DISTANT HARRIERS

The easterly wind across the park on Saturday 31st, meant it was a day to keep moving about. The wigeon on the grazing fields were the main local attraction, pictured above, with at least 500 birds present. One group of 200 wigeon on the borrowdyke, seemed surprisingly tolerant of someone walking on the nearby seawall. In the middle of the main flooded section of field, 8 shoveler and 6 gadwall were feeding while a number of teal were partly concealed at the back of the fields.

There weren't many waders in the fields during the morning with 25 lapwing, 10 curlew and 20 black-tailed godwit including the colour-ringed bird for the second day. Twenty goldfinches and at least 3 skylarks were also noted. No birds of note seen from the Point although there had been a snow bunting the previous day.

On the park pond there was the usual selection of ducks with 8 tufted duck, 25 shoveler, 4 gadwall and 50 mallard. Also present were the resident mute swan pair, coots and about 25 moorhens feeding in the nearby field.

A quick walk to the far corner of the park at Ivy Dock proved worthwhile as a distant scan of Langenhoe Point revealed a ringtail hen harrier flying around with a male and a female marsh harrier. The ringtail flew around the reedbed lagoon for several minutes and had a short tussle with the male marsh harrier, before it disappeared from view. Hen harriers sightings this winter from the Island have been virtually non-existent, although there have been one or two sightings on the nearby mainland.

Martin Cock saw from the Maydays Farm seawall at least 6 marsh harriers over Langenhoe and also a barn owl at Maydays. A birdwatcher visiting the country park reported seeing a woodcock flying away from the cliff-top woodland. David Nicholls and his wife enjoyed the rare sight of a spoonbill flying east over RayIsland, as it headed towards the Strood and the Pyefleet. Andy Field saw the Mediterranean gull and an eider off West Mersea.

Ian Black reported that the shag found dead a few weeks ago at West Mersea, had been ringed on the Isle of May off the east coast of Scotland. He passed on a report from Clive Pickering who had seen 5 shags in the Mersea Quarters as well as the great northern diver. Clive also witnessed the large feeding flock of 300+ cormorants feeding on the sprats at the mouth of the Blackwater.


It wasn't surprising to see frost covering some parts of the park first thing in the morning. It was definitely a day to keep wrapped up and keep moving.

CHILLY AT THE PARK

After a damp yesterday, it was nice to see the sun today Thursday 29th, although there was a chilly wind blowing across the country park. At one point during the morning, there was the spring-like sound of a skylark singing over the main part of the park. The grazing fields pictured above are still waterlogged in places and still being used by waders and wildfowl.

There was the usual big number of about 500 wigeon grazing in the fields, although feeding in several different corners of the fields. The main group of waders around the main flooded area were 55 curlew, most waiting for the afternoon high tide to recede. Fifty lapwing rose into the air and then settled back down again a short while later.

At the park pond there seemed a lot of duck activity especially amongst the 34 shoveler, along with 10 tufted duck, 70 mallard and 6 gadwall. A sparrowhawk flew high past the pond attracting the attention of the local crows.

As the sun dropped down in the late afternoon, the temperature dropped rapidly too. No snow buntings could be found at the Point although Tim Mendham reported seeing 19 yesterday. The tide was just uncovering the mud and there was already a good gathering of a variety of waders such as knot, dunlin, grey plover, redshank, black-tailed godwit, turnstone and oystercatcher.

Other bird news from other birdwatchers in the last few days include one of the resident short-eared owls seen again at Rewsalls Marshes on Thursday by Andrew Thompson and a film crew. The film crew tried to film the owls on the day before but none were seen in the drizzle. Two owls were seen here on Tuesday by Richard Allen along with a peregrine and a good count of 350 great crested grebes offshore. Michael Thorley saw 2 velvet scoter off Seaview Avenue, West Mersea on Wednesday, while on Monday 5 red-throated divers and a great northern diver was seen here by Peter Triston.

At East Mersea Point there were 24 snow buntings and a Slavonian grebe seen on Tuesday by Stuart Gorman. Martin Cock on his walk along the Pyefleet saw a buzzard and peregrine over Langenhoe and a green sandpiper over Maydays on Tuesday. Martin caught up with the wintering curlew sandpiper just after the high tide at East Mersea Point on Monday.

