Earlier in the morning a flock of about fifty white-fronted geese flew north west over Firs Chase and out over the Hard, having initially flown over Martin Cock's house in The Coverts.
Another smaller flock of fifteen white-fronted geese flew down the Strood Channel late morning, heading towards Salcott.
Along the Strood seawall were a pair of stonechat, eight reed bunting, buzzard, four red-legged partridge, redwing, 24 avocets and in the field 25 ringed plover were roosting with 100 golden plover. A snipe flew out of the dyke while another was seen in flight over Ray Island.
At Coopers Beach on Thursday, Michael Thorley reported a close red-throated diver and common buzzard, while off West Mersea Jonathan Bustard saw a red-throated diver from the Esplanade.
At least four snow buntings were at East Mersea Point on Thursday 31st and photographed by Bob Covey.
The black brant was seen in the Strood Channel on Tuesday 29th - pictured here facing left. Earlier it had been feeding in the wheat field with 1000 brent geese and a pale-bellied brent goose. Two marsh harriers, two buzzards, sparrowhawk and a kestrel carrying and plucking a turnstone by the seawall were all noted, also a stonechat, snipe, five Mediterranean gulls, 10 avocets while roosting in the fields were 88 ringed plover. Three red-breasted mergansers were in the Mersea Quarters.
A calm and sunny Monday 28th at the flooded marsh near the East Mersea boating lake, looking towards Coopers Beach. Seen in the area were the black brant, two pale-bellied brent geese, 400 brent geese, ten Mediterranean gulls, 110 curlew, 50 redshank, 18 snipe, five little egrets, 20 dunlin, kingfisher and 12 sanderling. In the hedges west of the church were 70 fieldfare, two redwings, 3 yellowhammers, five reed buntings and sparrowhawk. The male stonechat was still by Coopers beach play area.
The flat sea opposite the boating lake and Coopers Beach provided views of six red-throated divers, two Slavonian grebes, 310 great crested grebes and a distant red-necked grebe,
Two pairs of stonechat were seen at either end of the Strood seawall on Sunday 27th, the male here perched up near the caravan park.
The sun was shining on the Strood on Sunday morning after a night of rain with the seawall path wet and muddy. The tide was coming in during the morning walk with 24 avocets and 20 knot of interest along the channel. In the wet fields were 500 golden plover, 100 ringed plovers, 150 dunlin, 10 grey plover and 20 redshank. A marsh harrier was also noted flying over Ray Island.
On Wednesday 30th at Coopers Beach four red-throated divers, two Slavonian grebes, 100+ great crested grebes were offshore while over the marshes were a kingfisher, ten snipe and a Mediterranean gull. Sixty fieldfares flew over the fields near the East Mersea church.
At Reeveshall on Wednesday morning a marsh harrier was sitting in a field, a fox ran across a grass field spooking 300 brent geese off in the process. In the distance three great white egrets and two little egrets were seen feeding on the Geedon saltmarsh, while two marsh harriers were over Langenhoe.
Offshore from the West Mersea Esplanade on Wednesday, Jonathan Bustard reported a great northern diver, seven red-breasted mergansers and two Slavonian grebes and also a Mediterranean gull over the Post Office. A great spotted woodpecker was heard drumming beside the Firs Caravan Park by Ian Black.
A red-necked grebe was reasonably close to the West Mersea beach between Kingsland Road and the Monkey Beach on Tuesday 29th. The calm sea allowed good views of it as it fed, diving regularly and on one occasion coming back up to eat a crab. Also showing offshore very well that morning was a guillemot found by Steve Entwistle from the Esplanade as it was swam quickly west towards the Monkey Beach.
Offshore from East Mersea a black-throated diver and two Slavonian grebes were seen by Steve Entwistle from the country park. A pair of ravens was also seen by Steve landing on the conifers and being mobbed by carrion crows in the south-west corner of the park, before they headed off west to Coopers Beach. The black-throated diver was also seen by Martin Cock from Coopers Beach, who also noted a shag close-in and a grey wagtail flying towards the church. The black brant was seen in the field opposite Meeting Lane by Steve. At Maydays farm a barn owl made a rare appearance late afternoon for Martin Cock, who also saw a merlin, two buzzards and fifty fieldfares.
Offshore from West Mersea on Monday Steve Entwistle along with Martin Cock and Richard Brown reported red-necked grebe, two red-throated divers and three great northern divers.
A great white egret was seen by Martin on the Ray Island saltmarsh near the Strood.
Ian Black reported two siskin heard calling in flight over The Lane on Sunday afternoon. A shag was watched from the Esplanade on Sunday by Martin Cock and Steve Entwistle.
On Saturday 26th a walk past the Rewsalls fields and to the East Mersea boating lake provided a nice variety of birds. The black brant and two pale-bellied brent geese were feeding with 700 brent geese in the fields where there was also 150 fieldfare, a redwing, leucistic starling, four yellowhammers, eight reed buntings with several house sparrows and 20+ chaffinch near a game crop.
On the flooded Coopers marsh at high tide on Saturday the kingfisher perched on fenceposts, 16 snipe flew about, among 50 curlew was one with a colour-flag H31 which appears to be from a Dutch breeding population, also 30 redshank, five Mediterranean gulls, 70 carrion crows, two buzzards, rock pipit while offshore were three Slavonian grebes.
At Gyants Marsh on Boxing Day a woodcock was seen flying away by Tom Fleetwood.
Two red squirrels were together at the feeder in the Firs Chase garden at lunchtime on Christmas Day.
Shaun Bater reported a badger feeding in his Estuary Park Road garden on the night of Boxing Day.
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