SCUTTLING BUNTINGS

Three snow buntings were found on Friday 2nd feeding on the beach on the East Mersea Point. They scuttled about on the shingle like mice and were very well camouflaged until they moved.

Three linnets joined them later, also at the Point were a pied wagtail and a rock pipit, while in the Colne was a great crested grebe.

Two snipe and ten shoveler were on the Golfhouse pools and a stonechat perched nearby on the bushes.

On the park's grazing fields on Friday were 400 wigeon and also 400 brent geese. A buzzard was mobbed by crows as it flew over the fields.

A grey heron stalked alongside the park dyke on Friday. On the park pond there were fifty mallard, tufted duck, twenty teal and four shoveler. A goldcrest was in trees along the horseride path.

A flock of 36 skylarks flew over fields to the north of the park, and a mistle thrush was in horse paddocks here.

Eight red-legged partridges were in a field by Weir Farm earlier on Friday morning.

A red squirrel ran across the path behind the bird hide and then shot up a tree at the country park on Friday.

The red squirrel waited for a few minutes in a tree before deciding to scramble away through the branches and off through the trees.

At Maydays on Friday Martin Cock reported two green sandpipers, nine red-breasted mergansers, 60 knot, buzzard, three marsh harriers, while later at the West Mersea Esplanade two eider and a great northern diver were seen. A merlin was seen flying north to West Mersea from Bradwell by Colin Mackenzie Grieve from Old Hall. 

On Thursday 1st along the Strood seawall a peregrine was watched chasing a stock dove over Ray Island with the dove escaping when it reached the safety of the trees there. Two marsh harriers and a buzzard were seen, also 700 brent geese, and three stonechats, while along the channel were 25 little grebes and twenty avocets. A green woodpecker was seen out on the seawall and in trees alongside the dyke.

Offshore from the Esplanade on Thursday morning, two eider, great northern diver, three red-throated divers, two red-breasted mergansers, seven common scoter, 17 great crested grebes, three sanderling, 43 dunlin and two Mediterranean gulls were reported by Steve Entwistle with contributions from Andy Field, Martin Cock and Daryl Rhymes.

Ten red-legged partridges were seen on Thursday morning by Steve Entwistle near the East Mersea Road by the Old Rectory, Weir Farm.

Offshore from the Monkey Beach on Wednesday 30th a goldeneye flew west into the Mersea Quarters and headed possibly towards Salcott channel. A great northern diver was close to Cobmarsh and fifteen great crested grebes were offshore. A grey wagtail was feeding close to the Coast Road amongst the flotsam washed up on the saltmarsh near the houseboats. A pale-bellied brent goose was with a handful of dark-bellied brent geese along from the Hard.

Martin Cock saw two red-throated divers, at least two great northern divers and an unidentified auk offshore from the Esplanade on Wednesday. Earlier two lesser redpolls flying over Maydays were seen by Martin.

The regular black brant was feeding with a few dark-bellied brent geese near the West Mersea Hard on Tuesday 29th. In the wheat field near Feldy View there were 600 brent geese feeding while along the Strood channel were 350 wigeon, 100 teal, 24 little grebes, 48 avocets, two knot, also a snipe flying over. Four grey herons and ten little egrets seen too.

A male hen harrier was glimpsed briefly as it hunted the Peldon seawall behind Ray Island, also a peregrine seen flying over Ray Island, a marsh harrier, two buzzards and a kestrel noted. 

In the fields were a stonechat, 50 skylarks, twenty meadow pipits and a Cetti's warbler calling from the reedbed.

Offshore from the West Mersea Esplanade on Tuesday afternoon were two great northern divers, a red-throated diver, twenty great crested grebes and two marsh harriers seen crossing the river Blackwater north to Mersea / Old Hall.

Steve Entwistle also at the Esplanade reported in addition, three red-throated divers, red-breasted merganser, eight mute swans and six shelduck.

The red-throated diver was still feeding in the Strood channel on a nice sunny and still Monday 28th - present for its second day. The diver was feeding as far up the channel beyond the seawall sluice before drifting back down channel, feeding as it went.

Along the channel were 1000 golden plover, 200 lapwing, forty avocets, forty black-tailed godwits, four knot, ten little egrets and two Mediterranean gulls. Three marsh harriers and a sparrowhawk were seen too, while on the fields were 50 skylarks, 30 linnets, ten reed buntings, two Cetti's warblers, stonechat and a lesser redpoll flying west over the channel.

Several of the skylarks were feeding on top of the Strood seawall on Monday.

Offshore from the Esplanade on Monday late afternoon, Steve Entwistle was pleased to see the very rare sight here of a puffin as it drifted out from Tollesbury Fleet where it had been reported earlier in the afternoon. Also six great crested grebes. Martin Cock saw a great northern diver and three red-throated divers offshore.

A common scoter was seen distantly by Andy Field offshore from Cudmore Grove on Monday morning.

On a grey and overcast Sunday 27th, a red-throated diver was seen feeding in the Strood channel, feeding on the far side beside the Ray Island saltings.

The pale-bellied brent goose was feeding with some dark-bellied brent geese in front of the Firs Caravan park on Sunday.

The flock of 1000 brent geese were flushed off the wheat field beside the Whittaker Way houses and landed in the Strood channel for a bathe and preen on Sunday. Also along the channel were 800 golden plover, 90 grey plover, 48 avocets, 40 black-tailed godwits, 15 shelduck and four knot.

Three marsh harriers flew separately over Ray Island, while over the Strood fields were two stonechats, seven corn buntings, fifteen linnets and a Cetti's warbler calling in the reeds. 

A great white egret was seen on the Maydays saltmarsh on Sunday by Martin Cock.