WET AND WINDY

A number of waders were enjoying the very wet ground, helping them find worms near the surface. This regular curlew was feeding in front of the bird-hide by the pond at the country park on Sunday 3rd.

Another group of curlew was also feeding in the fields beside Bromans Lane with at least fifty noted.

Members of the local Colchester RSPB members group made their annual visit to the park on Sunday which sadly had to be curtailed after two hours because of the rain. The strong wind didn't help matters either, especially trying to walk along the top of the seawall.  

In the car park the song thrush sang despite the wind and rain while later in early afternoon a kestrel perched on a telegraph pole.

From the comforts of the hide, the most notable bird was a fleeting glimpse of a water rail being chased back into the rushes by a moorhen. On the pond 6 tufted duck, 3 little grebes, 25+ shoveler, 8 gadwall, 30+ mallard and a couple of teal. A couple of goldfinches was feeding in the alders.

On the nearby grazing fields the main bird flocks were 1000+ wigeon, 50+ greylag geese, 400+ black-tailed godwits, 100+ teal as well as 700+ golden plover that moved off the mudflats. Also present here were several lapwing, curlew and a little egret.

The covey of seven red-legged partridge was feeding in the wheat-field close to Bromans Lane on Sunday. As well as the 50 curlew mentioned earlier, also noted were 100 lapwing and a brown hare.

This red-legged partridge covey has been feeding in these Bromans Lane fields for over a fortnight now.

In fields near Weir Farm / Rewsalls Lane, 400 lapwings were standing in the driving rain whilst 500+ starlings fed nearby, here in the foreground. In a nearby field 50 fieldfares, 6 stock doves and 4 mistle thrushes were also feeding in the rain.

At West Mersea the black brant was seen close in by the Hard on Sunday morning by Neil Mortimer. 

Feeding on the grass at Reeveshall on Saturday 2nd were 800+ brent geese, pictured here flying off.

Also noted here during a walk along the Maydays seawall was one marsh harrier and10  mute swans.

Around Maydays, kestrel, sparrowhawk, common buzzard were seen near the farm, while smaller birds included 80+ linnet, 40+ chaffinch, 25 fieldfare and a yellowhammer.

Along the Pyefleet, 70+ avocets, 50 knot, 300+ dunlin, 100 oystercatchers were noted while 5 red-breasted mergansers, one great crested grebe and a common seal were in the channel.

Two other marsh harriers were seen flying about on Langenhoe ranges.

In the garden at Firs Chase the red squirrel made one brief appearance at some bird-feeders first thing on Saturday. Also noted during the day, two goldcrests, song thrush and the pied blackbird.