MERSEA WILDLIFE

WELCOME TO MERSEA ISLAND - A GEM OFF THE ESSEX COAST. FAMOUSLY DESCRIBED IN 1880:- "A MORE DESOLATE REGION CAN SCARCE BE CONCEIVED, AND YET IT IS NOT WITHOUT BEAUTY". STILL UNIQUE TODAY, CUT OFF AT HIGH TIDES, SURROUNDED BY MUD AND SALTMARSHES, MERSEA IS RICH IN COASTAL WILDLIFE. HERE ARE SOME HIGHLIGHTS -

Monday, 2 February 2026

BRENT AND BRANTS

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The high tide on Monday 2nd was covering all of the saltmarsh in front of the Firs Chase caravan park allowing 70 brent geese to feed over t...

Wednesday, 28 January 2026

AVOCET TRIO

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A trio of avocets rested on the mud in the Strood channel on a sunny Wednesday 28th. Sixty avocets in total were noted, as well as 100 k...

Tuesday, 20 January 2026

CURLEWS ALONG CHANNEL

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Several waders were making the most of the Strood mud late morning on Tuesday 20th before the incoming tide covered it all. This curlew was ...

Monday, 12 January 2026

WARY WOODPECKER

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This wary green woodpecker was feeding in the small paddock near the Firs Chase Caravan park on Monday 12th. The red and black moustache st...

Wednesday, 7 January 2026

CONFIDING KESTREL

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A very confiding male kestrel perched beside Cross Lane watching the many walkers pass below it and happy to have its picture taken, on Wed...

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About Me

Dougal Urquhart: Mersea Island, Colchester, Essex, United Kingdom; I was the ranger at Cudmore Grove Country Park in East Mersea between 1983 and 2018.

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