PEREGRINE OVER PASTURE

The wet grazing fields at the park are still proving popular with the waders and wildfowl and there was plenty to admire during the high tide on Friday 19th. Around a 1000 wigeon were the main ducks on the fields along with lots of teal, mallard and also some shoveler and gadwall.

Lots of the ducks suddenly took to the air especially from the back of the fields. In amongst the chaos of 1000+ wildfowl scattering in different directions, the large profile of one bird appeared to be heading in the opposite direction from everything else. This was a peregrine, which by the large size, appeared to be female. It flew from the back of the fields into the middle passing over the central ditch, before it turned back and landed on a tree. It was able to watch all the ducks settle back onto the fields as it perched on its high vantage point. After ten minutes it had disappeared and the ducks were still happily grazing on the fields.

Amongst the waders seen were 150 black-tailed godwits, 80 redshank and 30 curlew, although quite a few of these dispersed after the peregrine passed overhead.

Earlier in the week on Wednesday a pale-bellied brent goose was seen dropping into the fields to feed with 500 dark-bellied brent. At the park pond a male pochard was seen along with 10 tufted ducks on Wednesday. The foxes by the pond have been enjoying the sunny weather with 2 seen on Wednesday and then 3 snoozing in the sun on Friday. Also 50 fieldfares were seen near the park while 50 redwings were noted near the Golfhouse.

At the East Mersea Point pictured above on Friday, a male marsh harrier flew south out of the river towards Colne Point where it could be seen disturbing a flock of several hundred brent geese. Two great crested grebes fed close into the Point at high tide, while further upriver 6 red-breasted mergansers were seen. Four sanderling arrived on the beach but otherwise few other waders noted.

The barn owl was seen just after nightfall twice during the week in Bromans Lane, with a bird hunting near Bromans Farm on Tuesday night and then a second sighting on Thursday night with one seen perched alongside the Lane.