PARK BUZZARD

A common buzzard perched briefly on the kestrel's oak tree at the back of the park's grazing fields on Saturday 10th. It has become a regular sight along this hedgeline in recent weeks. A yellowhammer flew west over the fields in the morning.
Fifteen little egrets were at the pond mid morning, the Cetti's warbler sang a few times, 30 goldfinches flew around the alder trees while out on the mudflats were 300 golden plover.


On Friday 9th it was busy at the park pond with 100 wigeon, 50 teal, 30 little egrets, grey heron, 4 gadwall and a buzzard in the nearby trees. Five siskin flew east over the park in the morning.

A kestrel perched on the sign at the East Mersea Point, after having a tussle with another kestrel nearby on Thursday 8th. A red breasted merganser flew up river and there was a rock pipit on the saltmarsh.

A pair of mute swans have been back on the dyke for the last few days, after an absence of two or three months. Joining the swans in the dyke were some of the 400 wigeon in the area, also a few shoveler and some teal. In the park's grazing fields were 300 brent geese and 25 greylag geese, while 40 little egrets were at the pond as was a late migrant hawker enjoying the sunshine.


On Wednesday 7th at the park, two siskin and fifty goldfinches were near the pond, 3 goldcrests, 12 chaffinches near the car park while 28 greylag geese were feeding in the fields.


A common buzzard was at the back of the park's fields on Tuesday 6th, a sparrowhawk to the north, while on the pond were 60+ teal and a tufted duck and gadwall. Three goldcrests were noted around the park and the little owl flew over the car park at dusk.

A stoat made a rare appearance near the park pond on Friday 9th, bounding along the ground with occasional glimpses of its distinctive black tip to the tail, seen from the hide.

The stoat would stop every so often to look around the field, before it scampered off to a nearby hedge. It's been a few years since the last stoat was seen at the park - and one of the last sightings was at this same location by the pond.
A red squirrel was seen moving along the hedgerow beside the car park first thing on Friday 9th. The previous day a red squirrel was at the feeder in the Firs Chase garden early on Thursday 8th.

Numbers of moths at the park have dwindled recently although ten were noted through the night of Thursday 8th. A few feathered thorns were noted, one pictured above, also large wainscot, large yellow underwing and November moths were logged.