STORMY WATERS

A pair of mute swans battled with the stormy waters along the Strood dyke on a very windy Monday 21st.

The mute swans managed to stay in the same spot, no doubt paddling fast underneath the surface, with the wind whipping up the water, even along this short section of dyke.

Numbers of waders and wildfowl along the Strood Channel were low, due to the low tide and the strong winds. Three avocets, two black-tailed godwits were the only waders of note while numbers of wigeon and teal in mid channel totalled about 50. A flock of brent geese was feeding in the wheat field beside Strood Hill. The wintering stonechat was perched on a bush out of the wind near the caravan park.

The recent strong winds had blown a tree across the footpath down the side of the Firs caravan park.

The combination of a very high tide and strong winds had left this yacht marooned on the side of the Hard car park on Monday.

Opposite the Hard six red-breasted mergansers were feeding among the boat moorings while another male was further up the Strood channel.

A stock dove was feeding in the Firs Chase garden on Monday underneath the bird feeders.

Also feeding under the bird feeders in Firs Chase on Monday was the wintering female blackcap. One or two goldfinches, chaffinches and greenfinches have been visiting the feeders too.

Steve Entwistle reported 18 fieldfares at Bocking Hall and two Mediterranean gulls at Victoria Esplanade on Monday.

On a very windy Sunday 20th along the Strood seawall, the stonechat was seen as were a rock pipit, reed bunting, two linnets and six stock doves in the fields. Two little egrets, grey heron, a single golden plover, two black-tailed godwits and five avocets were noted as was a flock of 500 brent geese on the Peldon side.

The female blackcap was seen in the Firs Chase garden again.

A snow bunting made an unexpected appearance at the allotments on East Road on Saturday 19th and was photographed by Jane Morgan

A strong breeze blew along the Maydays and Reeveshall seawall on Saturday 19th but at least the rain held off during the morning walk. A male hen harrier was first seen in the distance on the army ranges on the mainland, before it flew and landed on Pewit Island for a few minutes. It then crossed over to Reeveshall where it flew low and westwards over the fields and over the Maydays seawall. Thirty minutes later it provided another fly-past as it returned back to the Langenhoe ranges. Seven marsh harriers and five buzzards were seen from the seawall.

A great white egret flew down channel and dropped down on the lagoon on Langenhoe Point. A short while later a second great white egret was seen feeding along the rush-filled ditch inside the Reeveshall seawall. Along the Pyefleet were 16 pintail and six red-breasted mergansers while on Reeveshall were two greylag geese, 25 golden plover flying over and 200 brent geese. On Maydays 52 corn buntings were on the game crop, a stonechat was by the farm reservoir, 100 noisy jackdaws and a coot were by the Maydays farm while 50 linnets were by Haycocks Lane.

A female blackcap was seen by Andy Field in his garden in High Street North on Saturday morning.

On Friday 18th along a very stormy Strood seawall, it was difficult to see many birds in the gale-force winds. Those seen were a corn bunting, rock pipit, 18 avocets, two black-tailed godwits, 7 stock doves and five goldfinches sheltering in a bush.

A black brant pictured nearest, was feeding with a few dark-bellied brent geese in front of the Firs Caravan park on Thursday 17th. A pale-bellied brent goose was also seen nearby in another flock of dark-bellied brent geese, totalling about 25 birds. On the Feldy marshes area were 500 brent geese that flew up and landed in the Ray Channel. Two marsh harriers were noted during the walk along the Strood seawall, also a Mediterranean gull and a stonechat.

A muntjac deer was seen crossing Firs Chase mid afternoon on Thursday, a female blackcap seen at the garden feeders again.

Shaun Bater had a windy walk on Thursday reporting 300 brent geese, two mute swans, 30 wigeon, 6 teal, 5 avocets along the Strood, two pochard on the fishing lakes, six redwing by Island House garden, buzzard in Dawes Lane and Med gulls with black-headed gulls by Cross Lane.

A pair of pochard was seen at the park pond at Cudmore Grove on Wednesday 16th, the male pictured here by Andy Field.

The female pochard on the park pond on Wednesday was photographed by Andy. A great spotted woodpecker was heard drumming at the park.

On the park's fields were 200 wigeon, 200 teal, snipe, 52 curlew and 12 black-tailed godwits.

