STROOD GLOSSY IBIS

The four Eurasian white-fronted geese were still in the grazing fields at Cudmore Grove on Friday 18th. These geese photos were taken by Andy Field during his visit to the park.

The two white-fronted geese youngsters are still behaving as siblings, despite one arriving several days before the other with its parents.

The white-fronted geese continue to feed alongside the greylag geese - of which 94 birds of the latter were present on Friday.

Two common scoter were seen in the river Colne by Andy who also saw a merlin crossing the river and a distant peregrine on its regular Geedons perch.

Also seen at the park on Friday three common buzzards flew over the fields on the northern side from Ivy Farm heading west, one buzzard perching in a tree by the pond. On the park pond were 17 shoveler, 15 siskins were in the alders, while a stonechat and two rock pipits were at the Point and 400 brent geese grazed near Ivy Farm.

Along the Strood on Saturday 19th, a flock of 500 golden plover enjoyed the sun whilst roosting on the mud. Nearby fifty knot were feeding on the mud, while a greenshank fed along the channel bottom.

A cursory scan of the Ray Island saltings produced the unexpected sight of a glossy ibis late Saturday morning. The bird was first seen in flight as it was dropping back down to feed on the saltmarsh. After a few minutes it took off and flew leisurely away, circling a couple of times showing off its distinctive profile and the sun highlighting the green sheen on the wings. It soon dropped down out of view near the Ray Channel. Later on the bird was seen again by Martin Cock mid afternoon, when it provided good views from the Strood seawall as it fed on the Ray saltings.

A small flock of brent geese fed by the sluice outflow on the Strood channel. A marsh harrier was seen over the Strood causeway while later in the afternoon, a peregrine was noted by Martin.

Inside the Strood seawall there was no sign of any Lapland buntings in the morning although other small birds included 100 linnets, 25 reed buntings, 30 skylarks, a singing corn bunting and a pair of stonechats. A kingfisher was seen along the dyke, green sandpiper flew out of the ditches, two kestrels hunted over the fields and two rock pipits were on the saltmarsh. 

In East Mersea a common buzzard flew over the road heading towards Fen Farm early on Saturday morning.