LITTLE OWL LOOKING OUT

It was a surprise to see a little owl perched in the kestrel nest-box at the country park on Monday 27th. Earlier the little owl was heard calling and a second bird quickly duetting with it somewhere nearby at the back of the grazing fields. The little owl disappeared from the box mid morning but was seen back there again late afternoon by Caroline White.

The kestrel was seen near the park pond in the morning, a sparrowhawk circled high overhead and a buzzard was seen at the back of nearby Bromans Farm.

A flock of 700 brent geese was feeding in the park's grazing fields on Monday, also two greylag geese, 400+ wigeon and fifty teal, while 14 shoveler were on the Golfhouse pools. On the park pond were nine pochard and ten gadwall with a few mallard and teal.

Fourteen tufted ducks were along the park dyke, a female pictured here.

Birds on the mudflats were distant late Monday morning with 144 oystercatchers, 20 shelduck, two great crested grebes, four reed buntings and two linnets being the main birds noted from the Point.

A mistle thrush and four pied wagtails were feeding in the Golfhouse horse paddock on Monday, while a Cetti's warbler was singing near from bushes near the end of the East Mersea road.

On Sunday 26th the regular great white egret was back on the wet Strood field, as was a little egret, two ringed plovers and two Mediterranean gulls. A flock of fifty skylarks was flying over the field by Strood Hill, a stonechat was by the Firs caravan park.

A mixed flock of fifty fieldfares and ten redwing was feeding on one of the paramotor fields at Bower Hall, and a marsh harrier was seen flying over. A male stonechat was by the Maydays seawall and a pair further east near the Shop Lane seawall.

Twelve red-breasted mergansers and two great crested grebes were in the Pyefleet on Sunday, while on Reeveshall were fifty stock doves, 200 starlings and 100 lapwings.

A red squirrel posed briefly high in a cedar tree in the Firs Chase garden on Sunday afternoon.

Andy Field visited the East Mersea Youth Camp on Saturday 25th and noted a Slavonian grebe offshore, also 20 fieldfare, six redwing and a buzzard.

Shaun Bater walked the cemetery/ Strood seawall circuit on Sunday and reported five pochard on the fishing lakes, great white egret near the seawall sluice, 300 golden plover in the field, stonechat by the caravan park, kestrel, little grebe, 11 avocets and two distant mute swans on Peldon fields.

Along the Strood seawall on Friday 24th were the great white egret, two little egrets, 100 golden plover, 33 black-tailed godwits, bar-tailed godwit, 13 avocets, ten little grebes, 36 shelduck, 100 teal, 50 wigeon, marsh harrier over Ray Island and 1000 brent geese feeding on Feldy Marsh. A male blackcap was feeding inside a mistletoe clump at the top end of Firs caravan park.

Steve Entwistle enjoyed close views of a male sparrowhawk perched at the top-end of the Firs caravan park on Friday morning.

Michael Thorley photographed some pochard and tufted ducks at the country park on Wednesday 22nd. Here two female pochards in the park dyke.

A female pochard photographed by Michael.

Male pochard photographed in the park dyke by Michael.

Four tufted ducks photographed by Michael.

A male tufted duck and part of a female tufted duck photographed by Michael. In total four pairs of tufted ducks, three pairs of pochard and a pair of mute swans too. On the Cudmore foreshore on Wednesday 22nd were 120 oystercatcher.

STROOD GREAT WHITE EGRET AGAIN

The great white egret was seen feeding again in the Strood dyke and then flying onto the nearby field on Thursday 23rd.

The great white egret seems to like visiting the section of dyke near the sluice in the Strood seawall.

After flying onto the nearby field, the great white egret stood for a while, did some preening, before returning to the dyke to feed again.

Two little egrets and a grey heron were also seen in the area, while in the field were 400 golden plover, 25 ringed plovers and five Mediterranean gulls. In the Strood channel were 13 avocets, bar-tailed godwit and 20 black-tailed godwits. A Cetti's warbler was singing by the Strood layby.

