SCAMPERING SANDERLING

Seventeen sanderling were seen scampering along the beach at the East Mersea Point on Wednesday 27th.

The sanderling had the beach almost to themselves during the high tide period late morning.

Also feeding along the beach at the Point was this turnstone. There was no sign of the two snow buntings seen a couple of days earlier on the Monday by Angela Buckley. Other birds noted were a red-throated diver in the river Colne, eight red-breasted mergansers upriver and one great crested grebe flying past. A grey seal was feeding on a fish close to the Point.

For a while on Wednesday there was little to see in the mouth of the Colne because of a thick haar that rolled in over the sea. 

On the nearby park grazing fields, most of the 400 black-tailed godwits were roosting together, also 100 redshank,14 snipe, 100 lapwing and 300 dunlin were present among the 1000+ wigeon. By the pond were a fieldfare, two redwings, a goldcrest, while ten gadwall and six tufted duck were on the pond. A buzzard flew over Ivy Farm being mobbed by crows, a mistle thrush was by the Golfhouse amongst the mistletoe while a red squirrel was seen in a hedge near the Dormy houses on East Rd.

At West Mersea a great northern diver was seen off Kingsland Road beach by Jonathan Bustard while in Mersea Avenue a Mediterranean gull was coming down to bread with the black-headed gulls in Ian Black's back garden.

A buck muntjac deer was spotted on Wednesday as I drove past the Manwood Grove near the top end of Shop Lane. After a bit of browsing it disappeared into the wood.

Offshore from Coopers Beach on Tuesday 26th, three distant velvet scoter were seen in the outer part of the Colne estuary. It needed a call to Chris Balchin over at Colne Point, asking him to confirm the identification as he would get a closer look at the birds. A fourth duck was also present but its identification wasn't confirmed. 

Also of note offshore were the passing red-throated divers with 46 noted, some on the water, others flying past eastwards. There were five Slavonian grebes and 380 great crested grebes counted offshore from Coopers too and also four gadwall flying about. Twelve sanderling flew along the beach with a few turnstones and a sparrowhawk flew past too. On the flooded Coopers marsh were a snipe, 15 curlew, 2 little egrets, golden plover and a couple of shelduck.

Michael Thorley found a grey wagtail feeding by an icy puddle near the Coopers Beach clubhouse later on Tuesday. A red-throated diver was seen off the West Mersea beach by Jonathan Bustard and a male sparrowhawk was seen in Shaun Bater's Estuary Park Road garden

It had been a cold overnight Sunday into Monday morning with this patch of frozen water still sitting on the Strood channel by late morning on Monday 25th. Birds of note included three buzzards, marsh harrier, 25 avocets, while in the fields were 300 brent geese, 100 golden plover, two Mediterranean gulls and two stonechats.

A couple of redshank were feeding on the saltmarsh near the Firs Caravan park.

One of the redshank seemed quite confiding although it stopped feeding while I walked close-by.

At the East Mersea Youth Camp on Monday, Martin Cock reported a great northern diver and red-throated diver offshore and a green sandpiper over the marshes. Michael Thorley saw 70 corn buntings near Cross Lane.

Angela Buckley visited Cudmore Grove on Monday seeing two snow buntings, some turnstones and sanderling on the beach but no purple sandpiper, also two buzzards, stonechat and a greenfinch with a pale face.

On Sunday 24th Steve Entwistle had a successful day - finally catching up with the purple sandpiper on the mud near East Mersea Point on his eight attempt this month at trying to see it! Along the Strood Jonathan Bustard saw a male hen harrier, marsh harrier and the bearded tit. 

At Maydays farm on Sunday a male merlin flew low over the marsh, a peregrine caused some panic along the Pyefleet, while four marsh harriers, six buzzards and a sparrowhawk were also seen. A Cetti's warbler called from the dyke, two male stonechats were seen in different locations, while two yellowhammers, 100 linnets and two fieldfares were also noted. At the back of Reeveshall were 800+ brent geese in a field.

Along the channel were six red-breasted mergansers, 100 avocets, 500 knot, two bar-tailed godwits and 20 black-tailed godwits.

In East Mersea near Meeting Lane on Sunday a peregrine chased a starling over Michael Thorley's garden, while in West Mersea a female blackcap was on feeders in Ian Black's garden.

