FELDY FINCH FLOCK

There was a wonderful winter chorus from a large finch flock perched in Feldy View on a sunny New Years Eve. Most of the continuous twittering songs were coming from 50+ linnets. Some took time to feed on the birch catkins. 

Also feeding in the birch trees were 20+ goldfinches, not quite joining in the linnet chorus.

Goldfinch feeding on the birch catkins in Feldy View on Wednesday.

Two of the many linnets feeding in the birches on Wednesday.

Two glossy ibises were seen feeding distantly on the Ray Island saltmarsh on Wednesday. They often disappeared out of view down into the saltmarsh rills. 

A female pintail flew up the Strood channel before returning back and landing on the mud for a rest. Other wildfowl on the Strood included 150 teal and 150 wigeon while 1000 brent geese were commuting between the Ray Channel and a nearby wheat field at Peldon. Two marsh harriers, two buzzards and three kestrels were noted, while 20 skylarks flew around a weedy field.

Daniel Woollard enjoyed watching two red squirrels in the back garden of his Cudmore Grove bungalow on Wednesday.

Another red squirrel photo by Daniel on Wednesday.

Jack Hoy watched two woodcock fly around the Cudmore Grove car park late Wednesday afternoon, one apparently chasing each other, or maybe one just following the other. 

Two male blackcaps were seen in Carrie Horwood's Fairhaven Avenue garden on Wednesday - one pictured here by Carrie.

A pair of blackcaps was seen in the Firs Chase garden on Wednesday- a female on the sunflower hearts while a male was seen feeding on ivy berries.

A distant glossy ibis was seen on the Bonner's saltings near Ray Island on Tuesday 30th late morning. It stayed into the afternoon when it was seen by Rob Lee.

One little egret is a regular sight near the Strood seawall sluice - in this case standing on top of the seawall on Tuesday.

Ducks seen along the Strood channel on Tuesday were 120 wigeon, 100 teal and 130 shelduck, while 1000 brent geese were in a Peldon field and two red-breasted mergansers were in the Mersea Quarters.

Numbers of cormorants gathering in the Strood Channel has been increasing in recent days with 20 together on the mud on Tuesday. In the background is a mixed wigeon and teal flock. Three marsh harriers were seen passing through at various times, while in the fields were a stonechat and sixty linnets.

A pair of blackcaps and a goldcrest were in the Firs Chase garden on Tuesday.

Daryl Rhymes looking offshore from the Esplanade on Tuesday morning saw a Slavonian grebe, three great northern divers, red-throated diver and a black brant seen briefly towards Old Hall.

A female sparrowhawk was photographed by Carrie Horwood after it had swooped past her bird feeders and then perched on her neighbour's fence on Tuesday. Other birds noted in her Fairhaven Avenue garden included ten long-tailed tits, four blue tits, two wrens, three dunnocks, great tit, two robins and a blackbird.

Rob Lee reported a grey wagtail on his patio at Barrow Hill on Tuesday.

A kestrel was seen hovering over a weedy field by the Strood on Monday 29th, two marsh harriers also noted. Other birds of note seen were 150 wigeon, 200 teal, 8 mute swans flying, 17 little grebes, 40 avocets, 20 cormorants on the mud, grey heron, two stonechats and 70 linnets. A thousand brent geese were in a field at Peldon while a pair of red-breasted mergansers was seen from the Hard.

The ring-necked parakeet flew over Firs Chase early on Monday morning and a sparrowhawk flashed past the bird feeders in the garden.

Martin Cock saw a Slavonian grebe offshore from the West Mersea Esplanade on Monday.

On Sunday 28th Steve Entwistle reported at Maydays a great spotted woodpecker, green woodpecker, ten redwings, 35 fieldfares, two linnets, five yellowhammers, five reed buntings and two corn buntings. There were 800 brent geese in a field opposite Bocking Hall from the East Mersea road, while a Mediterranean gull was at Chapmans Lane.

Along the Strood on Sunday were 100 wigeon, 100 teal, marsh harrier, 100 dunlin, three Mediterranean gulls, and 80 linnets. A sparrowhawk was seen in the Firs Chase garden.

Along the Strood channel on Saturday 27th was this mixed flock of teal and redshank near the sluice outflow. Wildfowl noted were 150 wigeon, 150 teal, 64 shelduck and 1000 brent geese by the Ray Channel, also 70 avocets, 200 dunlin, two marsh harriers, buzzard, while 25 stock doves were in the fields.

A green woodpecker was feeding in a paddock near the Firs Chase caravan park on Saturday. 

A male blackcap was in the Firs Chase garden on Saturday.

On Boxing Day along the Strood Channel, there were lots of ducks again with 100 wigeon, 100 teal, four shoveler and fifty shelduck, also 45 avocets feeding there. Four marsh harriers were noted - one of them flushing a snipe off the saltmarsh, while in the fields were 75 golden plover, 20 linnets, 18 stock doves and a stonechat.

A great spotted woodpecker was drumming in The Lane on Friday.

Jack Hoy reported a sparrowhawk in his Mersea Avenue garden.