A male sparrowhawk perched above the entrance to the Firs Caravan park on Thursday, later a second bird was seen flying over the Strood fields. Two marsh harriers were seen flying over the Ray saltmarsh.

A pair of stonechat was photographed by Andy Field beside the Shop Lane seawall on Thursday late afternoon - male pictured.

The female stonechat photographed by Andy near the Shop Lane seawall on Thursday.

Only nine marsh harriers were seen by Andy heading into the Langenhoe roost on Thursday early evening. A pair of buzzard was seen near Fishponds Wood in Shop Lane.

On Wednesday 22nd Martin Cock heard a little owl calling at the East Mersea Youth Camp but couldn't see the bird, also a Cetti's warbler heard there too. In Rewsalls Lane there were 100 fieldfare and fifty chaffinches.

Along the Strood channel at high tide on Wednesday morning a male pintail was seen swimming along the edge of the Ray saltings. In the fields were nine Mediterranean gulls, 100 golden plover and twenty ringed plover. A sparrowhawk was seen flying and ten goldfinches were seen by the caravan park.

Late on Wednesday afternoon a sparrowhawk was seen by Andy Field trying to take out one of the starlings from the few thousand gathering to roost near the top of Oakwood Avenue.

The regular pale-sided red squirrel visited the nut feeder in the Firs Chase garden on Tuesday 21st.

The black brant was seen back again by the saltmarsh at high tide in front of the Firs Caravan park on Tuesday. It hasn't been seen here for several weeks. Further along the Strood channel at high tide a kingfisher was seen flying low over the water towards the sluice, where it appeared to spend fifteen minutes or so, before flying off. 

Fifteen Mediterranean gulls were roosting in the wet field beside the Strood seawall on Tuesday, also fifty golden plover and fifty ringed plovers gathered here at high tide. The faint high-pitched display calls of a marsh harrier were heard from a male marsh harrier as it flew high over Ray Island. Another marsh harrier was seen later also a buzzard.

Shaun Bater looked through the fence of the Strood fishing lakes and saw five pochard and a tufted duck. The great white egret was on the Strood fields, 11 avocets, little grebe, marsh harrier, reed bunting and a drumming great spotted woodpecker beside the caravan park were all noted on Thursday morning too.

Andy Field saw three great northern divers together and two Mediterranean gulls offshore from Kingsland Road on Tuesday morning.

An oak beauty was in the moth trap in the Firs Chase garden on Tuesday 21st.

A common quaker moth seen on Tuesday, also a satellite moth.

WILDFOWL COUNT

Andy Field and I walked the north side of the Island between Maydays and Cudmore Grove on Monday 20th, carrying out the monthly count of waders and wildfowl. It was a fairly quiet walk birdwise, carried out during the high tide period in the middle of the day.

The biggest concentration of wildfowl was at Cudmore Grove with nearly 600 wigeon in the fields and some feeding in the saltmarsh by the Golfhouse. Also in the fields were 150 teal, ten shoveler and one black-tailed godwit. 

At Cudmore Grove on Monday were four pochard and fourteen tufted ducks - some on the dyke and some at the park pond, as were six gadwall and 20 mallard.

Ten red-breasted mergansers were seen in the Pyefleet / Colne, 14 great crested grebes - most off the park. On the mud were 24 ringed plover and four sanderling of interest as the tide began to ebb.

At Reeveshall there was a stonechat, 48 stock doves, two greylag geese flying past, the leucistic redshank in the Pyefleet and a bar-tailed godwit on Pewit Island. Two marsh harriers and two buzzards were over Langenhoe while at Maydays two yellowhammers flew away from bushes in the dyke.

Along the Strood a great white egret and three pintail were seen by Martin Cock on Monday. A great northern diver was seen offshore from Kingsland Road by Mike O'Hanlon.

