SNOW BUNTING SURPRISE

There was the nice surprise on the Rewsalls seawall on Friday 23rd of this snow bunting photographed by Andy Field. The bird seemed quite confiding and spent most time on the seawall, apart from five minutes on the nearby mudflats. This is the first snow bunting seen on the Island this year and hopefully more sightings to come in the next few weeks. It was a poor winter for snow buntings last year with only the one brief sighting at Maydays.

There was no sign of the rose-coloured starling anywhere for the second day running. The last sighting was near the Dog and Pheasant pub on Wednesday.  There was a big flock of 3000+ starlings feeding on a recently sown arable field near Rewsalls Farm on Friday.

Also in the Rewsalls fields and marshes on Friday were 2 common buzzard, 2 sparrowhawks, little owl calling, Mediterranean gull, Cetti's warbler calling, common snipe, 2 swallows, 50+ linnets, 2 yellowhammer, redpoll sp, 30+ goldfinches, 20+ chaffinches, 20+ skylark, 4+ reed bunting, rock pipit.

On the mudflats 25+ bar-tailed godwits and a couple of sanderling were of note among lots of the usual waders.
 At the country park Andy noted a kingfisher by the Golfhouse, 50+ linnets at the Point, a few siskins by the entrance and 200+ starlings.

The first stonechat for the winter at the country park was found at the Point at the end of the afternoon on Thursday 22nd. The bird showed well when it perched on the tops of the sea-blite bushes. A rock pipit was also seen flying off the saltmarsh, while two marsh harriers flew back upriver to roost at Langenhoe Point.
Earlier in the day a short-eared owl was flushed off the Point and it then crossed the river to Colne Point.

Several grey plover were feeding on the mud by the Point along with many of the usual waders including 30+ avocets.

The pale-bellied brent goose was seen feeding just offshore with several dark-bellied brent on Thursday.

Hiding around the pools on the park's grazing fields on Thursday were 300+ teal some pictured above, while on the grass were 400 brent geese, 500+ wigeon and 60 greylag geese.

On the pond 30 little egrets roosted, kingfisher returned at dusk, water rail and Cetti's were only heard, a sparrowhawk flew into the copse with prey and three gadwall were noted too.

Also noted at the park were 2 chiffchaffs with long-tailed tits, 2 redwings, 7 siskin, 4 redpolls sp, 2 grey wagtails flying over, 25 pied wagtails feeding in the nearby arable field. A little owl called loudly at dusk from the roof of the buildings in the car park.

On a dull and drizzly Wednesday 21st the kingfisher was seen at park pond at dusk and five goldcrests were noted in trees around the park.

At Rewsalls a brambling and 2 lesser redpolls were seen by Andy and Martin Cock amongst a mixed finch flock of chaffinch, greenfinch and goldfinches.

 This female speckled bush cricket was resting on the side of the toilet building at the park on Thursday.
A weasel was seen in the car park on Tuesday 20th, emerging from cover before dashing back in.