PYEFLEET GOOSANDER

An unexpected visitor to the Pyefleet channel on the north side of the Island on Sunday 24th was this striking male goosander, photographed by Andy Field. It appeared to be feeding in the water just before high tide, diving under on several occasions before it was seen flying further up channel opposite Maydays.

I joined Andy on his monthly walk along the north side of the island from Maydays farm to Cudmore Grove counting birds for the BTO's Wetland Bird Survey (WeBs Count). Being the end of the winter period, numbers of waders and wildfowl seen were low during the high tide survey.

Of interest at Reeveshall were marsh harrier, 6 greylag geese, sparrowhawk, two common buzzards and 6 shoveler. On Langenhoe were 4 marsh harriers and 4 common buzzards. Four yellowhammers were in bushes at Maydays.
A common seal swam up the Pyefleet prior to high tide while on Reeveshall two brown hares were seen.

A meadow pipit stayed motionless and confiding on the nearby saltmarsh near Ivy Farm whilst we walked close by the bird. Five sanderling and 20 ringed plover were near the Point while 3 lapwings were near the Golfhouse, but only a single lapwing was seen in the grazing fields.
On the park pond were 3 pairs of pochard, 10 tufted duck and a pair of gadwall. The female kestrel was in the nextbox at the back of the fields and a Cetti's warbler was heard singing along here too.

A muntjac deer seemed very brazen out in the open in one of the small fields by the Nothe, along from the Dabchicks on Sunday morning. It has been seen a few times previously by others in this general area.

The flock of 150+ golden plover were still in one of the Strood fields on Sunday and a sparrowhawk was seen displaying over Firs Chase /The Lane on Sunday.

During the sunshine on Sunday a brimstone flew over the road near the West Mersea Glebe, while three peacocks were seen along the Reeveshall seawall.

A male reed bunting perched on a bush along the Strood seawall on Saturday 23rd.
A group of five common buzzards passed west high over the Firs Road area in mid-morning, two resident ones were seen later by the Strood Hill. Two sparrowhawks were also noted, pair of grey partridge were in the fields, 3 Mediterranean gulls, 5 little egrets, great crested grebe and two meadow pipits.

On Friday 22nd along the Strood channel, the male grey partridge was calling, 200 golden plover in the field, grey heron, common buzzard, 3 marsh harriers, pair of Canada geese, great crested grebe, 5 meadow pipits, 6 linnets, one knot and one black-tailed godwit were all noted.

An unusual sight in my Firs Chase garden was actually seeing goldfinches on the seed feeders. The male has been singing from nearby tree-tops over recent days. In contrast a pair of noisy herring gulls seemed to have taken up residence on the neighbours flat roof-top.

The moth trap was set out in the Firs Chase garden for the first time this season with a catch dominated by 50 common quakers. Ten other individuals of six other species were also noted.

Two small quakers were also recorded.

One early grey is a typical early spring species.

Two clouded drabs were also noted, a common early spring moth. Other species were Hebrew character and red chestnut.