REWSALLS REDPOLLS

Decided to visit the Rewsalls marshes next to Coopers Beach caravan site in East Mersea on a grey and chilly Friday 26th. The scrubby corner pictured above near the caravan site, held a variety of small birds in it, of which fifteen lesser redpolls were of most interest. For a change on the Island, these redpolls were actually feeding low down and then perching in bushes nearby, providing obliging views. Several males in the flock were sporting the pretty red foreheads.

Also in this corner and also on the nearby track were about 50 birds with a mix of blackbirds, song thrushes, chaffinches, goldfinches, blue and great tits as well as one chiffchaff. Flying low over the fields was one late swallow, while a kestrel hovered above the marshes. In a grass field near the church 8 fieldfares were feeding.

In the Rewsalls dyke 4 teal and 25 mallard were noted and the only other wildfowl seen were 20+ brent geese flying along the coast.

The only birds of note seen on Thursday 25th at the country park were a swallow over the car park, a marsh harrier to the north of the car park and another late afternoon appearance by the sparrowhawk.

The conditions weren't too gloomy at East Mersea Point on Wednesday 24th, pictured above, to see a nice gathering of waders arriving as the tide began to turn. Waders of interest here were 40 bar-tailed godwits, 25 knot and 400 golden plover, amongst the other regular waders. A low-flying sparrowhawk hurtled over the saltmarsh and nearly disrupted the waders before heading back inland.
A female red-breasted merganser flew into the river with 3 wigeon, the first merganser sighting of the winter here. A rock pipit called as it rose out of one of the small creeks.

On the pools in the fields snipe numbers have risen to at least 40 birds, with 400 wigeon, 300 teal and 200 black-tailed godwits noted along with 40 greylag geese.

Around the park the first fieldfare of the winter flew over the car park calling. Two redwings were seen by the pond as was a swallow. A brambling called as it flew over as did 4 siskins and a handful of lesser redpolls.The kingfisher made a fleeting visit to the park pond in the morning.

There was an interesting report from Coopers Beach of a ring ouzel seen on Wednesday - the only sighting on the Island this autumn.

The moth trap operated on Tuesday and Wednesday nights, catching about 40 individuals on the first and then 23 on the second night. This beaded chestnut pictured above is one of the typical moths of the season with one or two on both nights.

The mallow moth pictured above, has been a regular visitor to the trap during October in small numbers.
Other moths noted were November sps, red-line quaker, common marbled carpet, green brindled crescent, setaceous hebrew character, large yellow underwing and Blairs shoulder knot.