WINTER SUNSHINE

Frosty start to Saturday 3rd but the sunshine was incredible for winter. The bright blue sky was reflected off the water surface like mirrors in every pool and creek as well as the sea. Wind was non-existent and the sea was as flat as a mill-pond. The calm conditions were in contrast to recent days when the cliff at Cudmore Grove suffered another major collapse. Mersea Island continues to shrink.

Low tide in the morning and few birds to see on the mudflats. In the late afternoon it was the complete opposite and as the great assortment of waders prodded and probed the recently uncovered mud, hundreds of black-headed gulls and common gulls arrived from their inland feeding grounds for their night-time roost. Throughout the day several hundred wigeon that were resting at sea, drifted in with the tide and then drifted back out again.

The sunshine seemed to activate the skylarks into song as if they were solar powered and walkers to Cudmore Grove were serenaded by at least two birds singing high in the sky. A couple of song thrushes also continued to belt out their songs since starting up in mid January. Earlier in the morning two great-spotted woodpeckers were engaged in a distant drumming competition just beyond the park.

The grazing fields as usual had the 500 or so brent geese and about 200 wigeon grazing. It was perfect conditions for admiring the wigeon as they came whistling into land, their colourful plumage combination really stood out. At least 16 snipe could be located in the bright sunshine, as they hid in the dead grass, their golden stripes showing well.

On the seawall the regular pair of stonechats enjoyed the late afternoon sunshine and the male at one point puffed out its bright orange chest as if absorbing all the sun's rays and sunset colours.

The river Colne has never stayed so calm for a whole day before and apart from 14 red-breasted mergansers and a handful of great crested grebes, very little to see.