Andy photographed some of the 44 sanderling  on East Mersea Point on Wednesday, also there were 50 turnstone. On the nearby Golfhouse saltmarsh pools were 20 shoveler, also seen were a golden plover, rock pipit, two meadow pipits in the Golfhouse paddocks and a buzzard was seen flying over.

Steve Entwistle saw a kingfisher on Wednesday afternoon flying to the Strood fishing lakes.

A mistle thrush perched over the footpath east of Meeting Lane during a walk from Shop Lane on Wednesday 16th. Also seen were three marsh harriers, two buzzards, sparrowhawk, six green woodpeckers in various places, yellowhammer, two reed buntings and three song thrushes. There was also an interesting mixed flock of 200 finches and buntings feeding distantly in a game cover crop on the west side of Gyants Marsh. Two brown hares sat still in one of the fields.

A female blackcap was in the Firs Chase garden on Wednesday.

A red squirrel continues to be a regular visitor to the Firs Chase garden.

WIGEON GRAZERS

Up to 400 wigeon were in the country park grazing fields on Tuesday 15th. Numbers are well below those normally present in the winter but numbers have been gradually increasing over the last month as the old grass dies down. Also in the fields were 52 greylag geese, 100 teal as well as 20 curlew, 10 black-tailed godwits and 20 stock doves while six tufted duck and four little grebes were along the dyke.

Feeding on the East Mersea Point just before high tide on Tuesday were 42 sanderling, also one knot and two ringed plovers.

Fifty turnstones were also feeding along the water's edge as the waves washed onto the beach with the sanderling at East Mersea Point on Tuesday. In the Colne three red-breasted mergansers flew to the Pyefleet.

A female marsh harrier was quartering the saltmarsh, close to the 600 brent geese feeding in a field beside the Golfhouse. A stonechat perched up on saltmarsh bushes and 25 shoveler noted too. A mistle thrush flew from mistletoe clumps beside the track to the Golfhouse.

Two fieldfares perched on overhead wires at Bocking Hall.

Lots of blue sky reflected off one of the fishing lakes at Waldegraves caravan park on Monday 14th. 

In nearby Cross Lane five yellowhammers, a buzzard, five redwing with another one in the caravan park. Offshore were a great northern diver and red-throated diver with 30 sanderling on the shingle island. Twelve Mediterranean gulls were feeding on the golf driving range and ten linnets near the beach.

On the Rewsalls Marshes on Monday were 400 brent geese, 18 teal, 14 little grebes, 100 curlew, 25 black-tailed godwits, 30 turnstones, 30 dunlin, sparrowhawk with 50 sanderling feeding on the beach. A sparrowhawk flew along the back of the boating lake and 25 redwing were by the vineyard.

The first cherry plum tree to flower this spring was in Cross Lane on Monday.

On Monday morning Martin Cock walked the Maydays seawall and noted the male hen harrier, two marsh harriers, buzzard, great white egret on Reeveshall, two snipe, two corn buntings and two red-legged partridge. Later the shag was seen by Martin sitting on the end of the causeway at the West Mersea Hard.

Later on Monday Steve Entwistle also saw the male hen harrier at Maydays as it crossed over the saltmarsh to fly over a game cover crop providing good views before it returned back over the saltmarsh late afternoon. Also a Chinese water deer seen running along the farm side of dyke and then a field edge. Beside the game crop were 22 corn buntings while earlier in the afternoon 59 fieldfares were at Bocking Hall.

On a windy walk along the Strood seawall on Sunday 13th, birds noted included a marsh harrier, stonechat, seven stock doves, 1000 brent geese, 18 golden plover, Mediterranean gull and the shag seen from the Hard.

A male stonechat posed nicely for Andy Field to photograph it at the country park on Saturday 12th. The female stonechat was also seen nearby, also 40 ringed plovers, ten red-breasted mergansers in the Colne and four marsh harriers over Langenhoe Point.

A hovering male kestrel was photographed at the country park by Andy on Saturday.

Shaun Bater walked from Cudmore Grove to Shop Lane on Saturday and reported lots of shelduck, shoveler, several hundred lapwing, 20+ ringed plover, 100 brent geese by the Golfhouse and a huge flock of brent by Shop Lane.

