WATER OFF A SWANS BACK

More rain on Tuesday 27th seemed to suit plenty of waterfowl such as this male/cob mute swan with its wings puffed up, swimming along the borrowdyke by the park. As spring approaches, the swans are already very territorial and with another pair nearby, they have to be vigilant. So much water now lies on the fields, and the creeks and ditches are as full of water as I've seen for several years. The persistent drizzle did not make for easy viewing.

Not as many waders on the fields in the afternoon but maybe the low tide had drawn the waders onto the nearby mudflats. However there were still several hundred wigeon scattered across one of the fields with teal, mallard and a handful of shelduck. About 70 common gulls and black-headed gulls could be seen around many of the pools.

OYSTER FISHERY

Brief walk at East Mersea on Monday 26th February along the seawall to the Oyster Fishery building belonging to the Colchester Oyster Fishery Company. The photo above shows the huge mound of discarded oyster shells on the edge of the Pyefleet Channel. The actual oysters will have been prised from their shells long ago after being driven up to London and served in some of the top restaurants.

Despite plenty of mud on show, there weren't many waders to see at first. However the incoming tide seemed to bring more waders back into the Pyefleet such as 250 redshank, 700 dunlin, 50 grey plover, 3 bar-tailed godwits and one knot. A large flock of 50 shoveler seemed to have been flushed off the army ranges on Langenhoe as they circled above the lagoon. There were several shelduck and wigeon along the edge of the mud. Also in the air were three marsh harriers with the familiar well marked male tussling with a female as she passed nearby.

On the seawall near the Oyster Fishery was an unexpected and an increasingly scarce group of five very colourful yellowhammers. They had been feeding amongst the grass before flying into a nearby bush. Grazing one of the grass fields near here were 400 brent geese.

The day ended with another picturesque sunset at the West Mersea Hard.

BIRD IN THE HAND

Sunday 25th was another wet day and at least 30 toads still making their way to the pond near Firs Chase. The count of ones that didn't make it across the road on the 100 metre stretch east of the pond amounted to about 20. However there was still plenty of action at the pond itself with lots of pairs of eyes just breaking the surface.

The high pitched zee-zee-zee call of the tiny goldcrest was heard from a big cedar tree. It was probably the same bird which a few days earlier had stunned itself when it flew into our window. This is the picture that Nolly took of the dazed bird after she picked it up off the ground. After leaving it in a box to recover, it must have regained its strength and flown off. Such a fragile bundle of feathers at the healthiest of times without smashing head first into a window. It has the equivalent weight to a paper envelope and is our smallest British bird.

Down by the Dabchicks, there were the usual 10 dabchicks(little grebes) in the channel as well as a pair of red-breasted mergansers.

OLD TOAD FACE

One of Mersea's more handsome local residents!
One of thirty common toads found on Saturday 24th slowly crawling along the muddy footpath.

This is the garden pond which is hosting its annual toad festival, pulling in our warty friends from far and wide.

The view towards Packing Shed Island with a few obliging brent geese in the foreground grazing the green algae off the mud. This was one of many groups of up to 300 brent seen around the West Mersea Quarters. On the walk from the Dabchicks to Seaview caravan site, there was a good selection of estuary birds on show although many ended up being distant specks, closer to low tide-line.

In the creeks, 10 red-breasted mergansers, a male goldeneye, several little grebes and cormorants were swimming amongst the moorings. Two female eiders feeding in one distant channel were rather unexpected. After some underwater feeding they emerged to preen on the edge of the mud. Also along the water's edge was the now familiar egret sight with at least three little egrets to be seen, with one feeding within a few metres of the floating causeway.

The usual waders on show were roughly 300 redshank, 100 grey plovers, 150 oystercatchers, 50 dunlin, 10 ringed plovers, 50 turnstone, 100 curlew, 12 bar-tailed godwits with one in russet summer plumage. The real estuary atmosphere is provided by the hundreds of gulls in the area with the most boisterous and loud being the herring gulls. They've been nesting in the area for at least ten years and several of them today could've been getting territorial with all the fuss they seemed to be making.

Opposite the beach huts of the Esplanade were two great northern divers and a distant red-throated diver. The great northerns appeared larger, thicker-set, darker back and with a thicker head with a chunky bill. They always seemed to keep a low profile in the water and they like to stare into the water below them before diving below. Also offshore were six great-crested grebes and the glistening shiny head of a common seal when it surfaced.

In the distance two marsh harriers could be seen circling above Old Hall Marshes, while earlier a huge flock of 2000 golden plover were disturbed off the reserve and passed overhead in their distinctive formations.

