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.