STROOD SHELDUCK

There were lots of shelduck along the Strood channel on Tuesday 26th with 100 noted -their numbers have increased in the last week or so. Other wildfowl seen were the black brant at the Hard, 150 brent geese, 150 wigeon and 70 teal, also 20 little grebes in the channel too.

Waders seen along the Strood on Tuesday included 130 black-tailed godwits, one pictured, and 300 golden plover.

A flock of 44 avocet was seen roosting on the Strood channel mud on Tuesday.

Over the fields a peregrine was chasing after the big feeding flock of wood pigeons and 200 feral doves. A marsh harrier, three buzzards, sparrowhawk were seen, also a red kite crossing over Salcott Channel to Copt Hall.

A male yellowhammer perched on a bush near the Strood seawall before flying over to Ray Island, also ten corn buntings, three stonechats, 30 skylarks and a Cetti's warbler. A goldcrest was in Firs Chase.

On Monday Jon Ward photographed these wigeon at Cudmore Grove.

Male wigeon at Cudmore Grove photographed by Jon.

A rock pipit at Cudmore Grove photographed by Jon on Monday.

Rock pipit at Cudmore Grove by Jon - who also saw two red-breasted mergansers, a few sanderling in with dunlin and oystercatchers.

A pale-bellied brent goose, pictured right, was feeding with a handful of dark-bellied brent just off St Peters by the houseboats on Monday. In the Mersea Quarters there were 100 dark-bellied brent geese, also the black brant was by the Hard.

Offshore from St Peters were two great northern divers, red-throated diver and three great crested grebes. Three little egrets, rock pipit and a skylark were noted at St Peters too.

Andy Field saw a red-throated diver and a great northern diver offshore from the Esplanade on Monday, which were likely the same birds also seen from St Peters earlier in the morning.

The only birds of note seen on a short visit to the Strood seawall on a windy Sunday 24th were a stonechat, great crested grebe and four avocets.

 

On a wet Saturday 23rd the black brant was photographed with the phone at the West Mersea Hard, also 100 brent geese, Mediterranean gull, while a stonechat and rock pipit were noted near the Strood seawall.

Along the Strood seawall on Thursday 21st were 105 shelduck, 150 wigeon, 50 teal, 18 little grebes, 30 avocets, 20 knot, 30 black-tailed godwits and three bar-tailed godwits.

A kingfisher flew over the seawall and perched very briefly on the sluice railings before flying away and down the channel to the Hard. Also seen were a marsh harrier, 40 skylarks, stonechat, 25 corn buntings, while a chiffchaff and six redwing were near the Firs Caravan park.

Off the Esplanade on Thursday, Andy Field reported a great northern diver, red-throated diver, five red-breasted mergansers, seven common scoter, gadwall and 63 great crested grebes, also a distant peregrine on Bradwell power station.

At Cudmore Grove Mollie Kirk had a very productive afternoon watch from the small meadow behind the cliff, seeing three spoonbills flying west, seven great white egrets flying east, great northern diver, peregrine and eleven sanderling.

Joined the RSPB on a boat trip on Wednesday 20th to survey birds seen using the beach recharges of Packing Shed island, pictured, also Cobmarsh Island, Old Hall Point and Shinglehead Point at Tollesbury Wick. There was a chilly north-westerly breeze blowing and we didn't get too wet with spray in Jim Pullen's boat.

A red-necked grebe was an unexpected sighting near Packing Shed and almost ran it over after spotting it at the last moment before it dived under. It resurfaced later giving better views and we saw it later the east side of Packing Shed island. A kingfisher flew away from the causeway as we boarded the boat and then a second bird was seen flying from Cobmarsh to Packing Shed. 

Five red-breasted mergansers were seen near the entrance to the Mersea Quarters, also two great crested grebes and large flights of 200+ cormorants heading back to Abberton.

On Cobmarsh Island seven pintail were of note, also roosting were 100+ oystercatchers, 20 ringed plover, 20 sanderling and three little egrets. Two common scoter were seen near Shinglehead Point.

