XMAS LUNCH-TIME GUEST

Merry Xmas folks! The lonesome Mersea ring-necked parakeet made an appearance in the Firs Chase garden during the Xmas lunchtime. Maybe in a few years time when the birds become established here, Xmas lunch won't be interrupted at all!

 

Also making an appearance in the Firs Chase garden on Xmas day were about twenty long-tailed tits on the fat-ball feeders.

Birds noted during a brief Xmas Day walk in the cold north-easterly wind along the Strood seawall included this lapwing feeding on the mud. In the nearby field were fifty golden plover while birds along the channel were 40 avocets, 25 black-tailed godwits, 40 shelduck, 30 wigeon, marsh harrier and a Mediterranean gull. From the Hard seventy ringed plovers were on the nearby mud and eight red-breasted mergansers were by Packing Marsh Island.

Michael Thorley photographed this wood-mouse in his East Mersea garden near Meeting Lane on Xmas Day.

Along the Strood Channel on Wednesday 24th was a variety of waders and wildfowl - some pictured here include shelduck, wigeon, grey plover, knot, dunlin and oystercatcher.

As well as 30 teal along the Strood on Wednesday, 100 wigeon also noted.

 

The regular flock of avocets was in the Strood on Wednesday with 68 counted, also 300 dunlin there while seventy golden plover were seen in a field.

Two black-tailed godwits were feeding near the Strood seawall on Wednesday. Two kestrels, stonechat and two rock pipits also noted, while 55 ringed plovers were on the mud by the Hard.

A glossy ibis was reported on Wednesday by Jack Hoy, seen by one of his friends, flying along the Ray Channel towards Old Hall Marshes in the afternoon.

A muntjac deer was grazing in a field behind the East Mersea Golfhouse on Tuesday 23rd. There was no sign of any snow bunting at the Point but what was of interest were a great northern diver, 18 red-breasted mergansers and four great crested grebes in the river Colne. Waders seen from the Point included 110 turnstones, 25 ringed plovers, 20 avocets, 300 dunlin and 8 sanderling as the tide was coming in. 

On the Golfhouse saltmarsh pools on Tuesday were 100 wigeon, 30 teal and 15 shoveler. 

A stonechat and two rock pipits were the only small birds noted on a cold and grey breezy day.

The ring-necked parakeet was seen briefly beside the Firs Chase garden on Tuesday 23rd.

Monday 22nd was a nice sunny day with a gentle breeze blowing as seen here in front of the Firs Chase caravan park at high tide. Wildfowl along the Strood channel included 98 shelduck, 8 shoveler, 150 brent geese, 100 wigeon and 70 teal. Also of interest were 94 avocets, 25 Mediterranean gulls, three marsh harriers, 18 stock doves and two rock pipits. 

A firecrest was seen feeding among the ivy clumps beside the path along the top of the caravan park, in the company of a big mixed tit flock. Two green woodpeckers were feeding in a small paddock near the caravan park.

Offshore from the Victoria Esplanade on Monday morning, Jonathan Norgate saw a great northern diver, three red-throated divers, four red-breasted mergansers and 100 great crested grebes.

At the East Mersea boating lake on Monday Martin Cock reported two greenshank, two Mediterranean gulls, buzzard, three fieldfares and two water rails heard calling. The black brant was with 500 brent geese near Rewsalls Farm.

Andy Field watched the harriers going into the Langenhoe evening roost from the Shop Lane seawall on Monday and counted 28 marsh harriers - twice as many as the previous month. Another wing-tagged marsh harrier was seen, orange this time but no hen harriers seen coming to roost. Other birds of interest were 5 red-breasted mergansers, 2000 dunlin, 1000 knot, great white egret and two calling tawny owls at dusk in Shop Lane. A grey squirrel and red squirrel were seen near Fishponds Wood. 

A grey squirrel was also seen by Michael Thorley in Shop Lane on Monday.

A grainy picture of a greenshank in the grey overcast conditions on Sunday 21st on the side-lake by the East Mersea boating lake, also 50 dunlin, 50 turnstones and 20 ringed plovers here at high tide. A kingfisher was feeding at the side lake perching on the raised old duck nesting baskets. In the wheat field beside the Vineyard was the black brant feeding with 500 brent geese, while a marsh harrier, two kestrels, pair of stonechats, two green woodpeckers and 15 fieldfares also in the area.

