WALKING OFF THE EXCESSES

Seasons Greetings to All.
Back to the country park on Tuesday 27th after a few days break with plenty of walking to try and burn off the festive excesses. The day was grey and mild with the visibility surprisingly good. It was one of those rare days when Kent could be seen thirty miles to the south across the Greater Thames estuary.

At the park pond pictured above, a female pochard was with 5 tufted duck while the other regular ducks included 12 shoveler, 8 gadwall and 70+ mallard. On the grass on the western side were two pairs of wigeon and a couple of snipe. The water rail squealed loudly at dusk from the reeds.

On the grazing fields, 400 teal, 300 wigeon, 100 black-tailed godwits and 20 snipe were some of the main flocks of note. Also present were several curlew, lapwings, golden plover and redshank with more birds arriving on to the fields to roost for the afternoon high tide. In the afternoon there was the great sight of 300 brent geese flying noisily over the car park having been scared off a nearby wheat field.

The 24 snow buntings were seen flying from the Point over the fields and dropping down to drink beside one of the pools in the morning. After five minutes they were seen flying back to feed on the beach at the Point where they blended in well with the shells and shingle.

Also noted from the Point were 100 golden plover, 500 dunlin, 100 avocets, four marsh harriers over Langenhoe and a common seal swimming into the river.