SPLASHING STARLINGS

This group of starlings were busy splashing about in a muddy puddle near Rewsalls farm on Tuesday 15th. They were part of a big gathering of about 2000 birds feeding in the nearby ploughed field, stripping berries from the hedges and perching on overhead wires.

Nearby Andy Field and Martin Cock were walking the Rewsalls marshes and heard a Cetti's warbler sing from one of the thick blackthorn ditchlines. Up to forty thrushes mainly blackbirds but also song thrush, mistle thrush and redwing were noted along one of the hedgelines. A little owl was seen in the grounds of the East Mersea church.
No sign of the ring ouzel seen the day before beside Coopers Beach.

At the country park during Tuesday, 40 swallows passed through along with a very pale leucistic-coloured house martin seen over the fields in the morning. Also a wheatear, red-breasted merganser, 3 chiffchaffs, 50 goldfinch, 15 linnet, rock pipit, 20 meadow pipits,20 redwing, 10 song thrush, sparrowhawk and marsh harrier.

On the pools and the pond 15 little egret, 300 redshank, 24 snipe, 40 greylag geese, 100 brent geese, 2 Canada geese, 15 shoveler, 2 tufted duck and 4 gadwall.

At West Mersea a lesser redpoll flew over the Queens Corner calling early on Tuesday morning.

Little Ben and I had an enjoyable walk around the Rewsalls marshes and Coopers Beach area on Monday 14th. A nice male ring ouzel was discovered near the entrance to the caravan site and was then seen flying across the football pitch a couple of times, calling as it flew. The full thrush set was collected during the walk with 4 mistle thrushes, one fieldfare, 40 redwing and several blackbirds and song thrushes seen. A brambling was heard amongst some chaffinches as was a yellowhammer near the church.

Two common buzzards flew over the fields as did a marsh harrier while a pair of kestrels were busy hunting over the various fields. A sparrowhawk had been seen earlier over the fields near Bocking Hall. Ten swallows were seen during the walk heading west.

There were plenty of waders out on the mudflats with ten sanderling catching the eye as did ten little egrets.

  This striking spindle bush with its bright red autumnal colours stood out along one of the Rewsall's hedgerows.

A late afternoon Strood-side walk on Monday was fairly quiet with 10 little egrets, 50 wigeon, 50 teal, 40 brent geese, 15 little grebes and 10 swallows of interest.
Brian Churches reported watching an Arctic skua from the Old Hall Point, as it flew past the West Mersea beach huts and headed west up Tollesbury Creek.

On Sunday 13th the two yellow-browed warblers were still at the country park for their second day although viewing conditions were terrible in the morning through the rain. One ring ouzel was also seen at the park.
Later that Sunday morning 200 redwings flew west over West Mersea.