BRIEF BLACK RED VISIT

A black redstart was watched on Wednesday 23rd feeding around the old jetty in front of the Firs Chase caravan site. It seemed to like perching on the tall posts either side of the jetty and then dropping down every so often to pick up insects. It was nearly missed as I initially walked passed it but luckily stopped to talk to my sister in law for ten minutes and then heard it calling.
It stayed around for a few hours but had disappeared by mid afternoon. It seems there was a bit of a black redstart influx elsewhere in southern and eastern England from the continent.

Luckily for the black redstart a colourful male sparrowhawk didn't spot it when it landed on the old jetty a short while earlier as it scanned around for prey.

Earlier on Wednesday morning two lesser redpolls were seen feeding on a birch tree in Feldy View, also in that area were 20 goldfinches, 2 chiffchaffs and three goldcrests.

A small group of brent geese and wigeon were by the sluice outflow along the Strood seawall on Wednesday.

Two distant greenshank were seen feeding along the Strood channel as the tide receded on Wednesday, also two knot and 70 golden plover were of note.

At East Mersea on Wednesday, Andy Field had counted 36 juvenile brent geese among 150 brent feeding in the park's grazing fields - an indication of a reasonably good breeding season in Siberia.

On Tuesday 22nd a common crane was seen flying over the park's grazing fields, spooking the 100 brent geese in the process. The crane circled slowly above the fields as it drifted east over East Mersea Point, then crossed the Colne towards Point Clear and gained more height as it disappeared high and east.
Five minutes later whilst walking the park seawall a little auk flew east along the beach, rounding the Point before heading upriver with its distinctive rapid wingbeats. It was not seen again. It turns out there were several other little auks seen flying past the East Anglian coast that day.

At the country park pond on Tuesday, a male blackcap, 50 teal, 4 gadwall and a calling water rail were noted, while a buzzard perched in the kestrel tree. Later another buzzard on passage was seen flying high heading west over the Golfhouse.

This female reed bunting was one of six at the Point, also there were a stonechat, rock pipit, ten skylarks, 3 swallows flying past and 50 avocets on the mud.
A mistle thrush was seen in the horse paddocks to the north of the park.

A covey of eight red-legged partridge was in a field at Bocking Hall on Tuesday 22nd

On Monday 21st twenty fieldfares perched in trees near Cross Lane, while earlier 20 redwings were seen flying over Firs Chase - both recent arrivals. Two gannets, adult and immature birds were watched fishing offshore from Waldegraves for about half an hour. A large group of 300 cormorants rested on the edge of the mudflats. Also noted in the area were a snipe, 8 Mediterranean gulls, 40 mallard, 30 moorhens, 2 chiffchaffs and 2 green woodpeckers.

Andy Field counted nine marsh harriers on Sunday 20th evening heading into their roost on Langenhoe Point, also 2 spoonbills dropped in there too, spotted redshank called and a little owl called from Fishponds Wood. A kingfisher was seen at the Oyster Fishery by Steve Entwistle on Sunday.

At Maydays on Sunday, a wheatear, greenshank and two curlew sandpipers were seen by Martin Cock.
A female / immature redstart was seen briefly on Sunday morning in front of the Firs Chase caravan site, seen perched on fenceposts and caravans. Later a siskin was heard flying over Firs Chase.

On Ray Island on Saturday 19th, David Nicholls reported seeing a long-eared owl flying between the bushes near the old pond.

This is the unwelcome glimpse of a grey squirrel seen resting high up in the cedar tree in the Firs Chase garden on Wednesday 23rd. It was much warier than the regular reds, and it soon shot along the branches and over the Firs Chase road. Tasty walnuts await in the traps below!

The attractive merveille du jour brightened up the garden moth trap on Sunday 20th  - the only one of these seen this year.

Also of interest on Sunday night was this Clancy's rustic - the fourth night this has been noted this month.