On Tuesday 19th birds noted during a brief walk along the Strood seawall included 1000 wood pigeons feeding in the fields, three stonechats, 30 linnets, buzzard, two sparrowhawks. The only birds of interest in the channel were five bar-tailed godwits, 100 golden plover and ten little grebes.

On Monday 18th Andy Field and I carried out the monthly WeBS count walking from Maydays to Cudmore Grove counting waders and wildfowl. The biggest flock of brent geese we saw was just over 300 feeding in the field by the East Mersea Golfhouse.

Other highlights were ten red-breasted mergansers and two eider in the Colne, common scoter and 90+ great crested grebes off the park, six marsh harriers, two buzzards, four stonechats at Maydays also there 20 fieldfares, 10 redwing, yellowhammer, three Cetti's warblers and 30+ chaffinches.

Along the Pyefleet were 55 avocets, 41 shoveler, two snipe, 17 great crested grebes, 6 rock pipits, 17 linnets at the Point, sparrowhawk, two calling water rails at the park pond. As the tide dropped flocks of 1000 knot and 1000 dunlin were seen flying up into the Colne past the Point. A muntjac deer was seen at Reeveshall and two common seals in the Pyefleet.

Michael Thorley visited Coopers Beach on Monday and reported 132 brent geese, 10 grey plover, 7 little egrets, 20 mallard, 2 shelduck, 4 teal, 34 turnstone, and 64 great crested grebes offshore.

On Sunday 17th Tony Kennelly visited Cudmore Grove and saw 300 brent geese, two eider, 2 common scoter, 10 red-breasted mergansers, 20 moorhens, 50 golden plover, 20 curlew, Mediterranean gull, two Cetti's warblers, three goldcrest and two stonechats along the seawall.

REWSALLS KINGFISHER

A kingfisher perched along the small dyke in front of the East Mersea boating lake on Saturday 16th. After a few minutes it disappeared along a reed-lined ditch. The high tide had covered the Rewsalls marshes where 150 brent geese, ten teal and six shelduck were feeding, while 17 little grebes, 10 little egrets were also noted. Roosting waders included ten knot, 50 turnstones, ten dunlin, 30 redshank while 144 curlew were in a nearby field. Offshore a guillemot flying west dropped down among some of the 60 great crested grebes. 

Two Cetti's warblers, ten linnets and two rock pipits were by the boating lake, while two buzzards and 20 chaffinches were in the Rewsalls fields.

At Cudmore Grove the yellow-browed warbler was seen again on the Saturday morning by Andy Field, Mollie Kirk and Daniel Woollard near the park pond, originally found by Mollie five days earlier on Monday. The bird was heard calling and gave several views during Saturday morning.

Andy also reported at the park water rail calling from the pond, Cetti's warbler calling beside the car park, 400 dunlin, four knot, five bar-tailed godwits and 150 knot.

  

This grey plover was one of the waders seen along the Strood channel on Friday 15th. Other birds of interest included the black brant by the Firs Caravan park, 100 brent geese, 10 avocets, five Mediterranean gulls and a marsh harrier. In the fields were 30 corn buntings, 50 linnets, 3 stonechats, a big flock of 2000 wood pigeons feeding with 200 feral doves in the big cultivated field, also two rock pipits along the seawall.

The yellow-browed warbler was heard calling again by Mollie Kirk at Cudmore Grove on Friday.

The West Mersea black brant was seen on Thursday 14th, firstly in front of the Firs Caravan park, then seen a short while later by the Hard. Along the Strood channel were 200 brent geese, 100 wigeon, 150 teal, 100 dunlin, 50 avocets, 18 ringed plover, ten Mediterranean gulls  and five knot. Two marsh harriers and two buzzards were also seen, in the fields were 70 linnets and four stonechats, while a redwing flew over Feldy View and a goldcrest was in Firs Chase.

