SQUABBLING DABCHICKS

Some ferocious squabbling amongst the little grebes took place on the park pond on Saturday 16th. Two males were grabbing and pecking at each other's head's for over five minutes with one bird seemingly being held under water for long periods. Both females watched from the side-lines without any intervention. When the fighting finished each pair reunited with lots of loud whinnying calls to each other.

Space at the park pond seems to be at a premium now that at least seven little grebes are present.

Three male blackcaps were seen in bushes near the pond on Saturday morning.

The heavy rain on Friday left lots of surface water on the grazing fields the next day, the wettest its been here this winter.

Making the most of the wet conditions was a nice colourful flock of 500 black-tailed godwits along with the unusual sight of 30 knot, including one individual showing a bit of reddish chest.

A sparrowhawk flew high over the fields eastwards sending the roosting waders into the air.

A pair of Mediterranean gulls was feeding with other gulls in a field by Ivy Farm.

Four house martins seen at Maydays Farm by Steve Entwistle were the first ones reported back on the Island.

On Sunday 18th half a dozen linnets were feeding on the sea-blite bushes at the East Mersea Point.

Offshore from the park a common tern flew east towards the Colne while four great crested grebes were the only birds in the water in the morning.

At least one willow warbler was singing from trees near the bird hide at the park, four blackcaps were feeding around the edge of the pond and a common whitethroat was also seen here. Two swallows flew over the fields.

A female pochard was on the pond with six tufted duck.

On the grazing fields on Sunday the wader roost was about 80 black-tailed godwits and 50 redshank with 14 shelduck roosting in the fields too.

On the north side of the Island a record count of 35 Mediterranean gulls was counted on one of the wet Reeveshall fields by Andy Field on Sunday. Also seen was a wheatear, yellow wagtail, two marsh harriers, common buzzard, whimbrel and a common seal and grey seal.

This brightly marked adder has recently shed its skin and was lying near a path at the east end of the park.

A brown hare was seen on Saturday along the north side of the Island by Andy.