At Maydays farm on Saturday morning 30 corn buntings and ten reed buntings were at the game cover crop. A merlin flew over the Pyefleet from Reeveshall to Langenhoe, a sparrowhawk flew low along a field ditch being mobbed by crows, three marsh harriers and two buzzards were seen. A flock of 1000 brent geese was feeding on Reeveshall, while along the Pyefleet channel were eight pintail, ten red-breasted mergansers, 1000 dunlin, 200 shelduck, two bar-tailed godwits and 20 black-tailed godwits.

Forty chaffinches fed in a game crop at the top end of Haycocks Lane.

A male blackcap was seen in the Firs Chase garden on Saturday morning while Steve Entwistle saw the black brant by the West Mersea Hard mid morning.

The regular and very obliging Shop Lane kestrel perched on a post over the road on Friday 11th.

The telegraph post near Fishponds Wood seems to be a favourite perch for this kestrel.

Heading out onto the Reeveshall seawall in perfect sunny and still conditions, birds noted included greenshank, pair of pintail, pale bellied brent goose with 100 brent geese, ten greylags, ten red-breasted mergansers, five marsh harriers, five buzzards and two sparrowhawks.

A red squirrel paused on a tree as it watched my next move, as I started to walk alongside Fishponds Wood in Shop Lane on Friday.

At Maydays on Friday morning Martin Cock saw the male hen harrier flying over the fields putting up 20+ snipe. Also seen were seven buzzards, four marsh harriers, sparrowhawk, forty corn buntings and four song thrushes.

On Thursday 10th a flock of 500 brent geese was feeding in the field beside the Golfhouse. Two Canada geese flew over and ten greylag geese fed in the park's fields, as did a male pintail and 200 wigeon. A marsh harrier flew over the fields putting up three snipe and then flew over the park pond where a buzzard was perched up and two kestrels were seen flying about. 

Earlier on the walk there were seven tufted duck, eight gadwall and four pochard on the park pond with another pochard on the dyke. The pair of stonechat was near the seawall sluice, where 45 shoveler and 100 teal were on the pools. In the Colne were 13 red-breasted mergansers.

Three mistle thrushes were in horse paddocks near the East Mersea bus turning circle on Thursday.

The same three mistle thrushes were later seen flying into the Cudmore Grove car park on Thursday morning.

MUNTJAC MISCHIEF

It was a bit of a surprise to see a pair of muntjac deer out in the open field beside Feldy View mid morning on Wednesday 9th.

It appeared the buck muntjac had the scent of spring in the air and was chasing the doe around, who ran about with her tail lifted up. The two deer ran down the side of the Firs Caravan park and one of them ran onto the seawall then back into the caravan park - keeping away from the various dog-walkers in the area.

Earlier a red squirrel was seen in a tree just inside the Firs Caravan park on Wednesday morning, while one was also reported in the same area the day before on Tuesday as it ran along a fence beside the caravan park southern folly footpath.

A small charm of five goldfinches was feeding on elm buds near Feldy View on Wednesday.

A green woodpecker was feeding on the ground in Feldy View, briefly perching on a wooden cross.

Only a small number of waders along the Strood channel on Wednesday during the low tide with 100+ redshank the most widespread seen. Also present were 500 brent geese, 150 teal, 50 wigeon, 100 lapwing and ten golden plover, while three buzzards were seen passing over.

The shag was seen swimming opposite the Dabchicks sailing club and then hopped onto a buoy.

On Reeveshall on Wednesday Martin Cock reported seeing a greenshank, great white egret in Broad Fleet, three buzzards, five marsh harriers, a distant male hen harrier, twenty greylag geese and six red-breasted mergansers in the Pyefleet.

Steve Entwistle saw two red-legged partridges at Blue Row, then later from the Esplanade there were 125 great crested grebes and three great northern divers offshore.

An early brimstone butterfly was seen flying in Shop Lane on Wednesday by Nicola. An early red admiral was seen in Shop Lane on Tuesday by Steve Entwistle. 

On Tuesday 8th along the Strood seawall the stonechat was seen again after an absence of a fortnight, also 800 brent geese mainly in the Ray Channel, 25 golden plover, 15 avocets, 8 stock doves, 15 goldfinches, a sparrowhawk through Feldy View and four reed buntings by the dyke.

Andy Field photographed this male pintail at the country park pond on Tuesday 8th.

The male pintail has been present for over a fortnight on the park pond.

A male gadwall was also photographed by Andy on the country park pond on Tuesday. Also seen at the park of interest were a buzzard, Mediterranean gull, three stonechats and 14 greylag geese.