There was a colourful sunset at the end of Saturday 23rd at the West Mersea Hard, after the sun had shone for most of the day. Offshore from the Esplanade were a great northern diver, red-breasted merganser and at least a dozen Mediterranean gulls in the gull roost on the water.

A flock of eighty corn buntings and twenty linnets were flying around and feeding on the stubble field to the west of Waldegraves.

Offshore from the Youth Camp on Saturday were a Slavonian grebe, three red-throated divers, 25 great crested grebes and also eleven bar-tailed godwits on the mudflats. Two little egrets, 36 mallard and a rock pipit were by the boating lake and old marshes. Feeding in the game cover crop and fields west of the East Mersea church were ten reed buntings, two yellowhammers, 15 chaffinches, 20 pied wagtails and three song thrushes. A couple of goldcrests were seen near the church by Martin Cock.

Along the Strood seawall on Saturday, Steve Entwistle finally watched the elusive bearded tit at the top of the reeds along the dyke after lots of missed attempts, also five reed buntings seen too. Ian Black saw a female hen harrier  over the south end of Ray Island flying towards Copt Hall, also a great spotted woodpecker drumming in Mersea Avenue.

A barn owl was seen at Maydays mid afternoon on Saturday by Steve Entwistle, who watched it hunting over the fields and perching up on a post for a short while. In the brief shower of heavy snow at Maydays a pair of pintail, two marsh harriers and a male stonechat were noted. At least ten red-legged partridge were seen near the Maydays farmyard, also seven red-legged partridge beside Chapmans Lane and a sparrowhawk noted too.

A kestrel was photographed near Feldy View by Andy Field on Friday 22nd. 

A peregrine was seen flying over the Feldy seawall on the mainland as it headed over to Copt Hall. Two buzzards and a couple of sparrowhawks were noted along the Strood seawall. A kingfisher perched on the seawall sluice and the bearded tit was seen in the reeds by Andy Field. Also of interest were a stonechat, rock pipit, six linnets as well as seven avocets, 80+ shelduck, 100 teal and a little egret.

A red kite was seen by Kate Entwistle flying over her Empress Drive house on Friday. The firecrest was seen feeding in the holly bushes in Reymead Wood on Friday afternoon, also three song thrushes heard singing and a sparrowhawk passed over.

A barn owl flew low over Shop Lane on Friday, almost crashing into the car windscreen of Michael Thorley as he drove along late afternoon. The Cetti's warbler was heard calling from the Maydays dyke by Martin Cock on Friday.

On Thursday 21st, two peregrines were seen together briefly close to the Strood causeway before heading off in opposite directions. A marsh harrier flew over Ray Island while along the channel were 11 avocets, 106 shelduck, 48 curlew and 300 golden plover, also two stonechats beside the seawall. The large flock of 1000 brent geese was feeding on the Peldon side.

The firecrest was seen on Thursday by Michael Thorley, it showed well feeding in the hollies in the middle of Reymead Wood.

A grey squirrel was pictured on trail-camera in the Seaview Avenue garden of Duncan Philpott on Saturday 23rd. Measures had been started the day before to try and catch this individual.

GRAZING FIELD GODWITS

 

A flock of 200 black-tailed godwits was seen in the grazing fields at the country park on Wednesday 20th.

All the black-tailed godwits and other waders and ducks on the fields were spooked by a peregrine which sent many birds into the air for a minute, some flying out into the estuary. The godwits and lots of wigeon settled back down again but looked very nervous when the peregrine appeared again. None of the birds took to the air where they would be vulnerable to a peregrine attack but they all watched the skies above with necks outstretched ready to take evasive action. The peregrine hung in the air waiting to see if any bird took to the wing but none did - and it then flew off.

Other birds in the fields on Wednesday morning were 73 greylag geese, 200 lapwing, 25 shoveler, 50 redshank and 100 teal. On the pond were 8 gadwall and 6 tufted duck with five redwing in nearby trees.

In the Colne were three great crested grebes and a red-breasted merganser, while 30 avocets and 15 shelduck were on the mud.

In Reymead Wood the firecrest was seen again on Wednesday by Jonathan Bustard.

A marsh tit was seen briefly in Reymead Wood on Tuesday for the second time by Richard Brown. This is the first record for the Island of marsh tit. The bird was seen with some long-tailed tits earlier in the day but was not seen subsequently. The firecrest was still present on Tuesday, also 30 goldfinches and a sparrowhawk seen.

