RAVEN APPEARANCE

 

A raven stopped by for a while along the edge of West Mersea on Monday 9th. It was first seen perched at the top of tall poplars by the Firs Chase Caravan park being noisily mobbed by a pair of carrion crows. It then passed over Feldy View and was relocated a few minutes later perched on a telegraph pole at the back of the Strood fields. After twenty minutes here, it flew over to another pole, then flew around, trying to land on a tall oak tree where a buzzard quickly chased it off. 

Earlier on Monday morning a firecrest was seen in the hedge alongside Feldy View, presumed to be same bird seen in the area a couple of times over the winter. A fieldfare flew over the Strood fields, a corn bunting was singing from wires where 80 linnets were perched and five stonechats were seen beside the seawall.

A great white egret and grey heron were feeding in the Strood fields, three Egyptian geese flew off one of the ponds when a marsh harrier flew over. Two other marsh harriers were noted during the walk. A bar-tailed godwit was noted along the Strood channel while 24 golden plover were in one of the fields.

Steve Entwistle saw two meadow pipits and two reed buntings along the top of the Strood fields near Whittaker Way on Monday.

The regular great white egret was back again on the Strood fields beside the dyke on Sunday 8th. Three marsh harriers, two kestrels and a buzzard were the raptors noted, while large flocks of waders and wildfowl along the channel at low tide included 150 shelduck, 150 wigeon, 150 teal, 10 shoveler, 400 lapwing, 200 golden plover and 44 avocets. Two Mediterranean gulls were on the mud while over on the Peldon side were 500 brent geese.

One female stonechat perched beside the Strood seawall on Sunday, 50 linnets perched on wires and bushes over the mustard field. Two great spotted woodpeckers were drumming to each other near Firs Chase, also a song thrush singing and a blackcap in the garden.

At Reeveshall on Sunday Andy Field saw a ringtail hen harrier flying over towards Maydays, also six marsh harriers including an orange wing-tagged bird, two pairs were displaying, also two buzzards. Five red-breasted mergansers and 14 pintail were in the Pyefleet, 1500 brent geese, 1000 lapwing, a few Canada geese and greylag geese seen in the area too. 

At least one firecrest was seen with a goldcrest in Shop Lane by Steve Entwistle on Sunday, also seen there were a long-tailed tit, green woodpecker, chaffinch and three stock doves.

A great white egret was seen on Bower Hall marsh on Sunday afternoon by Martin Cock and later by Rob Lee.

At Maydays on Saturday 7th five red-breasted mergansers, great crested grebe and fifty avocets were along the Pyefleet channel, while three marsh harriers were noted flying about and 300 brent geese and two Canada geese were feeding on Reeveshall. A pair of red-legged partridge ran across a Maydays field, two Cetti's warblers, 12 linnets, song thrush and four reed buntings were along the dyke.

Later on Saturday afternoon Martin Cock noted at Maydays six corn buntings, marsh harrier and a buzzard during a short walk there.

A great northern diver was seen by Peter Marchington offshore from the Shears Court flats in West Mersea on Saturday morning.

Three female blackcaps made an appearance at the same time near the fatballs in the Firs Chase garden on Friday 6th. Pictured are a female and male. Just a week earlier three male blackcaps also appeared together in the garden - so seems six blackcaps are in the area this winter.

 

The male blackbird with the white head briefly perched in a tree in the Firs Chase garden on Friday. A male sparrowhawk flew through the garden

A sallow bush beside the Strood borrowdyke has had some leaves out since about mid January - a frost at the end of January seems to have burnt the leaf tips brown.

Birds of noted on Friday during the Strood seawall walk were a great white egret in the fields, two marsh harriers, sparrowhawk, 100 golden plover, 50 avocets, 50 knot, 70 linnets and four stonechats.

Offshore from the Esplanade on Friday were 300 great crested grebes seen by Martin Cock.

The first young rabbits of the year were seen by Rob Lee in the Barrow Hill area on Thursday 5th.

Fifty linnets were singing happily in the winter sunshine in Feldy View again on Wednesday 4th.

A great white egret and grey heron were in the Strood fields, marsh harrier and four buzzards were noted too.

In the Strood channel on Wednesday were 400 lapwing, 200 golden plover, 98 avocets and 15 shoveler. Pictured is a flock of dunlin with some grey plover, lapwing and shelduck.

Two pairs of stonechat were along the Strood seawall on Wednesday, four rock pipits and 15 skylarks noted too. Two blackcaps were in the Firs Chase garden and a song thrush singing near the caravan park.

Offshore from the Esplanade on Wednesday were two great northern divers and 30 great crested grebes seen by Andrew Thompson. 

Steve Entwistle saw 25 sanderling on the offshore shingle island, while later 1500 golden plover were seen at the Strood.

On Tuesday 3rd along the Strood were great white egret, little egret, grey heron, two marsh harriers, 500 golden plover, 500 brent geese on the Peldon side, Cetti's warbler, three redwing over Feldy View, drumming great spotted woodpecker and a song thrush singing.

Two blackcaps in the Firs Chase garden.