Friday, 22 November 2013

BRANT WITH THE BRENT

This is the first black brant this winter for the Island, found with the brent geese on Reeveshall on Friday 23rd (standing just behind the nearest goose in the picture). Amongst the 500 dark-bellied brent, the black brant stood out with the blacker back, blacker lower chest alongside the big white flank patch. The striking neck collar is a classic black brant's, almost twice as big as on the brent and continuous across its throat too.

 Also in the field were 30 black-tailed godwits, 20 curlew and a snipe flew off towards the Pyefleet. A marsh harrier flew over Reeveshall's Broad Fleet while a sparrowhawk got mobbed by a crow over the Shop Lane wood.

The tide was coming in along the Pyefleet with 300 lapwing, 30 avocets, 100 wigeon the main gatherings noted while two little grebes were in the channel. Only one marsh harrier was seen over the Langenhoe marshes.


Noticed this Mediterranean gull in a field, whilst driving past Bocking Hall, as it stood fairly close to the East Mersea road. Also in the field were several other gulls of various species as well as 25+ curlew.

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