BRACING SEAWALL WALKS

A sunny but chilly walk along the north side of the Island on Sunday 25th, provided views of 500 brent geese feeding on Reeveshall. Also on the fields here were 48 greylag geese, 2 Canada geese, 90 golden plover and 200+ lapwing. Two female marsh harriers were quartering the length of Broad Fleet and two common buzzards were also noted here too. Three reed buntings, rock pipit, grey heron and 2 little egrets were also seen.
Over Langenhoe marsh were 3 more marsh harriers and another common buzzard.

Along the Pyefleet Channel on Sunday late morning were 16 red-breasted mergansers, one of the displaying males pictured above, also five great crested grebes in the channel. As well as the usual waders, the only wader of note was a flock of 200 knot near Pewit Island.

It was cold enough Monday 26th for a few snow flurries during the late morning walk along the Strood seawall. On the mud were small numbers of dunlin, three pictured above, also 250 knot were of interest, as were one bar-tailed godwit and 3 black-tailed godwit. In one of the fields were 22 golden plover, while 8 linnets and 2 meadow pipits were also seen.

The big highlight that made the trudge along the seawall in the freezing conditions worthwhile, was the sight of a male hen harrier flying low over the Ray saltings late morning. It dropped down onto the saltmarsh for a few minutes before crossing over the Strood Channel, then passing over the road at the bottom of the Strood Hill, then over the reservoirs and up over the fields towards to Dawes Lane. This individual is probably the same male reported from Old Hall Marshes a week previously.

The Firs Chase garden has been a real magnet for birds over this weekend with over 15 species coming to the old cherry plum tree with the feeders. This female great spotted woodpecker was watching garden proceedings from high above Firs Chase, this photograph taken from the front doorstep.

Eight greenfinches and 12 chaffinches have been tucking into the sunflower seeds while a couple of goldfinches sang from the nearby tree.

The resident song thrush enjoyed some of the afternoon sun in the tree with the feeders. As well as a few blackbirds, the distinctive pied blackbird with the white head was seen in a neighbouring garden on Monday morning. This bird is at least six years old.

As well as the usual blue tit, great tit and long-tailed tits at the feeders, there have been the robins, dunnocks, wrens, wood pigeons and collared doves as well as one or two jays taking peanuts. A goldcrest was seen amongst the ivy while in the back garden a male blackcap was feeding on the ivy berries on Friday. Even a moorhen perched briefly on the garden fence, the nearest pond being across the road. Late afternoons has seen 300 starlings gather for their night-time roost in nearby gardens.

The regular red squirrel was heard first thing on Monday morning scampering along our roof, as it made its way to the nut feeder on the tree.


Two fieldfares were seen in Adrian Amos's garden in East Road, West Mersea first thing on Monday 26th.

This red squirrel was photographed by Marion Potiphar through her lounge window of her house in Shop Lane, East Mersea on Sunday 18th.