A grey squirrel was seen in the back garden of Duncan Philpott in Seaview Avenue on Tuesday.

On Tuesday along the Strood seawall were seen a marsh harrier, buzzard, a pair of stonechats, 35 avocets and two little egrets. A mistle thrush was perched beside mistletoe clumps in poplars near the Firs caravan site, also six redwing and a goldcrest seen near too.

A firecrest was found along the folly footpath at the top of the Firs Caravan park on Monday, the same place as one has been seen the last two winters so maybe the same bird overwintering. A colourful male yellowhammer was calling from a perch beside the Feldy View field on Monday and two great spotted woodpeckers flew over.

Along the Strood were a merlin perched on a post on Ray Island, buzzard, two sparrowhawks, bar-tailed godwit, 33 avocets, 200 lapwing, 300 wigeon, 100 teal, five Mediterranean gulls and three stonechats inside the seawall. The only little egret found was sadly a dead one by a ditch.

This colourful male sparrowhawk was photographed by Michael Thorley in his East Mersea garden near Meeting Lane on Sunday 17th.

The sparrowhawk was perched below the bird feeders in the garden - also a female blackcap in the garden.

 

Jonathan Bustard took these five photographs of the firecrest in Reymead Wood on Sunday.

Jonathan said it was tricky controlling the light for the pictures even on a bright day in the wood.

The firecrest showed well at various times through the day.

In the sunlight the bright golden colour on the side of the neck of the firecrest showed up nicely.

On Sunday at the Youth Camp a grey wagtail was seen by Martin Cock as it flew over towards Waldegraves. Also a merlin was seen and two Slavonian grebes off Coopers Beach.

Water levels were high along the ditch at Reeveshall on Sunday 17th with water now spilling onto the grass. Fifty redshank were making the most of the fresh wet conditions here, while in other fields were 300 lapwings, 300 starlings, 300 rooks and 150 jackdaws and 25 pied wagtails. Three marsh harriers and three common buzzards were noted and a peregrine perched on the Langenhoe seawall. Four gadwall, two shoveler and 30 mallard flew off Reeveshall, also two yellowhammers, nine corn buntings and a pair of stonechats seen too. In the channel were two red-breasted mergansers, 200 avocets, 100 shelduck and 90 teal.

In the Fishponds Wood in Shop Lane a goldcrest was in the trees and also a red squirrel seen too.

In the Firs Chase garden two goldcrests and a red squirrel were also seen on Sunday.

A distant female kingfisher perched on the Strood seawall sluice on Saturday 16th in the afternoon after the rain had stopped. The bearded tit was heard calling and the Cetti's warbler showed briefly on a bush by the reedbed. The wet fields had 200 dunlin, 50 ringed plover and 15 grey plover feeding on them. A marsh harrier flew over Ray Island, 44 avocets were in the channel and 1000 brent geese rose in the air off the Peldon fields.

Shaun Bater had two badgers and two foxes visit his garden in Estuary Park Road late on Friday night.

REYMEAD FIRECREST

 

Richard Brown found this little gem of a firecrest in Reymead Wood in the middle of West Mersea originally on Tuesday 12th. The bird was still present four days later on Friday 15th when Richard returned and got this great picture of it. The firecrest was seen on Wednesday both in the morning and the afternoon, although it was sometimes hard to locate when it stayed silent.

Two snow buntings were still at East Mersea Point on Friday 15th, both quite confiding and their markings helping camouflage them along the strandline. The purple sandpiper was feeding close into the beach near the Point as the tide came in late morning, also two sanderling, as well as a few ringed plovers and turnstones. On the mudflats were 150 oystercatchers, 40 avocets and 1000 dunlin while offshore were six red-breasted mergansers, three common scoters, four great crested grebes and a distant Slavonian grebe to the south-west.

Thursday's inch of rain has waterlogged the park's grazing fields more and filled up the nearby borrowdyke. On Friday morning the wet fields were filled with wildfowl and waders with 1500 wigeon, 490 black-tailed godwits, 100 teal, 14 shoveler, 12 gadwall, 80 lapwing, two greylag geese, 50 redshank, 30 dunlin and 30 curlew. A Cetti's warbler sang by the borrowdyke, a rock pipit and eight reed buntings near the Point. A pale-bellied brent goose was feeding with 300 brent geese near Ivy Farm and a mistle thrush was amongst the mistletoe near the Golfhouse, while two fieldfares were also noted.