Michael and Sarah Thorley on Sunday 19th almost stood on a snow bunting as it fed close to the top of the Strood seawall. They managed a photo with their mobile phone and the dark back with white underparts looks similar to the male that has recently gone from the Reeveshall seawall, so maybe the same bird. A second bird was also seen a minute or two later following the first bird which had flown towards West Mersea. Michael also reported 300 golden plover in one of the Strood fields.

The female stonechat was feeding along the Strood dyke on Sunday.

A variety of wildfowl was gathered near the sluice outflow along the Strood channel on Sunday with a mix of wigeon, shelduck and teal seen here. Also a marsh harrier, 100 lapwing and 20 black-tailed godwits were of interest.

A flock of 500 brent geese was waiting on the edge of the Pyefleet mud at Maydays on Sunday. A red kite spooked the flock as it flew up-channel before it drifted over to Langenhoe and was then seen slowly flying over Langenhoe farm. Four buzzards, two marsh harriers were mainly over Langenhoe, while a pair of stonechat was by the Maydays dyke.

Along the Bower Hall seawall a marsh harrier and sparrowhawk were seen, also 30 corn buntings, 15 meadow pipits and 12 reed buntings.

On Reeveshall 120 stock doves were feeding on the grass field, sparrowhawk, marsh harrier and three red-breasted mergansers were seen.

A small flock of redshank roosted on the small island on the Golfhouse saltmarsh pools on Sunday 19th.

Steve Entwistle on Sunday saw a great northern diver off the Esplanade, the red kite mentioned earlier over Langenhoe from Maydays, also there two buzzards, stonechat pair, corn bunting, 500 brent geese, mute swan pair, two lesser black-backed gull and sparrowhawk. Earlier in the day a flock of about 400-500 herring gulls was off Victoria Esplanade.

John Ward photographed this skylark singing as he walked between the East Mersea Road to Maydays on Sunday, also meadow pipits and a small flock of linnets, corn buntings and reed buntings.

One of two buzzards photographed by Jon on his walk on Sunday.

A distant great white egret was feeding on the saltmarsh below Bower Hall on Saturday 18th. 

On Reeveshall fifty stock doves, 500 starlings and 200 lapwing were feeding, also two marsh harriers on Langenhoe and three great crested grebes in the Pyefleet. A stonechat was on Maydays.

Carried out the Big Farmland Bird Count at Maydays Farm for the third year running on Saturday morning. It ended up being more productive than expected with a big mixed flock of 100 chaffinch, 10 yellowhammer and ten reed buntings seen in a game cover crop. Also five red-legged partridges, marsh harrier and a buzzard noted here in the half-hour survey of this corner of the farm.

Of more interest than the birds beside the Maydays game cover crop on Saturday was a Chinese water deer seen feeding out in the open.

The Chinese water deer headed towards the end of the game crop and disappeared from view.

On Friday 17th a great white egret was seen feeding on Ray Island, seen from the Strood seawall. 

Not much else of note along the Strood seawall other than a grey heron, two little egrets, 30 avocets and also ten meadow pipits in the field.

Steve Entwistle visited Maydays on Friday and reported 500 dunlin, three marsh harriers, two pairs of red-breasted mergansers, avocet, two rock pipits, pair of stonechat, 280 brent geese on Maydays and another 350 on Reeveshall.

Jon Ward walked from Shop Lane to East Mersea Point on Thursday evening and photographed this obliging goldcrest in Shop Lane.

Jon also photographed this male wigeon at Cudmore Grove on Thursday.

Some wigeon photographed in flight by Jon near Cudmore Grove.

A pochard and tufted duck were photographed by Jon at the park on Thursday.

A male pochard also photographed at the park by Jon during his walk on Thursday.

Along the Strood on Thursday were 45 shelduck, 50 avocets, 500 dunlin, 30 black-tailed godwits and a marsh harrier.

A redwing was photographed by Andy Field in the Firs Road cemetery on Wednesday 15th. Two lesser redpolls were feeding at the top of an elm tree down the side of the Firs Chase caravan park.