At Maydays on Tuesday afternoon Steve Entwistle had good views of a merlin on one of the Reeveshall fields, three maybe four short-eared owls, eight marsh harriers to roost, red-breasted merganser, rock pipit and six greylag geese. Two Chinese Water Deer were seen playing together along the paths among the game cover crop at Maydays. Earlier in the day a goldcrest was seen by Steve in Shop Lane.

Along the Strood channel on Monday 7th were 40+ curlew, some just resting on the mud like this one pictured. Also present were 400 lapwing, 250 golden plover, 66 avocets, 150 teal, 15 black-tailed godwits, 28 shelduck, pair of swans in the dyke, two marsh harriers, two buzzards, five rock pipits and two corn buntings. A mistle thrush was beside the Firs Caravan park and the shag was on a buoy near the Lifeboat station.

Three marsh harriers were seen flying over the Yacht Club on Monday by Paul Rowe looking from Old Hall. A sparrowhawk was seen being mobbed by crows over Empress Drive by Steve Entwistle.

Martin Cock reported from East Mersea seeing a pochard on the park pond, goldcrest in Shop Lane and also a green colour ringed brent goose which David Low informs us was ringed in Terschelling in the Netherlands in May 2018. Previous visits by this brent goose to Essex have included to the south side of the Blackwater estuary in February 2019 and to Titchmarsh marina at Walton on the Naze in February 2020.

The shag wasn't too hard to find on Sunday 6th as it was standing on the edge of the mud only twenty metres from the jetty at the West Mersea Hard. It later headed up channel to feed with some gulls in the water.

Also at the West Mersea Hard on Sunday was the regular black brant with a dozen brent geese - the main flock of 600 brent geese were in the Ray Channel.

Along the Strood Channel a peregrine crossed over to harass a few birds and then headed fast into the strong wind over Ray Island. Also seen were a buzzard, 66 avocets, Mediterranean gull, six golden plover, five black-tailed godwits.

Perched over the East Mersea road by Bocking Hall was a buzzard on Sunday morning.

On Saturday 5th, birds of interest at Maydays were 25 pintail, 3 red-breasted mergansers, 130 avocets, 300 lapwing, 600 brent geese, two greenshank, 20 black-tailed godwits, sparrowhawk, three buzzards, forty corn buntings and twenty reed buntings.

Two red-legged partridges were seen near Blue Row, while a buzzard was seen near Dawes Lane.

At the East Mersea Golfhouse on Saturday morning, Steve Entwistle reported 42 shoveler, 200 wigeon, rock pipit, red-breasted merganser in the Colne, pair of stonechat, 300+ avocets on the mud, two black-tailed godwits and five greylag geese.

A peregrine was watched by Colin Mackenzie-Grieve from Old Hall, as it flew north over West Mersea carrying prey being chased by a succession of herring gulls trying without luck to get it to drop its prey. Four great northern divers were seen just off Old Hall beach by Paul Rowe.

Just after midnight in the early hours of Friday 4th, a barn owl was watched in the car headlights while driving past the layby at the Strood fishing lakes. The owl was hunting along the grassy bank beside the fishing lakes.

A mild night on Tuesday 8th evening seemed worth putting the moth trap out in the Firs Chase garden for the first time this year. These two oak beauties were noted, one with a slightly darker form.

One of two pale-brindled beauties were trapped.

A dark spring usher was also noted, as was a common quaker.

An angle shades was also noted.

SWANS ALONG PARK DYKE

A pair of mute swans put in a rare appearance along the country park borrowdyke on Thursday 3rd. The pair appeared to be a male and a near adult female with its paler bill - the same pair seen in the Strood dyke a week earlier.

A skylark was feeding on the beach at the East Mersea Point on Thursday. Birds seen near the Point were 1000 dunlin, 72 ringed plover, 101 shelduck, bar-tailed godwit, knot and four avocets with 25 shoveler on the saltmarsh pools and two red-breasted mergansers in the Colne.

Two buzzards drifted west over the Golfhouse pools, a stonechat was by the dyke and a snipe was seen in flight. A mistle thrush was seen in a mistletoe laden tree by the Golfhouse.

The male pintail was seen again on the country park pond - seen here standing with the white chest, also two female pintail seen too on Thursday, along with 20 gadwall, pochard, six tufted duck, 70 teal and five little egrets in the trees. A Cetti's warbler and two water rails were heard calling by the pond.