The mild winter has resulted in this blackthorn bush flowering, seen in the hedgerow to the west of the East Mersea church on Sunday.

A couple of brown hares were seen out on the Bower Hall saltmarsh on Saturday 20th. This wary individual ran across the saltmarsh finding its way round the network of the many rills, before sprinting back across the nearby wheat field to cover. A distant Chinese water deer was seen feeding on the side of the Maydays seawall during the middle of the day.

Three little egrets standing on the Maydays saltmarsh on Saturday - some of the ten birds seen on the saltmarsh at high tide. At least six marsh harriers and a red kite were seen during a walk along the Bower Hall seawall, while two buzzards and a sparrowhawk were seen over Haycocks Lane. At Maydays farm were 30 fieldfares, three redwing, two yellowhammers and a red-legged partridge.

High tide looking towards the east side of the Strood causeway on a sunny Saturday with a gentle breeze. A nearby field with a game cover crop held a flock of nearly 200 linnets.

A red squirrel and two grey squirrels were seen by the Sharps in their garden near the bottom of The Lane on Friday 19th.

WINTER BOAT TRIP

Joined the RSPB boat-trip on Friday 19th to help with the high tide bird survey of the beach recharge areas at Cobmarsh Island, Packing Marsh, Old Hall Point and Shinglehead Point at Tollesbury. In addition we looked at Great Cob Island in Tollesbury Fleet, where this large flock of knot was seen flying about. We heard later that a birdwatcher at Old Hall had reckoned 7,500 knot were in the Fleet. 

We were grateful to Stacey Belbin for bringing her Lady Grace boat all the way from Brightlingsea back to the Mersea waters so we could carry out this first of the two winter counts. Kieren Alexander, Steve and Liz Hunting and I were pleased the weather was favourable, although bird counts were lower than expected.

A group of turnstones was resting on a buoy in the Mersea Quarters on Friday. One of the main flocks of waders was on the Cobmarsh Island recharge where 110 oystercatchers, 20+ ringed plovers and 30+ sanderling were roosting. A few wigeon and brent geese were feeding on the Cobmarsh saltmarsh.

A great northern diver, two great crested grebes were seen in the Blackwater while three red-breasted mergansers were in Tollesbury Fleet and one male pintail seen by Old Hall Point. We heard later from Colin Mackenzie-Grieve that a red-necked grebe and Slavonian grebe were off Old Hall Point, which we missed. A second red-necked grebe was in Salcott Channel.

The ring-necked parakeet was heard squawking in Firs Chase on Friday afternoon.

Andy Field passed on some details regarding the yellow wing-tagged F7 marsh harrier seen a couple of times on the Island recently as being a juvenile male tagged at the nest on 18th June 2025 at Cantley in Norfolk. This is 170 days after it was ringed and 94 kms from the ringing site.

On Thursday 18th along the Strood, birds noted were two marsh harriers, 100 golden plover, 30 avocets, while in the fields were 60 linnets and 12 stock doves. Two song thrushes were heard singing - one by the Firs caravan park and another in Firs Chase.

The black brant was seen on Wednesday 17th in the company of 400 brent geese near the East Mersea Youth Camp. The flock was feeding in a field to the west of the Vineyard, then later they flew onto the nearby sea for twenty minutes or so.

As the tide receded by the Youth Camp on Wednesday, fifty sanderling were busy feeding with forty turnstones.

The sanderling were busy going back and forwards as the waves came in then went out.

As well as the sanderling seen on the beach, 200 dunlin and 50 oystercatchers were some of the waders noted on the mud.

A pair of stonechat was feeding in the rough area of grassland west of the Youth Camp on Wednesday, also four meadow pipits here. On the side-lake by the boating lake, two snipe, 55  curlew, 16 little grebes were seen, while 24 fieldfares and a Cetti's warbler also noted.

Three black-tailed godwits were feeding on the small pond at Waldegraves holiday park on Wednesday. A buzzard also seen by the park, while offshore was a great northern diver and ten Mediterranean gulls.

A red-necked grebe was seen by Andy Field on Wednesday offshore from Kingsland Road.

