PIED BLACKY'S BACK

 The pied blackbird has been showing itself again recently in Firs Chase after an absence from our garden of a couple of months or so. It didn't nest in our garden this spring like it did last year. Today the bird was skulking around under my car parked in the driveway, allowing me to snap it through the kitchen window.
Also noted today was a chiffchaff calling from some nearby trees for the second day running.

The main bird interest along the Maydays and Reeveshall seawall on Saturday 9th was this big flock of 1800+ brent geese happily feeding in this big grass field, pictured above.

Careful scrutiny of the flock revealed the pale-bellied brent goose, pictured above in the middle of the closer group of brent. The lack of brent feeding at the park in recent days and also a lack of geese feeding at Rewsalls suggested there must be a big gathering somewhere on the north side of the Island - here they are at Reeveshall.
Twenty greylag geese flew off nearby Broad Fleet while 30 curlew fed in the same grass field.

A sparrowhawk flew low along the side of the field, a common buzzard flew around the back of Reeveshall, at least three kestrels were noted as were three marsh harriers. Three marsh harriers were also seen flying over the nearby Langenhoe marshes.

The tide was out along the Pyefleet Channel with plenty of the regular waders as far as the eye could see. Of interest were 50+ avocets, 100+ black-tailed godwits and 25 knot along with lots of dunlin, redshank, curlew, grey plover and oystercatchers.  Small groups of teal and wigeon were resting along the water's edge as were 10 cormorants.
At least 15 little egrets were noted mainly amongst the Maydays saltings and three Mediterranean gulls were flying over one of the fields to the west of Maydays farm.

Small birds of note included 2 rock pipits, yellowhamer and 4 linnets flying over, 4 reed buntings, a goldcrest and a good count of 76 collared doves on wires at Maydays farm.

At East Mersea Point Andy Field saw at least two snow buntings today, Saturday.

Lots of parasol mushrooms were growing along the seawall, this newly-emerged one just about to open out.

Managed to find forty- four species during an hour's walk from the East Mersea church and around the Rewsalls marshes on Friday 8th. It seemed a reasonable tally for this area and could've been greater if the timing hadn't been so close to high tide, providing a variety of waders on the mudflats.

Birds of note included two calling water rails at either end of the marshes, two rock pipits, two yellowhammers, two reed buntings, stock dove, mistle thrush, green woodpecker and great spotted woodpecker and a kestrel.

This December moth was the first one of the winter after the mothing session through Thursday night. The only other moths caught on a cold but still night was a dark swordgrass and a November moth sp.