WHINCHATS ALONG WALL

Two whinchats were at the park on Sunday 6th at either end of the seawall, with this one pictured above also seen the day before, feeding on the ground as well as perching up on some nearby trees.

A garden warbler was still feeding in the hedge along the back of the park pond along with a handful of blackcaps, a couple of lesser whitethroats and whitethroats.

At the Point 70 linnets were flushed off by a passing sparrowhawk on its way towards Brightlingsea.
Forty ringed plover were on the mud here with a further flock of 150 birds nearer Cosways.

At Maydays a common buzzard, 2 marsh harriers and a short-eared owl were seen on Sunday afternoon by Martin Cock. Earlier two wheatears had been seen at Coopers Beach.

There was the grand spectacle on Saturday 5th of the annual Colne Barge Race with seven barges setting off past a few spectators at East Mersea Point.

A little earlier on Saturday morning ten smacks set off on their race out of the Colne.

A greenshank flew over the Point calling, 400 golden plover were resting on the mud and four common terns were seen in the river.
A gannet was seen in the afternoon offshore from the park by Steve Entwistle.

On Saturday evening there was a report by Paul Brayshaw at Brightlingsea of an osprey flying back up river.

By the park pond on Saturday morning a garden warbler, two reed warblers, sparrowhawk and kingfisher were noted along with 3 newly arrived wigeon. Sixteen siskins were feeding in some birch trees behind the pond and the Cetti's warbler was singing from the back of the fields.Ten willow warblers / chiffchaffs were feeding in bushes at the east end of the main park.

Just after night-fall on Saturday a young hare ran down Bromans Lane in the car headlights, before jumping into the verge.

Offshore from the park on Friday two gannets were seen in the outer reaches of the Colne estuary by Andy Field, before disappearing going north past Colne Point.