STOAT SHOW

A stoat put in another brief appearance at the park pond on Sunday 20th, hanging around long enough for Andy Field to take this photograph of it. One was seen here three weeks ago, so maybe the same individual out hunting.

A common buzzard was photographed by Andy perched in the trees above the park pond on Sunday.
By the Golfhouse a water rail was reported being seen beside the dyke.

Sixteen red-breasted mergansers were seen by Andy during a walk along the north side of the Island on Sunday, these two seen along with another pair at Maydays while 12 others were in the Colne.
A greenshank was seen along the Strood channel by Charlie Williams.

Offshore from Church Lane/ Coopers Beach one great northern diver, 5 red-throated divers and 3 Slavonian grebes were seen by Darren Underwood on Sunday 20th.

There was a colourful sunrise out to sea from the country park first thing on Saturday 19th.

Twenty teal were busy on the park pond on Saturday feeding and displaying noisily to each other. Also 14 gadwall and a Cetti's warbler was heard calling from the nearby hedgeline.

Out to sea from the small grass field to the west of the park was a nice mix of divers and grebes seen on a flat sea on the morning high tide on Friday 18th. A black-throated diver, four great northern divers, 12 Slavonian grebes, 250+ great crested grebes, 500+ cormorants and 224 shelduck.

Over the park at the end of the day a buzzard flew over some recently mown grassland. In the early Friday evening a barn owl perched by the East Mersea road near Church Lane.

On Thursday 17th a black-throated diver, 4 great northern divers, 20 great crested grebes, 4 red-breasted mergansers, 2000 black-headed gulls and 3 sanderling were seen by Steve Grimwade off Seaview Avenue.

Martin Cock reported seeing a pair of grey partridge at Maydays Farm on Wednesday 16th and a barn owl near Bromans Lane on Tuesday 15th.