CALM AT CUDMORE

There was a big improvement in the weather on Monday 26th and with the sun shining with no wind, it was very pleasant along the beach at the park, pictured above. The calm conditions provided a good opportunity to scan the sea at high tide.

Five Slavonian grebes were seen off shore slightly to the west of the park, while further out a red-throated diver was noted, a species surprisingly absent here until now this winter. Scattered across the water were up to 25 great crested grebes and on the horizon a big gathering of 200 cormorants probably feeding on sprats. A common seal swam eastwards into the river Colne.

High above the grazing fields 2 peregrines tussled with each other as they flew east over the river. In the park grazing fields there was a sizeable flock of 350 black-tailed godwits feeding around the vast lagoon. This very waterlogged area was also where 50 curlew, 10 redshank and 500 wigeon were feeding too.

At the park pond a pale male sparrowhawk perched on a fencepost surveying the surroundings and even watched with interest the regular well marked male sparrowhawk fly close-by. Nine tufted duck were the main ducks of note here along with small numbers of mallard, gadwall, shoveler and wigeon.

At the beginning of the day there was a nice view of a barn owl still hunting the fields beside Bromans Lane. In the afternoon a male marsh harrier was seen flying across the Pyefleet Channel onto the Island as I drove off the Island.

A visiting birder from south Essex had a rewarding visit to East Mersea reporting some of the birds mentioned above but also 4 snow buntings, spotted redshank, curlew sandpiper at the Point, while also seeing 2 short-eared owls at Rewsalls Marshes, as did Michael Thorley. Martin Cock saw the great northern diver and the Mediterranean gull from the Esplanade at West Mersea today.

- TO A MOUSE

It seemed a bit of a sad coincidence that this small harvest mouse was dropped by a weasel on the famous Rabbie Burns day on 25th January. Burns was full of remorse having ploughed up the nest of a harvest mouse and his well-known poem described the mouse as the "wee, sleekit, cowrin, tim'rous beastie."

This poor harvest mouse in the picture above was still warm having just been caught by a weasel on the seawall at the country park on a dull and wet Sunday afternoon. The weasel was crossing the path just 10 metres in front, carrying the mouse but dropped it as it hurried away. At first sight the small animal was more the size of a shrew than a mouse and the warm orangey-brown coat, wasn't like the usual wood mice of the area. The long tail is a particular feature of harvest mice as they use it as another limb for gripping grass stalks.

Harvest mice numbers in the country have declined in recent years but rather conversely, a small population in the last 5 years have been discovered in the country park. Several nests of woven grass balls were found along a hedge by the park pond in 2004 and 2005 which was the first evidence that this elusive small mammal was present at the park.

One of the park fields is looking like a real water meadow with a large area now covered by water. All of the waders and wildfowl were busy feeding in the less wet field, nearer the Golfhouse, where the path pictured above, provided closer views of 600 wigeon, 150 black-tailed godwits, 10 redshank, 20 lapwing, 50 teal, 20 curlew and 25 goldfinches. There was the regular male stonechat by this path and overhead 5 snipe flew off the nearby saltmarsh.

At East Mersea Point 6 snow buntings flew around the beach a few times calling. In the river Colne around 500 gulls flew up and down one section where there was presumably a shoal of sprats for them to feed on. Three male red-breasted mergansers were the only other birds seen in the river from the Point.

The usual variety of 10 species of wader could be seen on the nearby mudflats with 300 knot and 5 bar-tailed godwits of note as well as a gathering of 150 oystercatchers. On the park pond the numbers of tufted ducks have built up to 10 birds.

The strong winds have whipped up lots of seaweed and other items onto the beach, including this surprisingly large pile of old egg-masses from the common whelks. It's usually quite easy to find one or two of these dried-out spongy egg-masses lying washed up along the strandline but not a whole heap of them.

As the park was being closed up as darkness fell, the dark silhouette of the Bromans Lane tawny owl was seen swooping around the trees at the entrance, perching up in a tree nearby. I slowly walked closer to the tree, knowing that the owl was watching me and was surprised it allowed me to walk past close-by, before it flew away.

SUNSET FROM WEST

After a few days break, found time at the end of Saturday 24th for a late afternoon walk on the beach by St Peters, at West Mersea. After lots of recent rain it was nice to have a dry day and enjoy seeing the sun set over Cobmarsh Island in the middle distance in the photo above.