At Maydays on Thursday morning Steve Entwistle reported seeing a marsh harrier, sparrowhawk, greenshank, 15 corn buntings, fieldfare, reed bunting pair, 300 avocets, 2000 dunlin, bar-tailed godwit, five black-tailed godwits, two little grebes and 13 pintail. 

Martin Cock reported seeing at Maydays on Thursday 17 corn buntings, four red-breasted mergansers, two redwing, fieldfare and 35 linnets.

Later two redwings were seen by Steve in the large garden just up from the Strood along the East Mersea road, while offshore from the Esplanade were three great northern divers and 54 great crested grebes.

On Wednesday 2nd at Reeveshall a juvenile pale-bellied brent goose was feeding on the saltmarsh with thirty brent geese, also four greylag geese, 300 brent, 400 lapwing, 400 starlings, 12 stock doves  feeding on Reeveshall fields. A pair of pintail and a greenshank were on the Reeveshall pool while four marsh harriers and three buzzards were noted. Of interest in the Pyefleet were five red-breasted mergansers and 100 avocets along with four rock pipits along the saltmarsh.

Martin Cock and Andrew Tilsley on Wednesday morning walked the East Mersea seawall between the Oyster Fishery and Ivy Dock and reported a pair of stonechat, three marsh harriers and a knot. 

At Coopers Beach on Wednesday there was a great northern diver and two Slavonian grebes seen offshore by Steve Entwistle, while a pochard was at the park pond, two mistle thrushes by the Golfhouse and eight greylag geese on the grazing fields.

Michael Thorley photographed the male pochard on the country park pond on Tuesday 1st.

A pair of gadwall was also photographed by Michael at the park pond on Tuesday.

The tide was flooding the marshes at Rewsalls on Tuesday 1st with birds of interest being a black brant with 300 brent geese, 110 curlew, 29 snipe, 15 teal, forty golden plover, 50 turnstone, ten ringed plover with forty sanderling on the beach. Fifteen reed buntings, fourteen linnets, three song thrushes, meadow pipit, buzzard and a kestrel were also noted during the walk from East Mersea church to the Rewsalls boating lake.

 

The pathway leading to the East Mersea church was flanked on both sides with a colourful display of winter aconites and snowdrops on Tuesday.

A very strong wind whipped up the waves on the surge high tide along the Strood channel on Monday 31st. Spray was being blown over the top of the seawall, providing a good drenching to anyone silly enough to walk along! 

The main bird interest seen from the seawall was a wader roost at a flooded patch in a field with 300 dunlin, five ringed plovers, redshank, grey plover and eight golden plovers seen. A snipe was flushed off the side of the seawall while seven rock pipits were feeding along the edge of the seawall.

A second-winter Mediterranean gull was feeding in a field by the Firs caravan park on Monday, while a mistle thrush was seen in the usual mistletoed poplar trees at the top of the caravan park.

A turnstone was feeding on part of the flooded car park at the West Mersea Hard on Monday.

A shag was feeding close to the end of the West Mersea jetty by the Hard on Sunday 30th. Along the Strood seawall were seen four snipe, two corn buntings, 250 teal and bar-tailed godwit. Five red-legged partridge were in a field by the Strood Hill.

At Maydays on Sunday were two pintail, bar-tailed godwit, 20 black-tailed godwits, 15 corn buntings, five fieldfare, two redwings and two buzzards.

On Reeveshall were greenshank on the pool, 1000 brent geese, 300 lapwing, 400 starlings, 500 dunlin, 40 knot, four marsh harriers, five buzzards and ten meadow pipits.

Ten red-breasted mergansers were in the Pyefleet and twenty were also in the Colne.

Shaun Bater walked from Shop Lane to the Strood on Sunday and noted four kestrels, four buzzards, four marsh harriers, pochard, pintail, greenshank, four avocets, seven red-breasted mergansers and a bar-tailed godwit - as well as the resident flock of nine helmeted guineafowl near Bower Hall.

A buzzard perched in a hedge near the country park entrance on Sunday 30th. On the park pond were two pochard, 14 gadwall, six tufted ducks while five greylag geese were on the grazing field and two snipe also noted. A pair of stonechat was on the saltmarsh by Ivy Dock.

Steve Entwistle saw a song thrush, pair of greenfinch and goldfinch, and six long-tailed tits in Cross Lane on Sunday morning.