WINTERING PURPLE SANDPIPER

The purple sandpiper was still wintering at the East Mersea Point on Thursday 30th, feeding on the beach at high tide with dunlin, sanderling, turnstones and redshank. The purple sandpiper was first seen here two months ago, at the end of November.

There were 45 sanderling feeding along the water's edge at the Point along with 70 turnstones on Thursday.

Around fifty redshank were also gathered at the Point on Thursday during the high tide.

Two red-breasted mergansers were in the river Colne.

A mixed flock of waders roosted on the island on the Golfhouse pools on Thursday, which included up to 50 black-tailed godwits, 2 bar-tailed godwits and several redshank too. Also here were ten shoveler present with some teal and wigeon.

A water rail was feeding in the Golfhouse paddock late morning, not straying too far away from the safety of the nearby hedge. Two rock pipits and four meadow pipits also fed in the paddock while a mistle thrush was in a bush with mistletoe clumps near the Golfhouse.

Some of the 150 wigeon were feeding in the park grazing fields, some on the saltmarsh and a few were resting along the borrowdyke. A tufted duck was also in the dyke, while in the fields were 300 brent geese, a stonechat and 8 skylarks on Thursday.

Some of the wigeon on the flooded area of the grazing field, also some teal and black-tailed godwits pictured on Thursday.

Michael Thorley walked the Strood seawall on Thursday and reported 57 avocets, redshank, shelduck, two grey plover, two curlew and a black-tailed godwit.

On Wednesday 29th the purple sandpiper was seen at the East Mersea Point by Andy Field, also at Cudmore Grove were goldcrest, chiffchaff, 20 sanderling, while in the Golfhouse paddock 14 meadow pipits and a rock pipit.

Two red-legged partridges were seen at Blue Row by Steve Entwistle on Wednesday.

The black brant was back feeding in the saltmarsh in front of the Firs Chase caravan park during the high tide on Wednesday 29th. Elsewhere along the Strood and Ray Channels were 500 brent geese.

A second winter Mediterranean gull was in the Strood channel having a bathe close to the seawall on Wednesday. Also seen were 30 avocets, 100 knot, four marsh harriers, four buzzards, ten skylarks, ten corn buntings, two pairs of stonechats, Cetti's warbler and a rock pipit.

On Monday 27th a pair of ravens was seen at Bower Hall by Rob Lee, with one bird perching in a tree, also a female marsh harrier seen.

In Cross Lane on Sunday 26th, twenty curlew were in a field and a few sanderling on the shoreline were reported by Michael Thorley in the very cold wind.

This male stonechat photographed by Andy Field was one of three birds seen along the Strood seawall on Saturday 24th. There was also the kingfisher by the borrowdyke and a displaying buzzard seen. 

On Friday 24th in Cross Lane, Steve Entwistle reported two redwing, five common gulls, five Mediterranean gulls, green woodpecker and eight chaffinches.

A great northern diver was seen off the Victoria Esplanade by Robin Burroughs on Thursday 23rd.

No further sign of the black redstart along Coast Road, seen the previous day, Wednesday.