On Friday 19th a great white egret was stalking along the edge of the pond at the back of the Strood fields. Later on Friday morning a second great white egret was seen beside the borrowdyke, close-by to a little egret for a good size comparison.
A peregrine circled over the fields scattering some of the birds before landing in a field for a few minutes.
Later in the afternoon ten white-fronted geese were seen flying over Ray Island towards Copt Hall by Ian Black.
A chiffchaff was seen in the Firs Chase garden on Friday morning amongst the cherry plum blossom.
At Cudmore Grove on Friday, Andy Field noted 29 snipe, buzzard, black brant, pale-bellied brent goose with 1000+ dark-bellied brent geese. Also two singing Cetti's warblers, singing chiffchaff and three adders basking in the sun.
A male hen harrier was seen over Reeveshall on Friday morning by Anne Cock
The great white egret kept on being chased off a pond by a grey heron, where it would fly to a flooded area of a nearby field to preen for a few minutes before flying back to the pond again.
Another of Michael's photos on Thursday of the great white egret. Whilst one of the birds fed at the back of the fields, a second great white egret was watched flying over the Strood causeway heading down channel, providing a nice close view as it passed overhead before dropping into the borrowdyke for a few minutes. It stalked the dyke for a few minutes before flying over to Ray Island. Three little egrets were seen nearby for comparison in size.
The pale-bellied brent goose was feeding in the country park grazing fields on Wednesday 17th, along with 800 dark-bellied brent geese. Also in the fields were a greylag goose and a hybrid greylag/ Canada goose, 700 wigeon, nine snipe and a leucistic starling with 200 starlings. Eight pochard, six tufted duck were present and two Cetti's warblers were singing as was a chiffchaff in the park. Six sanderling were on the mud just before high tide but no purple sandpiper.
Seven moths were in the Firs Chase garden trap on Wednesday night included this clouded drab.
Three early grey moths were the first for the year, also noted were common quaker, hebrew character and a light brown apple moth.
Two great white egrets were seen on both Thursday 18th and Friday 19th in the fields by the Strood. These three photographs were taken by Michael Thorley on Thursday of one of the birds that has spent some time at the back of the fields.
Also along the Strood seawall on Thursday, the bearded tit called from the main reedbed in the dyke, a buzzard perched in the tree, 20 corn buntings flew off the grass field, ten avocets were along the Strood, while a bar-tailed godwit was feeding at the Hard.
Further round the seawall at the Oyster Fishery, the Cetti's warbler was showing well to Martin Cock on Wednesday morning.
On Tuesday 16th along the Strood, the great white egret was seen at the back of the fields feeding in the pond but being chased off by the grey heron. Later it was seen flying away over on the mainland passing Feldy and heading towards Salcott Channel. Fourteen white-fronted geese flew south-west over the caravan site, a buzzard, ten avocets, six corn buntings, Mediterranean gull and the bearded tit heard calling, were the main birds noted in the area. Three red-breasted mergansers were feeding in the channel near Packing Shed Island.
At Maydays on Tuesday, Martin Cock reported a greenshank in the creek, four buzzards, four marsh harriers, 60 redwing and 20 corn buntings.
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