STORM-FORCE WINDS

 Walkers along the West Mersea beach in the morning of Monday 28th had to endure some painful sand-blasting, as seen in the picture above near St Peters. The St Jude's storm blew through Mersea during Sunday night and into Monday morning, bringing lots of rain and strong winds.

The strongest of the storm-force winds blew through around seven in the morning with one gust recorded at the Dabchicks SC of 70 mph. The wind blew this yacht off its stand alongside Coast Road. By mid-morning the strong winds and grey skies had moved on and replaced with blue skies and lighter winds.
There was no vehicular access to the Country Park in East Mersea because a large ash tree in Bromans Lane blew down across the road.

Bird-life seemed scarcer around the Mersea Quarters in the windy conditions. A few turnstone, curlew and oystercatchers noted along with 50 brent geese near Cobmarsh Island. A common seal stuck its head out of the water in Besom Creek.
A male blackcap and a goldcrest were noted in Firs Chase on Monday morning.

The mild autumn has confused this hawthorn bush at St Peters Meadow with sprays of white flowers sprouting amongst many of the red haws.

On the north side of the Island a hen harrier was reported over Langenhoe on Sunday 27th.

On Friday at the country park a water rail briefly showed along the water's edge at the back of the pond, a female pintail was of note amongst the many waders and wildfowl on the fields and a peregrine flashed low over all the birds in the morning.

A great northern diver was reported to have been taken into care at the beginning of last week - no more details available. Clive Pickering reported four terns, either common or Arctic, in the Mersea Quarters at the beginning of last week. Also a report that a pomarine skua was photographed amongst lots of gulls next to a fishing boat offshore from the Island on the 18th October.