RAPTORS ON THE RANGES

Two hour walk along the Reeveshall seawall, Monty and I almost had the place to ourselves. Even the local flock of sheep seemed bemused and curious enough to come right up to us to get a closer look. Recent rains have filled the Reeveshall pool but only two coots were on show.
An attempt to get closer to a group of 200 brent geese feeding on the saltmarsh was thwarted by a marauding marsh harrier which appeared out of nowhere to lunge at an unsuspecting redshank feeding on the nearby mud. As the harrier was seen to continue on its way, that poor redshank must have felt mightily relieved to have escaped its attentions.

The breeze was starting to pick up and dotted along the Pyefleet Channel were 18 red-breasted mergansers being gently buffeted by the waves. The incoming tide was moving the wader flocks up the Pyefleet and in one area there were 500 dunlin, 100 grey plover and 200 redshank all plodding though the very soft mud.

Continually flying around on the north side of the Pyefleet over the Langenhoe Ranges were at least six marsh harriers. Along the full two mile length there was a different harrier to be seen with the most striking being a beautifully marked male, flashing its grey wings with black tips, as it quartered the marshes. Every so often a harrier would venture over the saltings and all the birds would take to the air including one large group of 500 lapwing.

One large brown harrier-type of bird hung in the stiff breeze as it scanned the ground below it. The view through the telescope revealed this as a common buzzard which was unexpected although one was seen only five days previously in this area, so possibly the same bird. Buzzards maybe common thoughout most other parts of the country but the Essex marshes are not one of their regular haunts. In the last two or three years buzzards have started to become an established bird of the more wooded parts of Essex.
After one or two more hover-type hanging forays in the wind, it flew over to a bush where it sat for some time. When the sun briefly came out and shone on it, the very pale underparts and black belly markings showed up well, even from a distance of half a mile.

Marching back along the seawall a peregrine was seen causing panic and mayhem on the Ranges as it flew swiftly along before climbing sharply upwards. I couldn't stay around to watch any more of the great raptor display on the Ranges but this brief visit had certainly been well worthwhile.

SNAKES ALIVE

Wednesday 21st was another spring-like day with plenty of sunshine. Warm enough for the first adder to emerge from hibernation at Cudmore Grove CP. in their usual spot near the car park. Judging by the large size, this was a female that was photographed as it moved between bare patches of ground amongst the bramble bushes. The date is the earliest recorded at the park but only by a couple of days which, considering how mild the winter has been, I've been surprised not to have seen one before now. The first adder emerged last spring on the 25th Feb with the last one noted during the third week of October.

There will be more photos to take over the next couple of months and if last spring is anything to go by, there could be a veritable nest of vipers to admire with possibly up to seven snuggled up to each other. They like this area because they can bask on the south facing slope, on the warm sandy soil and if danger approaches, then they can slink into the brambles.

Sadly the Dartford warbler was not seen today which disappointed many local birders. The overnight conditions were not the usual ones for birds to fly away as it was overcast and drizzly.
The sunshine at the Point brought the reed buntings and dunnocks to the tops of the shrubby sea-blite bushes to sing. The regular wintering pair of stonechats provided nice views as they too perched up on the bushes. However there was no sign of that elusive warbler. There had been the earlier sight of a male sparrowhawk hurtling along the saltmarsh, doing its usual style of low level attack. It seemed to be heading to the Point and luckily for the small birds in that area, it veered away to perch on a small bush before flying northwards.

In the late afternoon thousands of waders were gathered on the mud beside the Point, feeding on the recently uncovered mud. The largest group was about 2000 dunlin which suddenly took to the air, wheeling sharply one way and then the next, as if a bird of prey had been spotted nearby.

ANNUAL CARNAGE ON ROAD

Rather unexpected in the early evening of February 20th was finding part of Firs Chase the scene of carnage with the newly emerged toads trying to make their way to the local pond to breed. The toads obviously feel winter is over and it's time to run the gauntlet to cross roads and streets on this mild and drizzly evening.

By 7.30pm Nolly and I had found ten were already dead on the road, ten were collected in the blue bucket and carried closer to the pond while a further 50 were counted along a little muddy path leading to the nearby garden pond. There was the soft continuous chirping sound coming from many of the toads as their excitement mounted as they met up with more of their mates and they got closer to the pond.

There was the cruel sight of several males clinging tightly onto the backs of the large females as they struggled to make their own arduous journeys across roads, along paths and crawling through wet ditches. Desperate males couldn't wait for the females to reach the pond or maybe they're just down-right lazy and wanted a piggy-back ride.

At East Mersea Point, the Dartford warbler was seen and heard even at the end of the afternoon as the light faded in the dreary conditions. Within a few minutes of searching, the quiet scolding calls of the warbler were heard. For over 20 minutes the bird called occasionally and was seen a few times but only once did it perch up. It did provide flight views a few times but the little dark bird was quickly lost in the darkening conditions each time it landed in a bush.
A couple of red-breasted mergansers flashed past the Point as the tide went out, a little egret looked as if it was heading to its night-time roost, while on the mud 70 knot were seen feeding.