MAYDAYS SPOONBILL

Martin Cock called me on Monday morning to say he was watching the spoonbill on the saltmarsh by Maydays Farm. Having the day off work, the call was perfect timing and I headed down to the area on a bit of a dull and chilly day.

The spoonbill was soon located feeding in one of the saltmarsh pools, in the distance of the picture above, along with a little egret. Both birds appeared to be finding plenty of food here, at the rear of the big expanse of saltmarsh. The spoonbill repeatedly lifted its long spoon-shaped beak into the air, as it gulped down another bit of food, which may've been little shrimps stranded in a pool.

After a few minutes the spoonbill flew away showing blackish tips to the wings but when it got close to a little egret in flight, the spoonbill's wings looked dirty white in comparison to the egret's snowy-white plumage. The spoonbill dropped down out of view into another part of the saltmarsh.

A kingfisher flashed close-by and landed on a bush by a ditch where it was near enough that the red bill was seen, indicating that this was a female bird. After pausing for only a minute, it flew off fast and low over the saltmarsh. Other birds on the saltmarsh included 18 skylarks and a flock of 20 finches that were presumably linnets.

One marsh harrier flew over Maydays and another three were seen on the Langenhoe ranges. In the Pyefleet 100 wigeon rested on the mud at low tide, while 300 knot and a couple of avocets were noted nearby. A noisy flock of 50 greylag geese flew off Reeveshall with a barnacle and Canada goose being seen with them.

Near the Maydays Farm 50 corn buntings was a nice sight mixed in with other finches and buntings, including 3 yellowhammers 2 reed buntings and 25 chaffinches.
Beside Bromans Lane in East Mersea a flock of about 300 fieldfares fed in one of the wheat fields.

On Sunday the spoonbill was watched on the Maydays saltings, while offshore from the Esplanade were reported 2 great northern divers and a Mediterranean gull.