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.