Saturday 5 November 2016

SNOW BUNTINGS AT POINT

A nice surprise was awaiting me when I walked to the East Mersea Point with these two snow buntings found feeding on the beach on Friday 4th. In typical fashion they scuttled along the beach and stayed well camouflaged among the shingle. The pair seemed quite happy being watched and continued to feed along the strandline. The birds flew off mid-morning but had returned by the middle of the day.

There were no snow buntings seen last winter on this beach at the Point, which was probably the first time ever without a single sighting here. Hopefully it will back to business as usual with a small flock spending the winter at the mouth of the Colne.

Also seen on Friday at the park were the four Eurasian white-fronted geese, 70+ greylag geese, 500 brent geese and 1500 wigeon in the grazing fields. A marsh harrier flew up the river earlier in the morning and then later a second bird flew back down, passing over the Point on its way to Colne Point.
A grey wagtail stopped off briefly along the water's edge of the borrowdyke before heading west.
As the tide began to come in, 150 avocets flew past the Point, back into the estuary. A rock pipit and 30 linnets were also noted in the area.

A brief walk round the park on Saturday 5th, produced sightings of the four white-fronted geese on the fields, a common buzzard being mobbed from the copse behind the pond, 7 shoveler on the pond and a grey wagtail flying west over the park.

Offshore from West Mersea, a shag was seen from the Esplanade on Saturday by Martin Cock, while the previous day nine eider were seen by him offshore.

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