At East Mersea a water rail was reported by Oliver Cottis showing well in the dyke behind the seawall corner near the Point.

On Tuesday 16th the red-necked grebe was photographed by Oliver Cottis offshore from the West Mersea Esplanade.

Another Oliver Cottis photograph of the red-necked grebe on Tuesday, first reported earlier in the day by Roy Hodgkinson off the Esplanade.

A great northern diver was also seen offshore by Steve Entwistle early afternoon.

On Tuesday morning Oliver Cottis visited Cudmore Grove Country Park and saw a short-eared owl being mobbed by crows over Point Clear, also a red-breasted merganser and two mute swans in the Colne. A female marsh harrier flew over the park fields, male stonechat, two goldcrests, two rock pipits, four skylarks, green woodpecker, great spotted woodpecker and a Cetti's warbler between the bird hide and the car park. A grey squirrel was seen going into a drey in trees along from the bird hide.

Also on Tuesday Michael Thorley saw a great spotted woodpecker in his East Mersea garden and the mystery wagtail again at his pond - (yellow/grey/pied?)

Birds noted along the Strood seawall on Tuesday morning included 400 brent geese, 300 dunlin, 20 black-tailed godwits, 30 linnets, two marsh harriers, two kestrels, two stonechats, and a song thrush singing by the Firs Chase caravan park.

On Monday 15th a brief visit to the Strood seawall revealed two marsh harriers, 20 dunlin, 30 lapwing, five black-tailed godwits, 30 linnets and a great spotted woodpecker.

The sun was shining on Sunday 14th during a walk along the Strood seawall where this redshank was seen feeding on the mud.

As well as this grey plover along the Strood on Sunday, other waders of interest were 70 golden plovers, 30 black-tailed godwits, 35 avocets and ten knot.

A flock of teal and wigeon resting on the Strood mud on Sunday - some of the 150 wigeon and 100 teal seen along the channel, also 20 little grebes. Two marsh harriers, buzzard and sparrowhawk were seen, also two stonechats, 60 linnets and a corn bunting in the fields. A song thrush was singing at the top of The Lane while a ring-necked parakeet was heard again in Firs Chase.

Rob Lee saw the yellow wing-tagged F7 female marsh harrier at his Barrow Hill feeding station, also a male marsh harrier and a red kite seen on Sunday.

Carrie Horwood saw 350 brent geese flying near Waldegraves on Sunday.

MAYDAYS MARSH HARRIER

A juvenile marsh harrier was seen hunting over Maydays farm on Saturday 13th - one of five birds seen during a walk along the Maydays / Reeveshall seawall. Three buzzards were noted too and a red kite that flew slowly west.

Along the Pyefleet were 8 red-breasted mergansers, 2 great crested grebes, 180 shelduck, 38 avocets and the pale leucistic redshank, while 200 brent geese were grazing on one of the fields.

Six yellowhammers were at Maydays on Saturday, along with 10 fieldfares, redwing, two pairs of stonechat, 1500 starlings, while a water rail and red-legged partridge were both only heard calling.

At East Mersea Point the snow bunting was seen by Mollie Kirk on Friday 12th - present now for its eighth day on and off. Also seen there were two male and two female marsh harriers flying over the Point. A bat was seen by Mollie emerging from behind one of the panels at the park's bird hide.

Steve Entwistle reported seeing from the West Mersea Esplanade on Friday a great northern diver, two red-breasted mergansers, four great crested grebes and the distant peregrine on Bradwell power station.

Two green woodpeckers were in Feldy View on Friday morning with this third individual seen perched by the nearby seawall below Feldy View. The wintering chiffchaff was seen again feeding in the nettle-bed at Flycatcher Corner by the caravan park. A song thrush was singing loudly and for some time from the Firs Chase caravan park.

Birds of note along the Strood seawall were two marsh harriers, 200 brent geese, 150 wigeon, 100 teal, 100 golden plovers, 55 avocets, 22 little grebes, 3 grey herons and also 70 linnets and 12 stock doves in the fields.

A distant merlin perched on a low post on the Ray Island saltmarsh on Thursday 11th. It wasn't seen flying but seemed to be perched here for a long period, preening and looking around. Three marsh harriers, buzzard and a sparrowhawk were also noted during the walk along the Strood seawall.