The great white egret was feeding in the Strood dyke on Wednesday, while in the nearby field were 200 golden plover, Mediterranean gull, buzzard, stonechat, also two marsh harriers and a sparrowhawk seen. Along the channel were 42 shelduck, 30 avocets and 30 black-tailed godwits, with 500 brent geese over Feldy Marsh.

Offshore from the Esplanade on Wednesday morning, four great northern divers and a red-throated diver were seen by Andy.

At Maydays on Wednesday afternoon, Martin Cock reported three marsh harriers, buzzard, merlin, two, possibly three short-eared owls over Langenhoe, also great white egret and a yellowhammer.

On Tuesday 14th a red kite was seen by Martin Cock drifting over Bonners Barn on the mainland side of the Strood.

Offshore from Coopers Beach on Tuesday 283 great crested grebes were seen, while a flock of 500 brent geese was feeding on a wheat field beside the caravan park.

Three great northern divers and 31 great crested grebes were offshore from the Esplanade on Tuesday.

A grey squirrel was seen near Fishponds Wood in Shop Lane by Steve Entwistle on Monday 13th.

The first moths of the year were found in the moth trap in the Firs Chase garden on Friday 17th with this satellite being one, along with a dark chestnut moth.

CUDMORE CIRCUIT

Two male tufted ducks were enjoying the morning sunshine along the Cudmore Grove borrowdyke on Monday 13th.

Another ten tufted ducks were also feeding along the park dyke on Monday - one pair seen here. The pair of mute swans was still along the dyke too.

Five pochard were on the park pond on Monday, as well as 12 gadwall, 14 mallard, six teal, little grebe and a shoveler.

The park's grazing fields were being well grazed on Monday with a flock of 1000 brent geese feeding with 1000 wigeon. Two greylag geese were seen, with one snipe and one black-tailed godwit noted too.

Nice to see a big flock of brent geese feeding in the fields, as they've mainly been feeding elsewhere in East Mersea this winter. Several hundred were also on the eastern side of the Colne and then flew onto feed on the Brightlingsea marsh.

In the Colne were five red-breasted mergansers, while from the Point a snipe was flushed, 100 oystercatchers were feeding on the mud.

A mistle thrush was singing near the top of the Oyster Fishery lane.

A female kestrel perched on a tv aerial on a caravan at the Firs Caravan park on Sunday 12th.

A male sparrowhawk flew low in front of the Firs Caravan park and landed on the saltmarsh for a minute before flying off on Sunday.

Birds of note along the Strood channel as the tide covered the mud on Sunday were 30 avocets and 20 black-tailed godwits.

A brown hare was in a field near the Bower Hall seawall on Sunday. In nearby fields 30 meadow pipits, three corn buntings, six stock doves and ten reed buntings were seen.

A pair of stonechat was seen along a ditch at Maydays also a marsh harrier seen, while in the Pyefleet were five red-breasted mergansers, 200 lapwing, 50 avocets and 20 black-tailed godwits.

On Reeveshall 2000 brent geese were feeding, also 60 stock doves and a green woodpecker in a field.

Earlier on Sunday morning two great white egrets and two red-legged partridge were seen at Maydays by Martin Cock.

Steve Entwistle from the Esplanade on Sunday saw four great northern divers offshore, as well as Mediterranean gull, 11 great crested grebes, two common gulls and the peregrine on Bradwell power station. From Coopers Beach 545 great crested grebes were seen feeding offshore by Steve - one of the largest flocks seen from the Island.

A inch-long pellet with small bone fragments, possibly a shrew jawbone, was found on a post on the Reeveshall seawall on Saturday by Andy Field. Birds noted during his seawall walk were three short-eared owls, five marsh harriers and four buzzards on the Langenhoe ranges. Along the Pyefleet were 200 knot, 1000 dunlin, 100 grey plover, four red-breasted mergansers and on Reeveshall 800 brent geese. 

