GREAT WHITE

The great white egret was back again by the Maydays saltmarsh on Saturday 29th. It was seen stalking across the grass field for several minutes, looking for food although not sure what it was hoping to find.

After a few minutes the great white egret flew out over the saltmarsh and headed up channel towards the Strood early afternoon. This bird has been seen several times in this Maydays / Bower farm area since the start of the year. A little egret was seen on the saltmarsh and a grey heron flew over.

Standing on the Maydays saltmarsh on Saturday was a female / immature merlin which after surveying its surroundings for a few minutes, flew a short distance and landed on an upright stick in the saltmarsh. A marsh harrier was seen hunting over the Maydays fields and a buzzard by Haycocks Lane perched on a pheasant feeding hopper. A flock of 400+ brent geese was feeding at Maydays.
Along the top end of the Pyefleet channel were 25 shelduck, 20 wigeon, 500+ knot with several redshank and curlew. A rock pipit, two reed buntings, yellowhammer and 20 chaffinches were below Bower Hall farm.

A merlin was seen late Saturday afternoon sitting by the Strood by Steve Entwistle.

Lots of sunshine on Sunday 1st in the morning, then later a few clouds building over Maydays during a walk along the seawall to Reeveshall. The highlight was a ringtail hen harrier quartering the Maydays fields and spooking a roost of 70 golden plover from a field. Three common buzzards were seen at Maydays / Reeveshall with a fourth bird soaring over Langenhoe. At least two marsh harriers were hunting over Langenhoe marshes.

Eleven red-breasted mergansers were feeding half-way along the Pyefleet channel on Sunday and two great crested grebes were opposite Maydays. The overwintering pair of stonechat was still along a Reeveshall fenceline, while eight linnets, one yellowhammer and a pair of red-legged partridge were at Maydays. Four brown hares were seen on the Maydays fields.

At East Mersea on Sunday, Alan Reynolds photographed a purple sandpiper on the mud at the Point near the steps down from the seawall corner. Might be the same bird that has overwintered.
Steve Entwistle saw 36 sanderling at East Mersea Point, also pair of stonechat and a pochard in the dyke. Four red-legged partridge were in a field near the East Mersea pub.