Along the Strood channel were 85 shelduck, one shoveler with 150 wigeon and 150 teal, 300 knot, 100 golden plover and 38 avocets. In the fields were 20 skylarks, 60 linnets, two stonechats and five reed buntings.

There was no sign of the snow bunting at the East Mersea Point when Andy Field visited there on Thursday. Only birds noted were 600 dunlin, two red-breasted mergansers, rock pipit and three goldcrests in the country park.

At Maydays on Thursday, Martin Cock reported 60 fieldfares, yellowhammer, four marsh harriers, four Canada geese, three red-breasted mergansers, while offshore from the Esplanade were a great northern diver and two red-breasted mergansers.

On Wednesday 10th along the Strood channel during the low tide period were 200 wigeon, 100 teal and 100 brent geese.

Sixty-five shelduck were along the Strood on Wednesday, while the main waders noted were 40 avocets, 25 ringed plovers and 25 black-tailed godwits. Three marsh harriers, two sparrowhawks and two kestrels were seen, four stonechats, 60 linnets, corn bunting flying over, while a song thrush was singing at the Firs Chase caravan park. Two brown hares were keeping low in one of the Strood fields.

At Cudmore Grove on Wednesday Martin Cock saw two siskins among the 30 goldfinches feeding in the alders by the park pond, also two redwing seen.

A small mixed flock of wigeon and teal seen along the Strood channel on Tuesday 9th, also 120 shelduck, 40 avocets, 30 black-tailed godwits, marsh harrier, sparrowhawk and 36 linnets seen from the seawall.

The snow bunting was photographed by Steve Entwistle on Monday 8th at the East Mersea Point, also there were four sanderling. A little owl was seen later on Monday afternoon by the Golfhouse.

A woodcock was seen by Rob Lee on Monday flying over Barrow Hill.

Birds of note along the Strood on Monday morning were 200 brent geese, six shoveler, 100 wigeon, 70 teal, 30 avocets, 30 black-tailed godwits, marsh harrier, two stonechats and 30 linnets.

On Sunday 7th a siskin was photographed by Daniel Woollard having a bathe in his garden pond at the Cudmore Grove bungalow - seen here to the right of the goldfinch. Three siskins, a redwing and blackcap were noted in Daniel's garden.

The snow bunting was seen on Sunday at the East Mersea Point by Rob Lee.

At West Mersea the ring-necked parakeet was reported by Rusty Marshall in his Firs Chase garden opposite the Yacht Club on Sunday. This long-staying individual was first reported just 100m up the road on 22nd July.

The kingfisher was seen perched on the old wooden jetty in front of the Firs Chase caravan park during the high tide on Sunday. A great crested grebe was feeding opposite the Hard, while two shovelers were seen in the Strood channel.

Mark Thomson managed to get this great close-up picture of the confiding snow bunting at the East Mersea Point on Saturday 6th - first found here the day before.

On a brief look from the Dabchicks sailing club on Saturday morning there were 15 black-tailed godwits, 20 turnstones, 30 lapwing, fifty brent geese, ten dabchicks, and ten dunlin.

SNOW BUNTING AT POINT

A snow bunting on the beach at East Mersea Point on Friday 5th was a nice find - picture above by Andy Field. 

The snow bunting was very well camouflaged among the shingle and shells as it fed along the strandline. It was so obliging it was nearly stood on before knowing it was there. The bird was seen by Ed Bateman later in the afternoon, also nine red-breasted mergansers seen flying out of the river.

Also at the East Mersea Point on Friday were seven sanderling along the water's edge.

As well as the sanderling, 30+ turnstone were also arriving to feed on the nearby mud where 300 dunlin were also seen. Other birds seen at Cudmore Grove were the kingfisher at the park pond, four stonechats, 150+ wigeon. 100+ teal, 40 black-tailed godwits, 20 shoveler and marsh harrier.

Earlier on Friday Martin Cock visited the Point and reported seeing a merlin, 12 sanderling, stonechat, rock pipit, snipe and a red-breasted merganser.

