GRAZING GEESE

A flock of 600+ brent geese were feeding in the park's grazing field near the Golfhouse, on Sunday 13th. There was no sign of the pale-bellied goose among these dark-bellied brent. Also in the field were 400 wigeon.

The brent geese are enjoying a much thicker growth of grass in the fields this winter. Hopefully they might stay around for longer during the latter part of the winter.

In the Colne a pair of red-breasted mergansers and a great crested grebe were noted on Sunday.

A water rail showed itself nicely to the small group from the Colchester RSPB who were having their annual walk round the park. The water rail fed out in the open for 20 minutes or so, on the marshy edge to the reeds at the park pond -  a record shot of it above.
Before the water rail showed itself, two red squirrels were watched scampering and chasing each other through the trees at the back of the pond. The first time I believe that red squirrels have been seen from the hide. Fifteen gadwall were of interest on the pond and nearby a small flock of 15+ goldfinches in the alders.

One of the mute swans swimming along the park dyke.
At West Mersea a great northern diver and a Mediterranean gull were seen offshore by Steve Entwistle.

On Saturday 12th a walk along the Strood Channel provided views of a marsh harrier, 15 avocet, common buzzard over the fields, 15 little grebes, 120 shelduck, 200 lapwing, 50 golden plover and 2 knot. There was no sign of the short-eared owl that had been hunting over Ray Island the day before on Friday.
Also seen along the Strood on Friday 11th were a marsh harrier, 25 avocets, bar-tailed godwit, 20 black-tailed godwits, 15 linnets, 5 reed buntings and a sparrowhawk near Feldy View.

The great northern diver, 3 Med gulls, 6 sanderling, 500 cormorants, 500 brent geese and ten great crested grebes were seen offshore from the Esplanade on Saturday by Liz Huxley while a little owl was seen at Bromans Farm by Steve Entwistle.
Three great northern divers were seen offshore on Thursday 10th by Martin Cock while on Wednesday 9th a black-throated diver was seen by Stuart Read.

A small flock of 15 redwing has been feeding at the park over several days up to Thursday 10th, proving very shy and difficult to photograph in gloomy light.

Three snipe were hiding in the saltmarsh near the Golfhouse pools on Tuesday 8th, also 2 red-breasted mergansers and a common buzzard noted too.
The water rail was glimpsed inside a ditch beneath the alders near the park pond on Monday 7th, also a weasel seen nearby. In the Colne a great northern diver and 18 red-breasted mergansers were seen by Andy Field. After dark a badger crossed the East Mersea road near Bocking Hall on Monday.

On Sunday 6th ten red-breasted mergansers and five great crested grebes were in the Colne while a common buzzard and ten greylag geese were in the grazing fields. Offshore from the park were five Slavonian grebes seen by Jon Norgate while at West Mersea a great northern diver was seen by Pete Loud. A barn owl was seen hunting fields by Coopers Beach on Sunday by Michael Thorley
A flock of 800 brent geese was feeding in the field by the East Mersea road opposite Meeting Lane on Saturday 5th.