The tide was still heading out and there was the usual mixture of waders seen from the beach including curlew, redshank, bar-tailed godwit, grey plover, dunlin, oystercatcher and turnstone. There were probably several other species present too but the light was fading fast and most of the waders were some distance away.

It wasn't ideal time of the day or state of the tide for seeing any birds on the river although one eider was seen along with the regular small group of brent geese around Cobmarsh Island. Several hundred gulls were gathering on the water for their night-roost.

Andy Field found a guillemot on the sea from the Esplanade and also 2 great northern divers too. Martin Cock ventured out in a boat and reported seeing 2 red-throated divers a good distance south of East Mersea. Heading back into West Mersea he noted great northern diver, shag, 3 eiders and 20 little grebes amongst the boats. Adrian Kettle visited East Mersea today and saw a long-tailed duck in the Colne, also the curlew sandpiper and 2 snow buntings at the Point. One short-eared owl showed well for him at Rewsalls Marsh by Coopers Beach.

Various birders from different parts of Essex have been visiting East Mersea over the last week to try and see the short-eared owls at Rewsalls Marshes. Three birds were seen by RichardBrown on Monday with two seen by Andrew Thompson on Wednesday and one bird reported on Sunday 18th. Other birds seen at Rewsalls included an immature male merlin, 2 Slavonian grebes seen by Sean Minns and 12 bar-tailed godwits on Wednesday with a curlew sandpiper being seen by Sean at East Mersea Point on the same day. David Nicholls counted 8 snow buntings at the Point during the week.

Andy Field and Richard Hull visited Langenhoe on Sunday 18th and noted ringtail hen harrier, 2 common buzzards, 7 marsh harriers, barn owl, little owl, 3 green sandpipers and 5 stonechats.

PLENTY OF WILDFOWL

Plenty of wildfowl were using the flooded grazing field at the country park on Saturday 17th. Around 500 brent geese were feeding in nearby wheat fields but on occasions some would seek temporary refuge on the pools where they could drink and bathe. The resident group of about 400 wigeon were busy grazing, while a few shoveler and teal were also present in the fields.

During the afternoon high tide, at least 70 black-tailed godwits, 15 redshank and a few curlew fed on the wetter areas. In the drier of the grazing fields 60 lapwing, 3 golden plover, 25 goldfinches and 4 stock doves were noted. A sparrowhawk scattered a lot of birds as it flew along the back of the fields in the morning, while a kestrel passing over in the afternoon also spooked a few birds too.

The Colne estuary birds seem to be getting used to this huge jacking-up barge in the river. In the foreground of this picture are 6 snow buntings feeding on the shingle beach, although too small to show up in the photo. The birds were seen at several points on the beach and at the East Mersea Point, where they fed close to some of the 50 turnstones in the area. Twelve red-breasted mergansers flew rapidly past the big barge as they headed out of the river. The male stonechat was seen amongst the sea-blite bushes at the Point.

There was a good gathering of waders on the last bit of mud near the Point with 2000 dunlin the main sight, along with 100 grey plover, 100 knot and a handful of ringed plover.

BRIEF PARK WALK

The sun came out only briefly on Friday 16th but generally it was dull for most of the day at the country park. The park pond pictured above, had about 80 ducks on it with 50 mallard, 15 shoveler, 4 gadwall, 5 tufted duck, 4 wigeon joined by the pair of mute swans and several coot.

On a brief walk round the park in the afternoon coinciding with a high tide, the only waders seen were on the grazing fields. Twenty four black-tailed godwits fed in a group while dotted around the big flooded pool were six redshank. In the second field up to 50 lapwings were gathered while the 200+ wigeon had been feeding on the fields but got spooked off. A pair of stock doves sat up in the usual oak tree at the back of the fields.

The flock of 300 brent geese circled around the big wheat field on the west side of the park but didn't stay around. A redwing and 2 song thrushes have joined the 12 or so blackbirds feeding in the area of the car park.

On Tuesday the barn owl was seen early in the morning around Bromans Lane both perched on a fence and then a short while later hunting over nearby long grass. Martin Cock and Mick Brewer saw the 3 snow buntings on the beach near the park. Later at Rewsalls they saw the short-eared owl, little owl, 140 great crested grebes and a Slavonian grebe. At Maydays there were views of 6 corn buntings but few other small birds and one of the usual marsh harriers.