The highlight of a walk on the Strood seawall on Friday 5th was watching a ringtail hen harrier hunting alongside the wall. The harrier crossed the Strood Channel onto the Island and I got a great view as it seemed to be heading towards me. It banked to the side and flew low along the dyke, rising every so often above the wall before dropping back down again as it made its way towards the Strood Hill. Before it reached the road, it dropped down onto the ground for a few minutes. It was then seen a short while later crossing back over the Channel towards the Ray Saltings, scattering a few birds away that were in its path,as it disappeared on the Peldon mainland.
There was a small selection of waders and wildfowl which included small numbers of wigeon, teal, shelduck, brent geese, curlew, redshank, dunlin and a handful of black-tailed godwits. In the channel there were 10 little grebes amongst the boats.
On the fields by the Strood there was a little egret and 25 golden plover at one end, while 15 corn buntings, 3 reed buntings and 5 skylarks were seen feeding in a rough corner of grassland in another field. A stock dove was seen by the Firs Chase caravan site along with a few goldfinches, green woodpecker and great spotted woodpecker.
At dusk a little owl was seen flying alongside Bromans Lane in East Mersea.
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