At the East Mersea Vineyard a grey wagtail was seen by Martin Cock while it was on a bungalow roof before it flew down to the Youth Camp, but not seen again.

A redshank posed on the mud by the Strood seawall on Wednesday 13th. The highlight of a walk along the seawall there was seeing a ringtail hen harrier, flying south-west over the Ray Island saltings and flying fast towards Copt Hall. It was forced to climb a bit higher after being mobbed by a couple of carrion crows. Also two marsh harriers and two buzzards seen, while a great white egret was seen briefly in flight then landing on Ray Island.

Along the Strood channel on Wednesday were 17 little grebes, 20 avocets, 36 golden plover, 50 black-tailed godwits, ten knot, ten Mediterranean gulls, a flyover snipe, 200 brent geese. On the fields were 36 corn buntings, 100 linnets, 20 skylarks, four stonechats and a calling Cetti's warbler.

The yellow-browed warbler was still at Cudmore Grove on Wednesday seen by Andy Field in the same area by the pond for the second day. An eider was seen offshore from the country park. 

A firecrest was seen by Steve Entwistle by the path near the pond on Wednesday, also at the park were two goldcrest, three chiffchaffs, goldfinch, four greenfinch, 65 wigeon, juvenile mute swan, eight shoveler, three little grebes, later a tawny owl Shop Lane.

At West Mersea a red-throated diver was seen offshore from the Esplanade by Martin Cock on Wednesday.

CUDMORE YELLOW-BROWED

A flock of 500 brent geese was in the grazing fields at Cudmore Grove for the first time this winter on Tuesday 12th.

The yellow-browed warbler was still present by the park pond for the second day, having been found by Mollie Kirk the previous day, Monday. On Tuesday Mollie heard it again calling from the sallow bushes near the pond and it provided fleeting glimpses at times during the morning. At times it seemed to be with a long-tailed tit flock seen feeding in bushes beside the horse-ride path. This is only the second time yellow-browed warbler has been seen on the island after two birds were found at the park in October 2013.

Also by the park pond on Tuesday morning were three siskin flying over and a goldcrest with the tit flock. A grey squirrel was feeding in a rose-bush by the pond while a red squirrel seen by Mollie at the park was the first sighting for a while there. A common darter was enjoying the late autumn sunshine at the park.

A drake wigeon was seen in the park dyke on Tuesday with 100 birds seen in the dyke and nearby grazing field.

A flock of 41 avocets was seen in the Strood channel on Monday 11th, along with 200 brent geese, 100 wigeon, 100 teal, 120 black-tailed godwits, 100 golden plover and 30 Mediterranean gulls. Birds of prey were on the move in the morning sunshine with a group of five red kites seen crossing from the West Mersea Hard northwards to Feldy Marsh, also five buzzards crossing westwards from the Hard. A further ten buzzards were noted during the walk along the Strood channel. Two stonechats were by the dyke.

At Cudmore Grove on Monday a yellow-browed warbler was heard by Mollie Kirk calling near the park pond but proved elusive to see, eventually showing two hours later in mid afternoon. A few of the local birders manage to see the bird, the first island sighting for eleven years. Also at the park a firecrest was found by Simon Patient near the hide also a goldcrest and two chiffchaffs in the same area by the pond.

Forty fieldfares were seen at Bower Hall marshes on Monday by Martin Cock.

On Sunday 10th Martin Cock saw two ravens flying west at Maydays, two buzzards, two marsh harriers, stonechat and the large count for this area of the Pyefleet of 400 oystercatchers.

Birds of note along the Strood seawall on Sunday morning included 150 brent geese, 100 teal, 44 avocets, 15 Mediterranean gulls, two buzzards and two stonechats. Flying over Feldy View were five redwing, six fieldfares while a goldcrest was seen in the Firs Chase garden. 

A common seal was lazing on the mud in the Pyefleet Channel on Saturday 9th.