Friday 5th started with bright winter sunshine and still conditions, seen here at Maydays creek - ideal conditions for walking the back of the island with Andy for the monthly wetland bird survey. Birds seen at Maydays included 15 fieldfares, 4 yellowhammers, along the Pyefleet were 45 pintail, 300+ shelduck, 7 red-breasted mergansers and 45 avocets. There were 400 brent geese and four Canada geese on Reeveshall, six marsh harriers (including a yellow wing-tagged bird) noted during the walk and a water rail heard near the Oyster Fishery.

Charlie Williams on Friday saw a glossy ibis on the Bower Hall marsh and a second bird on Ray Island, also a red-necked grebe in Besom channel near Cobmarsh Island.

Sarah Thorley saw a kingfisher near the East Mersea boating lake on Friday morning.

Michael Thorley saw a grey squirrel in Bromans Lane on Friday.

 

A pair of Egyptian geese flew over the Strood fields and landed on the saltmarsh in front of the Firs Chase caravan park on a dull Thursday 4th.

The Egyptian geese did a bit of feeding on the saltmarsh before going into the water during the period of high tide. Around 100 brent geese also noted at this end of the Strood channel, three marsh harriers seen, 24 golden plover in one of the fields and a rock pipit on the saltmarsh.

The fieldfare was feeding again on the rowan berries in Feldy View on Thursday. A goldcrest also noted in nearby trees.

Lots of sunshine on Wednesday 3rd for the second day running with lots of waders roosting beside the Strood channel at high tide - such as this flock of 40 avocets. A glossy ibis was seen flying from the saltmarsh in front of the Firs Chase caravan park, across the channel and landing on the Ray Island saltmarsh. It was later seen well by Martin Cock as it flew around Ray Island a few times. It was last seen by Andy Field on the Bonners saltings early afternoon.

 

As well as this small wader flock of mainly knot and grey plover beside the Strood channel on Wednesday, other birds noted included 100 wigeon, 70 teal, 97 shelduck, 50 black-tailed godwits, 200 dunlin, 50 knot, two marsh harriers, while in the fields were 40 linnets, 15 stock doves and three stonechats. A fieldfare and two green woodpeckers were in Feldy View and a song thrush was singing at the top of The Lane. 

Steve Entwistle later on Wednesday saw eleven greenfinches by Feldy View.

At the East Mersea Oyster Fishery on Wednesday morning, Martin Cock reported 8 red-breasted mergansers, pintail and three marsh harriers.

Three reed buntings were seen in Feldy View on Tuesday 2nd, feeding in the nearby field and perching on the hedge. Two others were seen on the bushes by the nearby seawall - which is where this female was snapped. A merlin crossed over the Strood saltings and then low over the Strood fields before perching in a hedgerow tree. Also in the fields were 50 linnets, five stonechats, with two Cetti's warblers heard, while a  rock pipit and marsh harrier were also seen.

A curlew was wading along the water's edge in the Strood channel on Tuesday.

Eighty black-tailed godwits were noted along the Strood on Tuesday.

A flock of 50 avocets were in the Strood channel on Tuesday, also 200 brent geese, 200 dunlin, 100 wigeon, 70 teal, 60 shelduck, 30 knot, 30 golden plover, 25 ringed plovers and six Mediterranean gulls.

Along the Strood on Monday 1st were two marsh harriers, 200 dunlin, 55 shelduck, 55 golden plover, 30 knot, 30 black-tailed godwits and 30 avocets with ten linnets in the fields and a fieldfare in Feldy View.

At Maydays farm on Sunday 30th Steve Entwistle saw a kingfisher, 3 yellowhammers, reed bunting, a small flock of thrushes including a redwing and 4 fieldfares. Later at Cudmore Grove two greenfinches, four long-tailed tits and two goldfinches were noted.

 

Andy Field saw a great northern diver from the Esplanade on Sunday, then at the Youth Camp reported a fieldfare, Cetti's warbler and close views of two buzzards, followed by a goldcrest seen in Shop Lane.

Ed Bateman saw a goldeneye off Langenhoe Point drifting towards Mersea on Sunday.

On Saturday 29th a chiffchaff and fieldfare were in Feldy View, while birds of note seen during a brief visit to Strood seawall included a marsh harrier, sparrowhawk, 22 little grebes, 20 avocets and 25 knot. A grey wagtail flew down onto the West Mersea Hard briefly, before returning back east over Coast Road.