END OF YEAR FLOCKS

The large and noisy brent geese flock made their presence known to the visitors to the country park and adjacent fields in East Mersea on Monday 31st. I was looking forward to having a close look at the geese grazing in the park's grazing fields but as I slowly approached along a nearby path, a carrion crow spotted something and its concerned calls spooked the whole goose flock. Over a thousand geese rose into the air calling loudly as they disappeared off into the distance.

After lots of flying round East Mersea, the geese settled down in fields near the Oyster Fishery, which is where the photo above was taken from the seawall. There appeared to be about 1200 geese present and a scan through this flock of the dark-bellied race of geese, revealed one pale-bellied brent goose.

I could see there were good numbers of wigeon in the fields too, so I looked forward to having a close look at them. However before I got anywhere near them, something else spooked them into the air and within a few seconds, hundreds of birds were fleeing in all sorts of directions. Some birds flew away from the fields but most appeared to return.

After twenty minutes or so, the wigeon were back onto the grass and I was able to count nearly 600 birds which is the most for this winter here. Also in the fields were 100 teal, 2 snipe and a stonechat.

The sun came out for a short while in the early afternoon and the calm water of the borrow-dyke emphasised the deep blue colour of the sky above.

Despite the calm river Colne, there was little of interest except for 15 red-breasted mergansers and a common seal. On the mudflats 50 avocets were seen on Langenhoe Point along with 1000 golden plover and 500 lapwing. A female marsh harrier sat on a bush on Langenhoe.

Usual waders close to the Point with 10 bar-tailed godwits and 20 black-tailed godwits, 2000 dunlin and 100 knot being the birds that caught the eye amongst the regular 12 wader species seen.

On the park pond 14 shoveler, 5 tufted duck, 12 gadwall, 40 mallard were the main ducks on show.

Andy Field noted a huge flock of golden plover with 2500 birds seen near the Strood. Meanwhile Glyn Evans had a very productive visit to the old grazing marshes just opposite the Island at Langenhoehall Marshes. He was treated to views of 2 short-eared owls, ringtail hen harrier, 3 marsh harriers, female merlin, barn owl, 2 green sandpipers, pair of stonechats and 3 corn buntings.