Also along the channel were 6 great crested grebes, 190 oystercatchers, 45 avocets, 200 black-tailed godwits, 200 dunlin, 1000 knot seen in flight as were three snipe. A peregrine stirred up the waders and wildfowl at the west end of the Pyefleet, while four marsh harriers, three buzzards were also noted. 

On Maydays a chiffchaff, redwing, six fieldfares, forty skylarks, three stonechats and fifty chaffinches were noted, as was a brown hare running across a field.

Two adult black brants were reported on Birdguides, seen on Saturday morning with dark-bellied brent geese opposite the West Mersea Yacht Club. An hour earlier in the morning a single bird had been seen first in this area.

Late on Saturday afternoon Andy Field and Martin Cock watched 17 marsh harriers flying into roost on the Langenhoe marshes, seen from the Shop Lane seawall.

On Friday 8th along the Strood, a peregrine was seen over the channel, also 50 Mediterranean gulls, 300 golden plover, 28 avocets, snipe flying, while in the fields were a buzzard, 20 linnets, 15 skylarks, 20 pied wagtails and a rock pipit.

A black brant was seen on Thursday 7th feeding opposite the Coast Inn car park. Late morning five pink-footed geese flew south-west over the Firs Chase caravan park calling as they headed towards Old Hall. Along the Strood seawall were seen 200 brent geese, 150 wigeon, 150 teal, 20 Mediterranean gulls, 22 avocets, 12 little grebes, four bar-tailed godwits, marsh harrier, buzzard, three stonechats and thirty goldfinches.

Michael Thorley visited the East Mersea boating lake on Thursday 7th and noted two greenshank, 12 little egrets, 28 little grebes, 18 teal, 60 redshank, two curlew, two oystercatchers, a few dunlin, turnstone and mallard.

On Wednesday 6th Martin Cock saw a greenshank at the East Mersea boating lake, a little owl heard calling at the Youth Camp and a buzzard seen.

Andy Field walked the Cudmore Grove circuit on Wednesday morning and reported 5 stonechats, two rock pipits, 8 meadow pipits, 300 brent geese in the Golfhouse paddock, three Cetti's warblers, peregrine and a goldcrest.

Birds of note along the Strood on Wednesday were 21 avocets, 150 golden plover, four bar-tailed godwits, two marsh harriers, buzzard, two stonechats, 70 linnets, 22 corn buntings and 20 goldfinches.

A curlew was seen on Tuesday 5th along the Strood channel, also two bearded tits flew out of central reedbed and headed north, 17 ringed plovers, two bar-tailed godwits, a snipe in flight, peregrine, stonechat, fifty linnets and 1000 wood pigeons feeding in the fields. There was no sign of the four pink-footed geese seen the previous day in the field near Feldy View.

Steve Entwistle visited Feldy View on Tuesday and noted 42 pied wagtails, a fieldfare and lots of wood pigeons feeding in the recently cultivated maize field - but no sign of the pink-feet.

Martin Cock saw nine bearded tits showing well in the reedbed along the Strood dyke on Tuesday, also a marsh harrier seen.

A buzzard was photographed by Michael Thorley in Church Lane, East Mersea on Tuesday.

The moth trap in the Firs Chase garden operated on a few nights over the second week in November while the night conditions were cloudy and still. This Angle Shades was noted on the 6th.

A Satellite was seen on the 11th.

Third Feathered Thorn of the autumn on the 11th.

A few November sps moths were noted on several nights.

Cypress Carpet on the 11th.

PINK FEET BY FELDY VIEW

A family of four pink-footed geese was found resting in the recently cultivated maize field next to Feldy View on Monday 4th. A rare visitor to the Island.

The pink-footed geese seemed very settled in the field with most of the group sitting down in the field for the duration they were being watched. They were present for a few hours until a metal detector walked into the field which unfortunately flushed them mid afternoon. The last time pink-footed geese were seen on the island was in 2013, when 11 flew off Reeveshall.

A peregrine was seen disturbing the 500 wood pigeons feeding in the old maize field on Monday, while along the Strood seawall were five bar-tailed godwits, two Cetti's warblers and three stonechats.

