HARD CIRCUIT

Breezy but bright on Friday 28th for a brief visit to the Hard at West Mersea. The main concentration of birds was on the Packing Shed Island, pictured above, where 1500 golden plovers stood along the muddy edge. This little muddy island appears to have become a favoured roosting site for them this winter.

Despite scanning of the channels there was little of interest seen, other than the usual scattering of about 12 dabchicks amongst the various boat moorings. Along the channel fringes were groups of brent geese and one or two shelduck.

Most of the regular Hard wader species were noted without too much difficulty, feeding on mud at various points adjacent to the Coast Road. Waders seen included curlew, oystercatcher, redshank, bar-tailed godwit, black-tailed godwit, dunlin, grey plover, ringed plover and turnstone.
Roosting on the mud at the southern tip of Ray Island were 200 lapwing.

From the path alongside the Firs Chase caravan site, 500 brent geese could be seen further along the side of the Strood Channel feeding in a wheat field. A dozen curlew were seen feeding in the field at the top of the slope near the houses, whilst 3 meadow pipits dropped down to feed in the long grass of Feldy View field.