Two red-legged partridge were seen by Andy in a field near Bocking Hall from the East Mersea road.

From the West Mersea Esplanade on Saturday, Andy noted an eider, great northern diver, 350 great crested grebes and a Mediterranean gull.

A walk along the Maydays and Reeveshall seawall also on Saturday morning provided views of a perched merlin on a tree, three stonechats, bar-tailed godwit with 20 black-tailed godwit in the Pyefleet. On Reeveshall 15 greylag geese flew off, 1000+ brent geese feeding in the field as were 42 stock doves.

On Friday 10th three buzzards were seen during a walk between Shop Lane and Meeting Lane.

A pair of sparrowhawk was displaying over Fishponds Wood at Shop Lane in the Friday morning sunshine

A peregrine was seen disturbing the 1500 brent geese off Reeveshall, as well as wood pigeons, stock doves and lapwings.

Two great spotted woodpeckers, green woodpecker, 14 stock doves, five skylarks, 14 goldfinches, goldcrest and two song thrushes were between Shop Lane and Meeting Lane on Friday.

A red squirrel was sitting on a branch beside Fishponds Wood as I walked past on Friday morning.

Steve Entwistle saw a mistle thrush near the East Mersea bus turning circle on Friday.

A great white egret flew out of the Strood borrowdyke with big powerful wing-beats, on Thursday 9th.

The great white egret flew onto the nearby wet field where it then stood for half an hour. It later walked back over to the dyke to continue feeding. Two little egrets, grey heron, 300 golden plover and 30 lapwing were also seen in the fields.

A flock of 55 avocets was feeding along the Strood channel on Thursday, as were 15 black-tailed godwits and 300 dunlin. A marsh harrier, buzzard, kestrel and sparrowhawk were seen during the walk.

A singing blackcap was heard and a mistle thrush seen along the top of the Firs Caravan park, and a red squirrel ran across the park entrance and up into the tall poplars.

At Cooper Beach on Thursday two Slavonian grebes and a red-throated diver were seen offshore by Martin Cock.

Steve Grimwade did well to see this snow bunting on the Reeveshall seawall in foggy conditions while leading his Swallow Birding group on Wednesday 8th. Despite the very poor visibility Steve managed to see during his seawall circuit from Cudmore to Shop Lane, six goldcrest, drumming great spotted woodpecker and a red squirrel in Shop Lane, eight red-breasted mergansers in the Pyefleet, male peregrine at Cudmore Grove, a few rock pipits, and three pochard on the park pond.

The fog was slow to clear along the Strood on Wednesday morning but when it did 100 golden plover, 50 ringed plover, 20 lapwing, 70 black-headed gulls with 4 common gulls, two little egrets, buzzard and stonechat were in the Strood fields. Along the channel were 45 avocets, 30 shelduck, 200 dunlin and three rock pipits beside the seawall. A redwing was feeding in Feldy View.

The fog parted late morning on Wednesday over the flat waters of the Strood, revealing the blue sky above.

A pair of mute swans was just about visible through the thick fog along the Strood channel on Tuesday 7th. Not much else noted during the seawall walk other than 30 golden plover, 12 black-tailed godwits, a buzzard, two little egrets and a grey heron. Two song thrushes and seven goldfinch were near the caravan park.

Viewing conditions differed considerably between Tuesday morning above, and the previous day below - as shown in these two pictures of the same orange fishing boat in the Strood channel.

Flat calm and bright sunshine along the Strood on Monday.

At a foggy Cudmore Grove on Tuesday, Andy Field reported six pochard, ten gadwall on the park pond, 12 tufted ducks on the dyke, 200 wigeon, 50 teal, two greylag geese, a goldcrest, song thrush, buzzard and a little owl heard calling in the thick fog.

Martin Cock saw three great northern divers and an eider off Seaview and a red-throated diver off Coopers Beach on Tuesday.