KESTREL IN THE CHASE

A kestrel has been a surprise visitor for the second time in three days to a neighbour's Firs Chase garden on Tuesday 2nd, perching high up in trees for several minutes while scanning the ground beneath. 

Earlier two sparrowhawks flew over Firs Chase scattering some of the wood pigeons from the trees. The coal tit was seen briefly at the garden bird feeders again.
Late Tuesday evening a male tawny owl perched in a tree beside the Firs Chase garden, then swooped low over the garden on its way to the neighbours.

A small flock of 12 goldfinches were feeding on birch and alder trees in Feldy View on Tuesday.

A mistle thrush was feeding on mistletoe berries high up on poplar trees beside the Firs Caravan site while nearby a goldcrest was with a long-tailed tit flock.

From the Strood seawall on a sunny but chilly Tuesday there was a nice variety of waders and wildfowl along the channel including 8 avocets, 100 shelduck, 150 teal, 100 wigeon, 300 brent geese, 200 knot, 100 golden plover, 10 black-tailed godwit and a bar-tailed godwit.

Inside the seawall were 25 skylarks and 10 reed buntings while 100 lapwings were feeding in one of the fields. A common buzzard was perched on Ray Island.

On Monday 2nd the pond at the country park was covered in 250+ teal which were suddenly spooked into the air when a male marsh harrier passed low over and onto the grazing fields. Six gadwall were also noted on the pond when all the ducks returned to the pond.

Feeding on the park's grazing fields on Monday were 600+ brent geese, 1000 wigeon and 25+ black-tailed godwits. 

Also in the fields were 50+ lapwing with this individual seen close to the path past the Golfhouse horse paddock, also 25 moorhens here too.

The saltmarsh pools near the Golfhouse held 36 shoveler, 100+ teal, 50+ redshank, an avocet and 5 little egrets. The regular pair of stonechat were feeding in the saltmarsh near the Point. 

A pair of red-breasted mergansers flew past the Point upriver, five great crested grebes and a common seal were also in the Colne. A peacock butterfly fluttering over the saltmarsh was a surprise sighting for December.

Also on Monday 2nd Andy Field saw 3 goldcrest, blackcap and a sparrowhawk in Shop Lane while later offshore from West Mersea there was an eider, 8 or 9 common scoter and a possible black-throated diver in the Mersea Quarters.