A red squirrel was seen scrambling through trees in the country park near the entrance.

At West Mersea a kingfisher flew across the water towards Cobmarsh Island on Friday. It was also reported in this area a week earlier being seen from the Mulroy houseboat as it fished close-by.

A red squirrel was seen in The Lane by Ron Harvey and earlier on Friday a red squirrel was also seen (perhaps the same one) in the Firs Chase garden

It rained throughout Thursday 14th soaking the fields by the Strood seawall even more than before. As the tide covered the nearby mudflats many waders were flying onto the muddy fields to continue their feeding. Some of the birds seen through the drizzle were 200 dunlin, 200 golden plover, ten grey plover, 20 redshank, 15 curlew, a single black-tailed godwit and at least five ringed plover along with a few lapwings. 

The bearded tit showed itself a couple of times amongst the reeds and a Cetti's warbler also called from a bush.

This handsome male sparrowhawk was photographed by the Legion Field in West Mersea on Tuesday 12th. A sparrowhawk was seen in Reymead Wood on Wednesday whilst waiting for the firecrest to show and a sparrowhawk was seen by Ian Black in his Mersea Avenue garden that day too.

A female blackcap was photographed on Wednesday by Michael Thorley in his East Mersea garden near Meeting Lane.

The blackcap was seen feeding at the fat balls in Michaels garden.

As well as the blackcap, also seen from Michael's garden were a stock dove and two red-legged partridges.

On Tuesday 12th offshore from Coopers Beach were eight red-throated divers, three Slavonian grebes, 100+ great crested grebes and four common scoter. On the flooded marshes beside Coopers Beach was a big flock of fifty snipe flying around with another twenty noted in the area too. Also 110 curlew, 20 ringed plover, 15 turnstone, four little egrets, eight redwing and a buzzzard.

At Maydays farm on Tuesday Martin Cock saw 12 pintail in the Pyefleet, two stonechats and 40 corn buntings flying over. Further along the seawall Andy Field noted at Reeveshall four red-breasted mergansers, a pair of stonechat, a few fieldfares, a barn owl on Langenhoe and a Chinese water deer on Reeveshall.

Along the Strood seawall on Monday 11th a kingfisher was perched along the central field ditch, a peregrine flew over Ray Island, two buzzards and a marsh harrier also noted. Rising in the air over Strood Hill were 1000 golden plover, while in the wet fields were 40 ringed plover and two rock pipits near the seawall. The usual flock of avocets were in the channel with 20 noted on Monday.

Two sanderling were feeding on mud by the West Mersea Hard, as were the usual few turnstones.

PYEFLEET RED-CRESTEDS

Five red-crested pochard made a surprise appearance in the Pyefleet Channel on a dull and cold Sunday 10th. The four males and a female were first seen flying high as they headed down channel, before dropping down onto the water. It wasn't until they swam for a few minutes into view that the birds could be seen as red-crested pochards. 

After swimming slowly back up the Pyefleet for about ten minutes, the red-crested pochards flew 500m further up the channel and landed opposite Maydays beside some red-breasted mergansers. After a few minutes here, they took to the air again and flew low further up the Pyefleet as if heading to the Strood.

Last year a male red-crested pochard was seen in East Mersea near the Oyster Fishery on 20th May, the first island sighting for about fifteen years.

Also of note along the Pyefleet were 14 red-breasted mergansers, 7 pintail, 150+ avocets and 500+ knot. In and around the Maydays and Reeveshall fields were three marsh harriers, two buzzards, four corn buntings, three yellowhammers, stonechat, 30 linnets, 10 fieldfares, sparrowhawk and two green woodpeckers.

A common seal in the Pyefleet Channel was having a sleep on this blue floating pontoon.

Later on Sunday, Martin Cock visited Maydays and reported a short-eared owl, merlin, two marsh harriers and 12 red-breasted mergansers. 

Ian Black saw c55 grey geese fly over Ray Island on Sunday afternoon that possibly sounded like pink-feet geese.

On a sunny Saturday 9th a little owl was sunning itself on the side of a big Cupressus-type tree at the front of the East Mersea Youth Camp (pictured here heavily zoomed-in). It's probably the same bird that was seen a few times last spring perched on some nearby poplar trees.

