GEESE AND GODWITS

A flock of 500 brent geese was feeding on a very wet field north of Shop Lane, on a rainy and windy Friday 28th. Also in the same field were 200 starlings with the leucistic bird in the flock as well, 25 lapwings, 30 curlew and ten redshank. A marsh harrier flew over the fields and then drifted across the Pyefleet towards Langenhoe. By the Reeveshall pool, 17 teal flew off, five stock doves, two reed buntings and five meadow pipits were noted.

A quick snap-shot taken whilst it rained, of the feeding flock of 500 black-tailed godwits in the waterlogged pasture north of Shop Lane on Friday. This is a notable flock for this field as its not a regular feeding site for them. Some of the black-tailed godwits are starting to develop their red-brown summer plumage. After being spooked by something, all the godwits flew onto the nearby Pyefleet mud and stood near some 70+ avocets. Along the Pyefleet were eight great crested grebes.

This black-tailed godwit flock was first seen the day before on Thursday 27th during a walk round the East Mersea seawall in the sleet, with 600 birds noted in two flocks. Five hundred brent geese were also noted near the seawall, some feeding on the saltmarsh near Ivy Farm, while on mud near there were six bar-tailed godwits, also twenty-five golden plover flew over. A pair of red-breasted mergansers was in the Pyefleet Channel.

A pair of mistle thrushes and a pair of red-legged partridge were in a field near North Farm on Thursday. At the country park a pair of stonechat was on the cliff-top fence, ten tufted duck were on the dyke. Two snipe were seen on the very wet park's grazing fields during a quick scan as well as lots of wigeon, teal, lapwing and black-tailed godwits.

A little bit of blue sky was glimpsed from the Strood seawall during mid morning on Wednesday 26th. A marsh harrier flew over Ray Island and then hunted over the Strood fields, ditches and dyke. A buzzard was seen over the Strood hill and four Mediterranean gulls were in the fields. A pair of stonechat was along the dyke, a rock pipit flew over the saltmarsh.
By the West Mersea Hard a great crested grebe seemed to struggle to swallow a fish just a few metres from the jetty. A red-breasted merganser was among the boats in the Mersea Quarters.

Also on Wednesday 26th, Russell Leavett saw two great northern divers offshore from the West Mersea Esplanade while at Cudmore Grove a whimbrel was feeding in the flooded fields with the black-tailed godwits.

On Monday 24th along the Strood seawall, a sparrowhawk crossed the channel and over the fields, a second bird seen later in Firs Chase. Also along the channel were 200 brent geese, 30+ wigeon, 13 dunlin and a couple of ringed plovers, with 6 little egrets noted too. Twenty-five goldfinches were by the Feldy View field.
In the Firs Chase garden the coal tit, blackcap and a red squirrel were seen on Monday.

Three great northern divers were seen from the Esplanade on Sunday 23rd by Steve Entwistle and Andy Field. Two snipe were seen in the flooded fields at the country park and two red-legged partridges were seen in Haycocks Lane.

The first report of a butterfly this year was a peacock seen in Martin Cock's West Mersea garden on Saturday 22nd.

The leucistic-whitish starling, mentioned above, was photographed by Marion Potifar when it visited her Shop Lane garden on 17th February. This starling with white wings and body but dark head, has been on Mersea since last autumn. A barn owl was also seen over the garden on the 17th while a red squirrel was seen the following day.