AVOCET FLOCK

This distant group of avocets were waiting for the tide to recede from the East Mersea Point on a sunny Thursday 12th morning. When the flock of 106 birds took to the air, there was the eye-catching sight of lots of wings flickering black and white as the birds flew around. More kinds of wader arrived on the scene as the first mud became exposed such as dunlin, knot, black-tailed godwit, oystercatcher, turnstone, grey plover, redshank, lapwing, curlew and also 3 sanderling.

The usual small birds at the Point included reed bunting, meadow pipit, skylark, rock pipit, pair of stonechats, a handful of linnets and the resident dunnocks. A kestrel was seen flying east off the Island heading over to do a bit of hunting by Point Clear.

Two foxes were out enjoying the morning sunshine by the pond and in the fields. The latter crossing over the middle of the field, spooking all the hundreds of wigeon and teal on the pools. It headed towards a grey heron which stood by the edge of the field watching it get closer. The fox seemed to make a half-hearted sprint after the heron which had to fly off to avoid being caught for breakfast.


Another attempt at moth trapping on a blustery Wednesday night had to be abandoned at 1am when it started to rain. By that time only three moths had been noted, a red-green carpet, November moth and this December moth pictured above. As with last year, this December moth actually turned up during the month of November!