READY TO LEAVE

This dark-bellied brent goose was one of a handful feeding on the saltmarsh by Reeveshall at East Mersea on Monday 19th and probably ready to leave any day soon. Most of the geese have already left our shores, making the long journey to their Siberian breeding grounds. Looking over the nearby Langenhoe marshes another flock of 100 birds flew along the Geedon Channel, probably the last main group still in the area.

Along the Pyefleet Channel with the tide coming in, 5 whimbrel, 50 black-tailed godwits, 70 dunlin were the main waders of note. Three great crested grebes were in the channel while along the mud were 100+ shelduck. A couple of Mediterranean gulls were heard calling as they flew around the Pyefleet.

There wasn't much to see on the Reeveshall pool with only 2 yellow wagtails, 5 teal and a pair of mute swans present. A handful of swallows were seen over the fields, 4 stock doves, sparrowhawk and 20 greylag geese were also noted. High up in the sky was the faint speck of a male marsh harrier displaying, flying around calling, while below the female appeared to be doing her own display over the Reeveshall reedbed.

There was no sign of the common crane that Martin Cock had seen yesterday morning, circling in the sky and briefly calling near the East Mersea Oyster Fishery. The bird was seen to drift northwards over Langenhoe heading up the river Colne where it was not seen again. Martin saw 2 lesser whitethroat, 2 sedge warblers, 2 nightingales and 4 blackcaps on his circuit of the east end of the Island.

Andy Field and Richard Hull couldn't see the crane while they were visiting Langenhoe MOD land in the morning. They did have good views of spoonbill at the western end of the ranges and also noted cuckoo, Cetti's warbler, several sedge warblers, common whitethroats and lesser whitethroats as well as 5 pairs of marsh harrier and common buzzard.

Steve Entwistle watched 2 little gulls fly along the Pyefleet Channel on Saturday evening at Maydays Farm.