BREEZY PYEFLEET

A flock of 200 brent geese was grazing the Reeveshall saltmarsh on the north side of the Island on a very breezy Thursday 7th. A common buzzard soared over the north end of Shop Lane.

The high tide in the middle of the day covered most of the Pyefleet saltmarsh on Thursday with a few redshank, dunlin and curlew seen on the saltings.
On Pewit Island a hundred shelduck were seen, most of the ten great crested grebes were in the Colne with others in the Pyefleet, while two marsh harriers flew over Langenhoe Point.

A mixed flock of 500+ waders and ducks was gathered on the saltmarsh pools by the East Mersea Golfhouse on Thursday with 200+ redshank, 200+ dunlin, 50+ grey plover, 30+ shoveler and 20+ teal the main birds. A pair of avocet flew up river.

On the park's grazing fields on Thursday were 100 brent geese, 500 wigeon, 10 black-tailed godwits and a few lapwing. Four tufted duck were in the dyke.

At St Peter's at West Mersea on Wednesday 6th, 30 sanderling, 25 turnstone, 2 great crested grebes, 2 ringed plover were seen, while 300 brent geese flew from the Blackwater into the Mersea Quarters. An unusual sighting over St Peters was a partridge sp. seen flying fast as it headed towards the High St.

A high tide on Tuesday 5th covered most of the saltmarsh near the Strood Hill. Four Mediterranean gulls were seen in the gull roost, male yellowhammer flew over to Ray Island as did 9 linnets, rock pipit called while half of the ten common buzzards seen in the air appeared to be passing through westerly.
Ten golden plover roosted in one field while little egret and grey heron were by field ditches.

A cormorant was fishing in the Strood reservoirs on Tuesday 5th.

Also on the reservoirs were 3 tufted duck and 3 pochard, along with 2 coots and 4 mallard.

Offshore from Coopers Beach on Tuesday 5th a black-throated diver, 6 Slavonian grebes and two great northern divers were reported late morning.
Four siskins were seen by Martin Cock in his Broomhills garden on Tuesday, while another siskin flew over Shop Lane calling on Tuesday afternoon.

On Monday 4th up to 400 brent geese were along the Strood channel late morning, some feeding on the saltmarsh as the tide rose. In the Strood fields at high tide were 5 golden plover and 9 ringed plover.