GRAZING GEESE

Tuesday 11th was a fine sunny day although the light cold northerly breeze kept some of the sheltered parts of the park frosted until late morning. It was perfect conditions for seeing and hearing birdlife around the park.

The brent geese flock were busy feeding in the park's grazing fields, as pictured above. Around 500 birds here is the largest flock to be seen in the fields this winter. At least there is plenty of grass for them so there should be lots more visits by them in the weeks to come. At one end of the flock was the resident group of wigeon joining in the grazing frenzy with 2oo birds at least.
As always, something spooked all the birds in the fields and everything got up into the air with 100 teal flying about and several black-tailed godwits flying around too.

One of the other delights at the park was a small group of 14 siskin that came and landed on a nearby alder tree that I had planted 15 years ago, hoping one day that some siskins or redpolls might feed on it. The noisy little group landed in the outer branches and started to feed straightaway on the masses of little cones. Their yellowy-green chests showing up well in the bright sunshine. After some excitable chattering amongst each other, they took off and headed east. A short while later another siskin landed in a tree close-by, wondering where the rest of the flock disappeared to.

At the park pond the usual mix of ducks with the 14 gadwall being the most noteworthy. Lurking at the rear of the pond was a fox trying to pretend he was snoozing in the sun, although he was keeping a watch on his surroundings through narrow slitted eyes.

At dusk a dozen fieldfares were seen heading towards the pond where they may've roosted in the nearby copse. About 50 fieldfares were seen on the hedges near Fen Farm, just to the west of the park.
Two reed buntings calling in the car park briefly was an unusual location for them.


Dotted along the sandy cliff are lots of smooth sow-thistles with striking purple leaves, as in the photo above. Some of the plants have got their small pale yellow flowers enjoying the sunny disposition with the south-facing slope.

A little egret standing on the beach was a little unusual but it too was enjoying the warmth. Overhead a group of 26 cormorants headed inland, presumably forced off their shingle ridge on the mudflats by the incoming tide.

Nearer to West Mersea there were 500 golden plover and 200 lapwing in fields near Chapmans Lane.