A buzzard was seen near Strood Hill, a second bird perched on Ray Island and a third one very high up drifting north-west off the island. A marsh harrier was seen flying over the Ray saltmarsh.
A corn bunting also perched beside the Strood dyke on Monday and 16 meadow pipits flew out of a nearby grass field.
A mistle thrush was seen again on Monday high up in the poplar trees feeding on the mistletoe berries above the Firs Caravan park. A goldcrest was seen feeding in a holly bush in the Firs Chase garden.
Andy Field photographed the male snow bunting along the Reeveshall seawall on Monday. Also seen during his walk from Shop Lane were ten marsh harriers (including an orange wing-tagged bird), three buzzards, four red-breasted mergansers, 30 greylag geese, 100 avocets while in Fishponds Wood were three goldcrests and a grey squirrel.
Shaun Bater visited Cudmore Grove on Monday and photographed this wigeon with a black-tailed godwit feeding in the grazing field. Also noted were six curlew in a horse paddock, song thrush, on the pond were three gadwall pairs and a shoveler, 200 brent geese and 200 wigeon, 35 curlew and four black-tailed godwits in the fields, little grebe in the dyke, four shoveler on the Golfhouse pools, 25 sanderling on the beach. Later beside West Mersea 80 brent geese and ten pied wagtails were in Cross Lane.
This red squirrel was photographed by Shaun Bater at Cudmore Grove on Monday. It wasn't seen moving to begin with and Shaun was worried if it was poorly. However after Shaun made a squeaky noise at it, the red squirrel then woke up from its snooze, although it continued to remain motionless in the branches.
Two red squirrels were seen together in the Firs Chase garden on Monday early afternoon.
One red squirrel was having to wait its turn at the feeder for at least five minutes, while the other one tucked into the nut mix.
After the two red squirrels were seen heading through the trees to the neighbours, it was a surprise to see a red squirrel so quickly back at the feeder. It may've been a third different individual, or maybe just one of the Reds that quickly returned from the neighbours.
Happy New Year to everyone!
Shaun Bater also visited Reeveshall on New Year's Day to see the snow bunting and took this photograph.
A flock of 500 brent geese was seen flying onto the wheat crop at Maydays farm on Sunday.
As well as the brent geese at Maydays, a fieldfare and a stonechat were seen on hedgelines, while at Reeveshall there was another stonechat pair, 500 starlings, 42 curlew, 20 golden plover flying over and ten stock doves. A goldcrest was in a garden beside Fishponds Wood in Shop Lane, possibly a second bird seen earlier by Steve Entwistle by the layby.
A juvenile brent goose was still standing on the Reeveshall seawall and although it appears to be poorly, it keeps flying away when it is approached.
Along the Strood channel on Monday morning were 70 avocets, 150 golden plover, 100 lapwing, 20 shelduck, ten little grebes, twenty black-tailed godwits and a knot. The large flock of 700 brent geese was feeding on the Peldon fields.
A water rail was seen by Martin Cock near the Oyster Fishery on Monday. Later at West Mersea a peacock butterfly was seen in his garden in the afternoon sunshine.
Michael Thorley saw 55 ringed plover at East Mersea Point on Monday, while seen from his East Mersea house near Meeting Lane were 800 brent geese, kestrel, marsh harrier and a buzzard.
Earlier on Monday morning a red squirrel was also seen in the ivy trees along the top-end of the Firs Caravan park.
The Reeveshall snow bunting was the highlight of the New Year's Day walk from Shop Lane back along the north side of the Island to West Mersea.
Along the Pyefleet were 70+ avocets, four red-breasted mergansers, great crested grebe, 82 shelduck, bar-tailed godwit, while on Langenhoe there were five marsh harriers and two buzzards.
On the Bower Hall seawall on Sunday, a marsh harrier, rock pipit and six meadow pipits were seen. On the Strood there were 1000 golden plover, 60 avocets, one knot, 1000 brent geese on the Peldon side and a Cetti's warbler calling beside the Firs Caravan park.
Michael Thorley reported a noisy water rail in the borrowdyke by the East Mersea Oyster Fishery on Sunday. A buzzard was seen in Chapmans Lane by Steve Entwistle and 150 brent geese were seen in fields near Cross Lane by Shaun Bater.
No comments:
Post a Comment