At the nearby marshes beside the boating lake a marsh harrier flew over, ten snipe were flying about, while beside some fields to the west of East Mersea church 15 fieldfare, two redwing, two yellowhammer, ten reed bunting, chiffchaff and two buzzards were seen.

The black brant - pictured centre standing upright facing right, was feeding with 100 brent geese in a field between Cross Lane and Waldegraves. The leucistic starling was feeding with 100 starlings in Waldegraves and two song thrushes nearby. A great northern diver was offshore from the Esplanade and two Mediterranean gulls.

Along the Strood Channel on Saturday Andy Field saw a marsh harrier, buzzard, couple of avocets and a stonechat as well as a number of meadow pipits and rock pipits.

Two short-eared owls were seen by Martin Cock hunting along the Maydays borrowdyke on Saturday, also seen were a marsh harrier, buzzard, two stonechats, two corn buntings and three yellowhammers.

In West Mersea early evening on Saturday, Richard Brown reported a tawny owl over his Barfield Road garden. At East Mersea a barn owl was reported by Donna Moncur flying near the country park at dusk.

There wasn't much to see in the fog on Friday 8th, although a bearded tit was heard calling from the Strood reedbed. Also along the Strood seawall were seen a stonechat, snipe, 25 avocets, 300 golden plover, a marsh harrier over Ray Island and five redwing near the caravan park.

Also on the foggy Friday, Martin Cock reported two marsh harriers and two stonechats at Maydays, while Michael Thorley could only see at Coopers Beach 65 curlew on the football pitch. A buzzard was seen flying south over Ian Black's house in Mersea Avenue, while Jonathan Bustard saw 60 starlings in his garden.

This sparrowhawk was photographed by Shaun Bater as it perched on his garden fence in Estuary Park Road on Thursday. A red squirrel was also seen earlier in the garden.

Another of Shaun's photographs of the sparrowhawk in his garden.

On Thursday along the Strood seawall, two marsh harriers, two buzzards, two kestrels and two stonechats were seen while along the channel were 30 avocets and 300 golden plover of note.

A blackcap was seen in the Firs Chase garden on Thursday morning.

A Chinese water deer was seen near Bower Hall by Martin Cock as he walked along the seawall there on Thursday, also seen were a stonechat, redwing and fieldfare.

Richard Brown managed to find and photograph the purple sandpiper near East Mersea Point just before the mid afternoon high tide on Wednesday 6th when it flew in from the west with some ringed plovers.

Offshore from the West Mersea Esplanade on Wednesday, Andy Field reported seeing two great northern divers, female eider, red-necked grebe, 16 red-breasted mergansers and a marsh harrier. Michael Thorley reported three great northern divers and two black-throated divers offshore.

Along the Strood seawall on Wednesday the bearded tit was seen briefly as it perched up on some reeds, also two marsh harriers, three buzzards, stonechat, 25 avocets, with fifty ringed plovers seen feeding in the wet fields.

Later on Wednesday a short-eared owl was seen in the Strood fields area by Jonathan Bustard, the bird later seen perching on the seawall sluice.

Three snow buntings were still on the East Mersea Point on Tuesday 5th- the birds skulking amongst the grass and other plants making them hard to spot until you almost stood on them.

In the river Colne were five red-breasted mergansers.

The Golfhouse paddock was very wet on Tuesday and had twenty teal feeding in it as were fifty wigeon. In the nearby park grazing fields were 1500 wigeon, 70 teal, 50 black-tailed godwits, 90 greylag geese, seven gadwall and 50 redshank. A tufted duck was in the Golfhouse dyke and ten shoveler were on the saltmarsh lagoons. In the various hedges were 100 fieldfares, ten redwing and a mistle thrush.

The red-necked grebe was seen by Martin Cock offshore from Kingsland Road on Tuesday.

I had to dodge showers along the north side of the Island on Monday 4th, here a rainbow pictured from the Maydays seawall. A pale-bellied brent goose was feeding in the fields with 800 brent geese, also a big flock in the wet wheat fields of 1000 golden plover, 100 lapwing and also 70 grey plovers and 50 dunlin. Three marsh harriers, ten fieldfares and a stonechat were also noted at Maydays while in the Pyefleet were 1000 knot, red-breasted merganser and 100 avocets.

At East Mersea Point three snow buntings and the purple sandpiper were seen by Martin Cock on the wet Monday morning.