Robin Burroughs saw a black-necked grebe below the Firs Chase caravan park, as well as the black brant there too on Monday. 

On Sunday 3rd a velvet scoter was seen offshore by Andy Field, as it was flying past Cudmore Grove and heading west, appearing to land opposite Coopers Beach. Other birds noted during the Cudmore circuit were a possible brambling with a chaffinch flock beside horse paddocks near the bus turning circle, also two goldcrests, 2 Cetti's warblers and a stonechat at the park, 300 brent geese at the Golfhouse.

Tawny owls were very vocal in West Mersea on Sunday night with one heard by Martin Cock near the Coverts, David Nicholls hearing probably the same one in Queen Ann Road, while another one was calling in Firs Chase.

On Saturday 2nd a great white egret was feeding along the Pyefleet channel opposite Maydays / Reeveshall. Also in the channel were three great crested grebes, five avocets, ten black-tailed godwits, 20 knot and 200 dunlin. A kingfisher was perched on the usual spot on the seawall sluice, three marsh harriers were noted. 

Small birds at Maydays included two stonechats, two rock pipits, two corn buntings and eight reed buntings, while fifty chaffinches were by the farm.

After a bit of light drizzle fell on Saturday, there was a colourful rainbow over the Pyefleet and Langenhoe.

There was a faint trace of a second rainbow over Langenhoe on Saturday.

At West Mersea a brambling was seen on the garden feeders of Martin Cock at the Coverts on Saturday, while in the Firs Chase garden a blackcap and goldcrest made appearances.

The regular black brant was back in its usual spot in front of the Firs Caravan park on Friday 1st. It has been returning to this part of the Strood channel for several years now. Also seen along the Strood seawall were a peregrine, eight corn buntings, six stonechats and six rock pipits.

On Thursday 31st it was high tide along the Strood channel late morning and the main bird of note was an osprey that passed overhead near the Firs Caravan park as it headed from the Hard to the Strood fishing lakes. It circled over the lakes a few times and dropped down three times to catch fish but wasn't seen taking anything away. Also seen were 40 Mediterranean gulls, bearded tit calling from the corner reedbed, three fieldfares flying north, two stonechats, two rock pipits and ten avocets.

Andy Field photographed some of the 60 Mediterranean gulls seen along the Strood channel on Wednesday 30th.

An immature Mediterranean gull photographed by Andy along the Strood channel on Wednesday. Also two possible yellow-legged gulls, a dark phase buzzard on Ray Island while a stonechat and two Cetti's warblers also noted along the Strood seawall.

At the East Mersea boating lake on Wednesday a kingfisher was seen on the flooded Rewsalls marsh, a grey wagtail flew over the car park calling and 25 great crested grebes were seen offshore. Roosting on the side-lake were 25 ringed plover, 30 dunlin, knot, black-tailed godwit, 26 little egrets and 25 little grebes.

A ringtail hen harrier was seen by Mark Thomson on Wednesday flying over the field below the Rewsalls farm at East Mersea.

The regular male kestrel perched beside the Strood seawall on Tuesday 29th, also a second bird noted too. A peregrine flew over the fields chasing wood-pigeons and six buzzards were also seen.

There were plenty of Mediterranean gulls along the Strood channel on Tuesday, many of them in the area because of the tractors working the fields on either side of the channel. At least 100 Mediterranean gulls were counted with presumed several more in the area. Along the channel were ten common gulls, 28 avocets, 9 bar-tailed godwits, 90 black-tailed godwits, 70 dunlin, while two stonechats, three corn buntings and 50 linnets were in the fields and a female blackcap was by Feldy View.

On Monday 28th a peregrine flew over the Strood channel, bar-tailed godwit, 100 brent geese, three stonechats, two rock pipits, corn bunting and 50 linnets were seen, while six redwing flew north-west past the caravan park.

Martin Cock saw a common scoter and a red-throated diver offshore from the bottom of Kingsland Road on Monday morning.