SHORELARK STILL ALONG SHORELINE

The shorelark was still feeding on the beach at the East Mersea Point on Monday 24th. The bird was seen the previous day on Sunday during the high tide late morning feeding on the top of the beach. It wasn't noted on Saturday despite a look for it during the late morning high tide.

Fifteen sanderling were feeding along the beach at the Point during the high tide on Sunday 23rd.
A peregrine flew over the mudflats towards the Point flushing all the waders away on Monday, also five red-breasted mergansers in the Colne.

The pale-bellied brent goose was with 600 dark-bellied brent geese in the park's grazing fields on Saturday 22nd, Sunday 23rd and Monday 24th, also 400 wigeon feeding in the fields.
A sparrowhawk perched on trees at the back of the park pond, 22 gadwall and 3 tufted duck on the pond and 5 redwing in trees in the park on Monday, also a muntjac deer late afternoon in the fields.
A flock of 300 brent geese was feeding in a winter wheat field close to the East Mersea road opposite Meeting Lane on Monday, while a common buzzard perched near the road by Bocking Hall.

On Sunday 23rd a peregrine flew over the saltmarsh by the Point and then headed west over the fields, while in the park were noted 15 redwing, 8 fieldfare and a goldcrest. A pale-bellied brent goose was seen at West Mersea by Sean Nixon on Sunday.

At the park on Saturday 22nd a common buzzard perched near the pond, 5 redwing seen in clifftop trees, while in the fields were 300 brent geese and 50 black-tailed godwits.
On Friday 21st Richard Allen saw the shorelark and peregrine at East Mersea Point and the pale-bellied brent goose at the West Mersea Hard.

A mottled umber was found resting on the floor of the park's toilets on Sunday morning.

Up to a dozen winter moths were resting on the outside of the park's office window just after dark in the evening of Friday 21st.