A red squirrel was seen visiting the nut feeder in the Firs Chase garden about midday on Wednesday 

WHITE-FRONTS DROP-IN

Happy New Year folks.

Five white-fronted geese dropped down onto one of the grazing fields at the country park on Sunday 3rd. They had circled round several times mid morning before deciding to land beside the big flock of wigeon. 

Four snow buntings were feeding on the beach at the East Mersea Point on Sunday - present for their fourth day. Also at the Point were the purple sandpiper seen close as the tide pushed it in, a sanderling, rock pipit and a stonechat by the seawall.

The wet country park grazing fields are providing perfect feeding conditions for waders and wildfowl with the water now flowing off the field into the borrowdyke. Across both fields on Sunday were 1000 wigeon, 12 gadwall, four snipe, fifty lapwing, 20+ black-tailed godwits, 8 greylag geese as well as a few brent geese, teal and shoveler. 

A buzzard and a sparrowhawk were perched a few metres apart in the alders by the park pond on Sunday. The hedgerows by the Golfhouse were busy with at least fifty fieldfares, 30 redwings, several blackbirds and a noisy mistle thrush all feeding on the berries.

Offshore from the West Mersea Esplanade on Sunday were three great northern divers, two common scoter, two eider, a pair of goldeneye, as well as a marsh harrier flying low north over the Blackwater from Bradwell to Mersea.

Earlier in the day Andy Field saw from the Esplanade, two great northern divers, seven red-breasted mergansers, eight common scoter and by Cobmarsh Island five bar-tailed godwits, while a shag was seen by Martin Cock.

The covey of seven red-legged partridge was seen in the field by Chapmans Lane by Steve Entwistle.

An obliging male green woodpecker was feeding on the grass at Seaview Caravan Park on Saturday 2nd.

Offshore from the Esplanade were two eider, shag and red-necked grebe noted on Saturday by Steve Entwistle. Two great northern divers were seen later in the day.

At Waldegraves 65 sanderling were noted on the beach, 300 brent geese feeding in a wheat field and a big flock of 1000+ wood pigeons dropping down into a wood.

Ian Black reported a buzzard over St Peters and a blackcap in his Mersea Avenue garden on Saturday.

A kingfisher was seen along the Strood seawall by Jonathan Bustard on Saturday.

In the Coopers Beach and boating lake area on Saturday were a marsh harrier high over, great northern diver close-in on the sea, also 200 great crested grebes offshore. Waders gathered on the marshes were 90 curlew, 30 golden plover, 10 ringed plover, 30 redshank and twenty dunlin along with two Mediterranean gulls. 

In the hedges and fields west of the East Mersea church were 70+ fieldfares, 12 redwing and two yellowhammers.

At Cudmore Grove on Saturday were four snow buntings and purple sandpiper at the Point, a black-throated diver in the Colne and three Slavonian grebes offshore.

A flock of 400 brent geese was feeding in one of the Strood fields on a murky start to the New Year on Friday 1st. A pale bellied brent was feeding with a few other brent geese in front of the Firs Caravan park.

The bearded tit was heard calling from the dyke reedbed, a pair of stonechat was still present and four red-legged partridge were by the Strood Hill. In the channel were 30 avocets, 200 golden plover and a Mediterranean gull while two marsh harriers flew south-west over Ray Island and two buzzard also noted.

A flock of 34 fieldfares flew west high over Firs Chase and a mistle thrush was perched by mistletoe by the Firs Caravan park.

Sixty-six species were logged during the morning walk on New Year's Day between Firs Chase, Feldy View and along the Strood seawall.

Andy Field reported seeing three snow buntings at the East Mersea Point, also the purple sandpiper on the mud and a Slavonian grebe offshore from the park on Friday. Four Slavonian grebes were seen later offshore by Jonathan Bustard while Steve Entwistle saw a red-throated diver from the park, as well as a buzzard, three stonechats and near Mersea Barns 450 fieldfares and ten redwing.

Along the Pyefleet Channel on a cold and misty Friday were noted by Michael Thorley - six red-breasted mergansers, 191 avocets, four great crested grebes, 30 wigeon, ten grey plover, 100 redshank and fifty knot. On the Reeveshall fields were 280 brent geese, 50 curlew, 100 lapwing and 12 black-tailed godwits.

This kestrel was photographed by Michael Thorley in his East Mersea garden near Meeting Lane.