FLOCKING TO THE FIELDS

After the early morning rain on Thursday 26th, the park's grazing fields were certainly nice and wet. In places the meandering old creeks in the fields have filled with water, as can be seen in the picture above. As the tide on the nearby mudflats started to cover most of the mud, a number of waders began arriving on the fields.

The most impressive flock was the 1500 golden plover, that arrived in several smaller groups onto one of the fields, although when they got spooked, the whole flock rose as one into the air. The pools in the other field have got topped back up again after the rain and 300 black-tailed godwits found this attractive. Around 100 redshank, 50 curlew, 30 turnstone, 70 lapwing and 5 dunlin were enjoying the water to feed, rest and to preen too. Also amongst the pools were 50 common snipe, which is the most for a few weeks. The jack snipe hasn't been reported from here for about 3 weeks.

The ducks were also enjoying the wetter fields with 500 wigeon, 300 teal, 20 shoveler, 25 mallard and 2 gadwall noted while only ten brent geese were present. Three little egrets stood in the field for a while and 20 meadow pipits were also seen feeding.

On the nearby pond 15 tufted duck, 10 gadwall and 10 shoveler were the main ducks seen while 2 water rails scuttled through the reeds while doing some squealing duets. Late in the afternoon 60 greenfinches flew around waiting to roost in the bushes and 27 goldfinches gathered in the car park.

Offshore 5 red-breasted mergansers were seen from the park along with a few shelduck and great crested grebes. No sign of any of the record report of 19 Slavonian grebes seen off shore at East Mersea yesterday.
The only birds noted yesterday on Wednesday were a pair of goldeneye flying past the Point and also a water rail calling from inside the sea-blite bushes at the Point.

Andy Field and Martin Cock had another impressive count of harriers seen from Shop Lane going into the Langenhoe roost. A site record of 29 marsh harriers were counted and 5 hen harriers were seen at the end of the afternoon.