ST. PETER'S PEREGRINE

After the rain had cleared in the afternoon on Sunday 2nd, took the opportunity of walking around the St Peter's Marsh area of West Mersea. The highlight was being treated to a flypast of a peregrine in real hunting mood as it flashed along Coast Road. The first sign that something was arriving at speed was when a group of wood pigeons flew quickly off the nearby St Peter's saltmarsh with their wings clattering in haste as they made their escape.

Two seconds later, the recognisable profile of a peregrine appeared fast over the trees heading east. The white face and bold streaks on a big chest, were easily seen as it made a bee-line for the nearby West Mersea church. The last glimpse of it, was as it tucked in its wings, giving it one last surge of power, presumably homing in on the pigeons on the tower of the church.

This peregrine could be one of the birds currently attempting to breed in a nestbox on top of one of the nuclear reactors on the Bradwell power station on the opposite side of the Blackwater river.

The songs of a reed warbler, common whitethroat and lesser whitethroat could be heard coming from one clump of bushes at St. Peters, while also noted were a few goldfinches and house sparrows.

Around the entrance into the Mersea Quarters there were 5 great crested grebes, 15 cormorants, 30 oystercatchers and 12 turnstones. One or two little terns and common terns could be seen flying along some of the channels, while in the distance four marsh harriers could be seen flying over Old Hall Marshes.