MAYDAYS MERGANSERS

The red-breasted mergansers were performing well in the Pyefleet Channel on a sunny Monday 4th. This male and female were some of the 16 birds seen late morning in the channel just ahead of the high tide.

One group of six red-breasted mergansers was busy with the males displaying to each other in front of the females. The males stick their heads up in the air showing off their colourful long necks.

After sticking their necks upwards, the males then bow down onto the water, calling at the same time.

It seems one of the females wasn't too impressed with all the male bravado goings-on, lunging at one of the males with its beak open.

Another group of red-breasted mergansers were more interested in feeding, diving under for some fishing near the entrance to Maydays creek. In the background one of the two male goldeneyes also doing a bit of diving for food.
Six great crested grebes were seen mid channel while along the north side of the Pyefleet was a mix of 100+ wigeon and teal as well as 80+ shelduck.

On the last part of mud to be covered by the incoming tide, 1000 dunlin were busy feeding as were 60 avocets. Further up-channel 2000+ waders of various species were disturbed at their roost on the saltmarsh by a passing marsh harrier. Two common seals basking at this secluded spot too.

A peregrine gave up chasing a wader along the Pyefleet and it continued on its way over the Langenhoe marsh. Several marsh harriers were hunting both the north side of the Island and also Langenhoe with at least six birds noted.A sparrowhawk crossed low over Maydays saltmarsh while a common buzzard perched on a tree on Maydays farmland.

Amongst the smaller birds were 250+ linnets feeding on the saltmarsh and also in a game crop. A stonechat, 2 yellowhammers, 4 fieldfares, 2 redwings, 10 reed buntings, 10 meadow pipits, 2 rock pipits and 20 skylarks were seen at Maydays. A kingfisher flew from a pond by the farm to the seawall.

Amongst the bird activity around the bird feeders in the Firs Chase garden on Monday was this unexpected brambling. It made brief appearances in the morning and again mid afternoon along with several chaffinches and greenfinches.

A female common scoter was an unusual visitor to the Strood Channel on Sunday 3rd. Two kingfishers flew briefly together along the channel before parting with one crossing over to Ray Island and the other heading towards the Strood Hill marsh. A sparrowhawk flew over the caravan site while rock pipit was of note over the nearby saltmarsh.

A black-necked grebe and great northern diver were found by Daryl Rhymes from the West Mersea Esplanade on Sunday 3rd. The pale-bellied brent goose and the black brant were seen in the Mersea Quarters on Sunday by the Swallow Birding boat trip.