FINCH FLOCKS

 

Another day to be wrapped up for a seawall walk, this time along the Strood seawall on Sunday  3rd. The weedy field pictured above, provided some interest for a few flocks of small birds. The biggest flock in this field involved 100+ linnets rising up every so often from the ground, circling round before dropping back down. Also 30 fieldfare, 50 skylark, 20 reed bunting were in the middle of the field, while a few song thrushes and blackbirds were near bushes on the edge. Three rock pipits and 20 goldfinches were noted along the seawall.

In the other fields, 300 golden plover and 100 lapwing were feeding, while another muddy field had a few more waders in small numbers on it such as dunlin, redshank, ringed plover, grey plover and turnstone.

It was low tide along the Strood Channel and many of the regular waders were spread along it. The only wader of note was the small flock of fifty knot, while one black-tailed godwit and three bar-tailed godwits were outnumbered by lots of redshank, grey plover, dunlin, ringed plover and curlew.

Fifty shelduck were roosting in one close group on the mud and a similar number of wigeon were along the bottom of the channel. Small flocks of brent geese were noted but no big gatherings seen. Fifteen little grebes were around the boat moorings.

Flying around the Firs Chase gardens in West Mersea mid afternoon was a big finch flock perching on tree-tops, of 50 greenfinches, 10 goldfinches and 20 chaffinches. A sparrowhawk and 20 fieldfares flew over Firs Chase earlier and the resident pied blackbird- nicknamed "Harley" ( because of it's harlequin black and white markings).