HARD WATCH

Spent a short session by the Hard at West Mersea where some fish were just being unloaded off a boat in the early afternoon of Monday 22nd. Not surprisingly a group of gulls circled noisily around with herring gulls, common gulls and black-headed gulls all looking out for fish scraps.

I was joined by Bruce Brown and together we scanned the Quarters for some birds. We were able to enjoy close views just in front of us, of a common seal swimming near the jetty, no doubt after some scraps, as was a shag seen perched on a buoy only 30 metres away from the end of the jetty. A female eider was seen amongst the far boats as were 6 red-breasted mergansers and 10 little grebes. The usual waders included turnstone, redshank, curlew, dunlin, oystercatcher and lots of lapwing on Packing Shed Island. In the distance over Old Hall Marshes were at least 4 marsh harriers flying around.

Glyn Evans reported seeing 2 great northern divers off the West Mersea Esplanade, while at East Mersea there were 6 snow buntings, red-throated diver, Slavonian grebe and a barn owl seen from the park. Along the Pyefleet a common buzzard was seen again on Langenhoe. Bruce saw one short-eared owl on his visit to the marshes near Coopers Beach.