CONFIDING SANDERLING

A confiding sanderling was feeding along the water's edge on the East Mersea Point on Friday 11th.

The small flock of eight sanderling after having a last feed, gathered on the Point before flying off to roost for the high tide period. A rock pipit, four meadow pipits and two reed buntings were seen at the Point.

At least thirty grey plover were feeding on the mud in behind the East Mersea Point just before the high tide on Friday.

A flock of 300 dunlin was having a last feed before the tide covered the mud near the Point.

Ten avocets flew up river and 200 redshank were roosting on the saltmarsh pools.

A male wigeon was feeding near the Point, one of 100 seen in the area.

Three hundred brent geese were feeding in the park's grazing fields, 152 curlew were roosting in the fields and four stonechats seen here and nearby seawall too.

On the park pond two gadwall, 45 teal and eight shoveler were of interest, a buzzard perched on a bush near the pond and a Cetti's warbler sang. A common darter flying about was a late individual for the season.

At least one lesser redpoll, maybe a second bird, was seen in an apple tree in Michael Thorley's East Mersea garden near Meeting Lane on Friday morning. A new species for Michael's garden list.

A grey squirrel was seen in a private woodland near the East Mersea Oyster Fishery on Friday by Martin Cock.

The black brant provided close views on Thursday 10th as it fed in the saltmarsh in front of the Firs Chase caravan park.

As the high tide filled up the saltmarsh creeks, the black brant fed with the flock of brent geese, in total there were 400 seen along the Strood channel on Thursday.

A small flock of 100 brent geese was feeding in a recently sown grass field by the Strood on Thursday, here grazing beside a recently planted hawthorn hedge.

Two buzzards, 50 skylarks, two sparrowhawks, 14 stock doves, stonechat and 25 linnets were seen over the fields, while two rock pipits were on the saltmarsh and a marsh harrier was over Ray Island.

A brown hare was tucked down low and hard to spot in the middle of one of the Strood fields on Thursday.

A redshank was feeding close to the Strood seawall on Thursday, while forty avocets seen in the channel. Looking across to the Feldy marshes a large flock of 3000+ golden plover was seen in the air, before they dropped back down onto the fields there.

A grey wagtail flew west off the Island, calling as it passed over the Yacht club and continued over the Mersea Quarters to Feldy.

Martin Cock saw an eider in the Mersea Quarters on Thursday, also the black brant at Rewsalls and a few goldcrests in Shop Lane.

Three mistle thrushes were seen by Jon Waters near the Golfhouse paddocks on Thursday morning.