The male kingfisher was being very confiding along the Strood borrowdyke on Monday 13th. It perched on one of its regular locations, on the metal railing beside the seawall sluice and didn't seem too bothered about walkers on the nearby seawall path.
The kingfisher also perched on a land-drain pipe on the edge of the dyke, happy for this photo to be taken from the opposite side without flying off.
Overlooking the sluice for a couple of minutes, the kingfisher dived down and caught a little tiddler which it whacked onto the concrete before swallowing it.
Other birds seen during Monday's walk along the Strood seawall included two marsh harriers, two common buzzards over the Peldon side, kestrel hovering over the weedy field, ten reed buntings and Mediterranean gull near Strood Hill. Along the Channel as the tide came in were 400 brent geese, 100 wigeon, 100 teal, 300+ redshank and six little egrets.
A woodcock flew low over Andy Field's garden in High St North on Monday afternoon
Other birds seen during Monday's walk along the Strood seawall included two marsh harriers, two common buzzards over the Peldon side, kestrel hovering over the weedy field, ten reed buntings and Mediterranean gull near Strood Hill. Along the Channel as the tide came in were 400 brent geese, 100 wigeon, 100 teal, 300+ redshank and six little egrets.
A woodcock flew low over Andy Field's garden in High St North on Monday afternoon
The black brant was seen on Sunday 12th in front of the saltmarsh near the Firs Chase caravan site along with 100 dark-bellied brent geese.
This big family of brent geese seen along the Strood have managed to stick together all winter, the five youngsters closest here with the two parents at the back.
Two Canada geese flying up channel towards the Pyefleet on Sunday, isn't a species often noted along here.
Two Canada geese flying up channel towards the Pyefleet on Sunday, isn't a species often noted along here.
A marsh harrier hunting low over the Strood fields flushed a number of birds including a green sandpiper hiding in a ditch.
Small birds noted were ten reed buntings, a singing corn bunting, rock pipit and 20 linnets.
At East Mersea a Cetti's warbler showed itself to Andy Field by the dyke near the Oyster Fishery on Sunday.
A pair of Mediterranean gulls flew over the Hard calling on Saturday 11th and a corn bunting was singing along Chapmans Lane that morning.
The first peacock of the year was this one nectaring on the cherry-plum blossom, later joined by a second peacock, in the Firs Chase garden on Monday 13th. A small tortoiseshell was also in the garden on the sunny afternoon.
Two small tortoiseshells were seen along the Strood seawall on both Sunday and Monday.
Two small tortoiseshells were seen along the Strood seawall on both Sunday and Monday.
The feeder-cam has shown regular visits each day by the red squirrel to the garden feeder in Firs Chase. The first visit on Monday 13th was at 5.40am for two minutes, then another visit at 7.20am for six minutes and a third one mid afternoon for fifteen minutes from 2.30pm.
One red squirrel was seen running along the branches and crossing high over Firs Chase whilst I walked beneath mid-morning, although this one didn't stop off at the feeder.
One red squirrel was seen running along the branches and crossing high over Firs Chase whilst I walked beneath mid-morning, although this one didn't stop off at the feeder.
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