STROOD GODWITS

A hundred black-tailed godwits were feeding on the mud along the Strood Channel on Monday 1st. A flock of 400 golden plover and a greenshank were also of note on the mud, while ten wigeon, 15 teal and 16 little grebes were also seen along the channel.

A peregrine flew over the Strood fields on Monday flushing the wood pigeons in different directions. Two kestrels were seen near the caravan site and a common buzzard over Ray Island.
Lots of small birds feeding in the fields nearest the Strood Hill with 300 linnets, 25 meadow pipits, 25 skylarks, 10 reed buntings, also seen were 1000 starlings and the first rock pipit of the winter flying over.

At Rewsalls marsh on Monday Martin Cock reported a merlin, 3 stonechat, chiffchaff, common buzzard and a late sand martin seen with a small group of swallows.

On one of the stubble fields along the Strood on Saturday 29th was a flock of 200 golden plover blending well into the brown background. A brambling was heard calling from bushes near the caravan site while one common tern was seen in the Mersea Quarters.

At the country park on Friday 28th three common buzzards drifted slowly west over the car park, tussling with one another, a short while later a fourth buzzard also passed over westwards. A siskin flew over the car park calling.

A little owl got mobbed by small birds at dusk at the park on Thursday 27th, 500 starlings fed in the car park, while earlier in the day a wheatear was seen at the Point by Michael Thorley. At Maydays farm a pair of stonechat and a kingfisher were seen by Martin Cock. Kay Paul heard the loud song of a possible Cetti's warbler at the St Peter's Marsh at West Mersea.

A red squirrel was at the feeder in the Firs Chase garden on Thursday while on Wednesday 26th a red squirrel crossed the East Mersea road near the Glebe early in the morning and later another one was seen near Bocking Hall.

The whinchat was in the park's grazing fields on Tuesday 25th for the second day. A common buzzard was perched in the kestrel's tree at the back of the fields.

Ten wigeon were on the saltmarsh pools near the Point on Tuesday 25th. At the park pond 36 little egrets roosted in the trees and ten teal were on the pond.

Offshore from Coopers Beach on Tuesday, Andy Field saw a gannet and a guillemot fly past while a clouded yellow was seen near the caravan site.