WHISTLING WIGEON

There was a cold easterly wind to contend with along the East Mersea seawall at the park on Tuesday 26th. The grazing fields and the dyke are holding the most water of the winter, especially the borrow-dyke pictured in the foreground in the picture above.

Taking readily to all this water were the hundreds of wigeon feeding in every corner of the main flooded field. A quick count using my bare chilly fingers to help me keep tally, revealed nearly 900 wigeon scattered across the field - a record count for the site. When a sparrowhawk passed overhead, there was an impressive and deafening sound of whooshing wings and loud whistling from the mass of ducks in the air.

Also in the waterlogged fields were 200 teal, 100 lapwing, 100 black-tailed godwits with smaller numbers of mallard, shoveler and gadwall.

At the Point there was the surprise appearance of 16 snow buntings flying along the beach. They haven't been seen here since early December, although a group have been reported from the east side of the estuary. A common seal was seen close into the Point.

In the grass fields to the north of the park 150 fieldfares and 50 redwing were seen in the midde of the day and at least 2 song thrushes were in the park.


The colourful end to the day was being described on national radio as the sun set across the country. From Mersea the sky turned a deep pink in colour, which lasted about ten minutes.

The last few things of note late in the afternoon were 400 brent geese flying noisily to roost from the grazing fields, 40 shoveler and 6 tufted duck on the park pond, while nearby a water rail appeared nearby to feed before a fox ran past it.