FLOCKS OVER THE FIELDS

The very wet grazing fields at the country park have been popular with good numbers of waders and wildfowl in the last few days. There seemed to be about 1500 birds took to the air on a very damp Friday 22nd, after something spooked them in the fields. As it was raining, it was difficult to see many of the birds on the ground but it was certainly an eyecatching spectacle when they flew off, with each species splitting off into separate smaller flocks. The brent geese pictured above, were not in the fields today, although this group were part of 500 present a few days earlier on Tuesday.

The main ducks were the 500 wigeon, 300 teal, lots of mallard, with small numbers of gadwall and shoveler too. There were about 250 black-tailed godwits, 50 lapwing, 50 redshank with smaller numbers of golden plover, curlew and turnstones. Also flying off the fields were wood pigeons, starlings and a finch flock that were probably 50 goldfinches.

The main duck of note at the pond were 32 gadwall, which seemed a reasonable count for this small pond. In the trees behind at least 25 stock doves were gathering late in the afternoon ready for the evening roost.

There wasn't much in the river Colne with a couple of distant eider seen and a great crested grebe, the only things seen in the murky conditions. In the small bay beside the Point a small group of waders included knot, grey plover, redshank, curlew and turnstone were seen along with several shelduck.

In recent days a flock of 50 fieldfares have been seen in fields near Bromans Lane, although today about 2oo were in a field next to the East Mersea pub. Ian Black reported seeing a woodcock fly out of the cliff-top plantation at the park on Thursday afternoon. Early on Tuesday morning a barn owl was sitting on a fence near Bromans Farm, peering at the long grass beneath it.
Glyn Evans saw a spoonbill on the north side of the Island on Monday between the Strood and Maydays.