RESPITE FROM THE RAIN

Some respite from the recent days of wind and rain, with the sun shining throughout most of Wednesday 23rd. Lots of blue sky above the wet grazing fields at the country park.

Waders and wildfowl arrived on the fields during the morning for the high tide roost. Up to 800 brent geese and 90 greylag geese were gathered while ducks were spread out with 500 teal and 1000+ wigeon noted.

The black-tailed godwits huddled together on one of the little pools in the fields with 500 birds present. As the morning progressed the godwits spread across the fields to feed.

Smaller wader flocks were 50+ redshank, 70+ lapwing, 15 golden plover and 20 turnstone.

A water rail was seen calling at the back of the pools by Andy Field, with a second water rail answering. At the end of the day a water rail was seen at the pond feeding along the edge of the reeds.

At the Point 20+ sanderling were seen flying around just after high tide. Two great crested grebes were in the river and a rock pipit flew around calling.

The kingfisher returned to the park pond just before dusk to roost, where 40 shoveler were the main ducks present. A barn owl hunted over the fields to the north of the pond, at one point flying past the hide and across the middle of the pond late afternoon on Wednesday.

At the beginning of the day a common buzzard was seen alongside the East Mersea road near Bocking Hall while a sparrowhawk flew over Chapmans Lane early on Wednesday morning.

Two ruff were seen in the park's grazing fields on Monday by Andy Field, who also noted 16 siskin in the alders by the pond. Later that day by the Oyster Fishery a short-eared owl and a barn owl were seen while on Langenhoe only four marsh harriers were seen going to roost by Andy.

A peacock butterfly was seen by Andy during Wednesday in his West Mersea garden while the sunny weather brought out a bumble bee at the park.