 marsh harriers - twice as many as the previous month. Another wing-tagged marsh harrier was seen, orange this time but no hen harriers seen coming to roost. Other birds of interest were 5 red-breasted mergansers, 2000 dunlin, 1000 knot, great white egret and two calling tawny owls at dusk in Shop Lane. A grey squirrel and red squirrel were seen near Fishponds Wood. 

A grey squirrel was also seen by Michael Thorley in Shop Lane on Monday.

A grainy picture of a greenshank in the grey overcast conditions on Sunday 21st on the side-lake by the East Mersea boating lake, also 50 dunlin, 50 turnstones and 20 ringed plovers here at high tide. A kingfisher was feeding at the side lake perching on the raised old duck nesting baskets. In the wheat field beside the Vineyard was the black brant feeding with 500 brent geese, while a marsh harrier, two kestrels, pair of stonechats, two green woodpeckers and 15 fieldfares also in the area.

The mild winter has resulted in this blackthorn bush flowering, seen in the hedgerow to the west of the East Mersea church on Sunday.

A couple of brown hares were seen out on the Bower Hall saltmarsh on Saturday 20th. This wary individual ran across the saltmarsh finding its way round the network of the many rills, before sprinting back across the nearby wheat field to cover. A distant Chinese water deer was seen feeding on the side of the Maydays seawall during the middle of the day.

Three little egrets standing on the Maydays saltmarsh on Saturday - some of the ten birds seen on the saltmarsh at high tide. At least six marsh harriers and a red kite were seen during a walk along the Bower Hall seawall, while two buzzards and a sparrowhawk were seen over Haycocks Lane. At Maydays farm were 30 fieldfares, three redwing, two yellowhammers and a red-legged partridge.

High tide looking towards the east side of the Strood causeway on a sunny Saturday with a gentle breeze. A nearby field with a game cover crop held a flock of nearly 200 linnets.

A red squirrel and two grey squirrels were seen by the Sharps in their garden near the bottom of The Lane on Friday 19th.

WINTER BOAT TRIP

Joined the RSPB boat-trip on Friday 19th to help with the high tide bird survey of the beach recharge areas at Cobmarsh Island, Packing Marsh, Old Hall Point and Shinglehead Point at Tollesbury. In addition we looked at Great Cob Island in Tollesbury Fleet, where this large flock of knot was seen flying about. We heard later that a birdwatcher at Old Hall had reckoned 7,500 knot were in the Fleet. 

We were grateful to Stacey Belbin for bringing her Lady Grace boat all the way from Brightlingsea back to the Mersea waters so we could carry out this first of the two winter counts. Kieren Alexander, Steve and Liz Hunting and I were pleased the weather was favourable, although bird counts were lower than expected.

A group of turnstones was resting on a buoy in the Mersea Quarters on Friday. One of the main flocks of waders was on the Cobmarsh Island recharge where 110 oystercatchers, 20+ ringed plovers and 30+ sanderling were roosting. A few wigeon and brent geese were feeding on the Cobmarsh saltmarsh.

A great northern diver, two great crested grebes were seen in the Blackwater while three red-breasted mergansers were in Tollesbury Fleet and one male pintail seen by Old Hall Point. We heard later from Colin Mackenzie-Grieve that a red-necked grebe and Slavonian grebe were off Old Hall Point, which we missed. A second red-necked grebe was in Salcott Channel.

The ring-necked parakeet was heard squawking in Firs Chase on Friday afternoon.

Andy Field passed on some details regarding the yellow wing-tagged F7 marsh harrier seen a couple of times on the Island recently as being a juvenile male tagged at the nest on 18th June 2025 at Cantley in Norfolk. This is 170 days after it was ringed and 94 kms from the ringing site.

On Thursday 18th along the Strood, birds noted were two marsh harriers, 100 golden plover, 30 avocets, while in the fields were 60 linnets and 12 stock doves. Two song thrushes were heard singing - one by the Firs caravan park and another in Firs Chase.

The black brant was seen on Wednesday 17th in the company of 400 brent geese near the East Mersea Youth Camp. The flock was feeding in a field to the west of the Vineyard, then later they flew onto the nearby sea for twenty minutes or so.

As the tide receded by the Youth Camp on Wednesday, fifty sanderling were busy feeding with forty turnstones.

The sanderling were busy going back and forwards as the waves came in then went out.

As well as the sanderling seen on the beach, 200 dunlin and 50 oystercatchers were some of the waders noted on the mud.

A pair of stonechat was feeding in the rough area of grassland west of the Youth Camp on Wednesday, also four meadow pipits here. On the side-lake by the boating lake, two snipe, 55  curlew, 16 little grebes were seen, while 24 fieldfares and a Cetti's warbler also noted.

Three black-tailed godwits were feeding on the small pond at Waldegraves holiday park on Wednesday. A buzzard also seen by the park, while offshore was a great northern diver and ten Mediterranean gulls.

A red-necked grebe was seen by Andy Field on Wednesday offshore from Kingsland Road.

At East Mersea a water rail was reported by Oliver Cottis showing well in the dyke behind the seawall corner near the Point.

On Tuesday 16th the red-necked grebe was photographed by Oliver Cottis offshore from the West Mersea Esplanade.

Another Oliver Cottis photograph of the red-necked grebe on Tuesday, first reported earlier in the day by Roy Hodgkinson off the Esplanade.

A great northern diver was also seen offshore by Steve Entwistle early afternoon.

On Tuesday morning Oliver Cottis visited Cudmore Grove Country Park and saw a short-eared owl being mobbed by crows over Point Clear, also a red-breasted merganser and two mute swans in the Colne. A female marsh harrier flew over the park fields, male stonechat, two goldcrests, two rock pipits, four skylarks, green woodpecker, great spotted woodpecker and a Cetti's warbler between the bird hide and the car park. A grey squirrel was seen going into a drey in trees along from the bird hide.

Also on Tuesday Michael Thorley saw a great spotted woodpecker in his East Mersea garden and the mystery wagtail again at his pond - (yellow/grey/pied?)

Birds noted along the Strood seawall on Tuesday morning included 400 brent geese, 300 dunlin, 20 black-tailed godwits, 30 linnets, two marsh harriers, two kestrels, two stonechats, and a song thrush singing by the Firs Chase caravan park.

On Monday 15th a brief visit to the Strood seawall revealed two marsh harriers, 20 dunlin, 30 lapwing, five black-tailed godwits, 30 linnets and a great spotted woodpecker.

The sun was shining on Sunday 14th during a walk along the Strood seawall where this redshank was seen feeding on the mud.

As well as this grey plover along the Strood on Sunday, other waders of interest were 70 golden plovers, 30 black-tailed godwits, 35 avocets and ten knot.

A flock of teal and wigeon resting on the Strood mud on Sunday - some of the 150 wigeon and 100 teal seen along the channel, also 20 little grebes. Two marsh harriers, buzzard and sparrowhawk were seen, also two stonechats, 60 linnets and a corn bunting in the fields. A song thrush was singing at the top of The Lane while a ring-necked parakeet was heard again in Firs Chase.

Rob Lee saw the yellow wing-tagged F7 female marsh harrier at his Barrow Hill feeding station, also a male marsh harrier and a red kite seen on Sunday.

Carrie Horwood saw 350 brent geese flying near Waldegraves on Sunday.