WOODCOCK ALONG DITCH

Two woodcock were discovered by Andy Field at Cudmore Grove Country Park on Thursday 11th on a cold day with the snow still lying everywhere. This bird was found feeding along a ditch near the park entrance and stayed still just a few metres away while Andy photographed it - presenting quite a challenge for the camera focus through the ivy branches with the bird so well camouflaged.

A second woodcock was found by Andy at the country park about thirty metres along the same ditch from the other woodcock, This photograph was taken by Richard Brown a little bit later on Thursday.

This ditchline has been a good place for seeing woodcock in previous cold snaps where the ditch remains unfrozen under the trees for the birds to feed along.

Snipe were feeding out in the open and easy to see in the snow. This one photographed by Andy at the country park on Thursday.

At least 24 snipe were seen at the country park by Andy, also a sparrowhawk and a couple of fieldfares.

A flock of twenty fieldfares was seen by the Firs Road cemetery on Thursday morning, along with ten redwing.

The walk on Thursday morning along the Strood seawall coincided with the high tide - so no mud on show. 

The highlight was watching a smart male hen harrier tussling with a carrion crow for several minutes over the bushes of Ray Island. Both birds appeared to be playing with each other in the air, the hen harrier showing off its striking grey- white wings with black tips, the underside whiteness accentuated by the bright snow reflecting up. The hen harrier slowly flew south-west over the Ray saltmarsh and over to the Feldy seawall where it got mobbed by another carrion crow.

The black brant was seen feeding among the saltmarsh at high tide beside the Firs Chase caravan park, along with 200 brent geese on Thursday.

The kingfisher was seen perching briefly on the seawall sluice before heading along the dyke, where one was seen later, presumably the same bird, flying across the Mersea Quarters.

Waders were huddled together in flocks on small saltmarsh islands, as this group of dunlin did on Thursday. The regular flock of 30 avocets was also seen resting near the top end of the Strood channel.

An adult Mediterranean gull rested in the Strood channel on Thursday.

Two male stonechats were seen along the Strood seawall, this one on the ice on the borrowdyke seemingly picking up items on the frozen surface. The other male stonechat was seen perched alongside the road at the bottom of the Strood hill, later perching on the otter-proof fence nearby.

A male blackcap was seen in the Firs Chase garden feeding among the ivy on Thursday.

There were still big flocks of fieldfares around West Mersea on Wednesday with this one photographed by Jonathan Bustard. There have probably been about 1500 fieldfares across the many gardens and also 500 redwings too. In the Firs Chase / The Lane area there were 50 fieldfares and 50 redwing feeding on berries in various gardens, then sitting up on the nearby tree-tops.

A merlin flashed fast over the Firs Chase caravan site and a pair of sparrowhawks came together briefly high over The Lane.

The thick snow covered the fields beside the Strood channel on Wednesday. A smart male marsh harrier flew over the fields as it headed north-east and a buzzard sat in trees at the back of the fields.

The wintering bearded tit was seen feeding low among the clubrush in the dyke, the male stonechat was feeding alongside too and six rock pipits, ten meadow pipits and ten skylarks were also noted.

Tuesday 9th was the second day of the big influx of hundreds of fieldfares and lots of redwing too across West Mersea. In the Firs Chase / The Lane / City Road area were 100 redwing, 200 fieldfares and a couple of mistle thrushes too. In the afternoon around 300 fieldfares and 50 redwing were seen along the Firs Road and Captain Road area. In Empress Avenue area Tony Riley thought there were about 400 fieldfares present while Adrian Amos reported a fieldfare feeding frenzy in the East Road / Oakwood Avenue area, also Phil Passfield filmed a large fieldfare flock in his Yorick Road garden. Hundreds of fieldfares were reported by Angela Buckley in the Feldy View and Strood Close area in the afternoon.

Ian Black reported hundreds of fieldfares and redwings in his Mersea Avenue garden and on surrounding trees with the sparrowhawk having a field day. His best bird noted there was a woodcock seen flying over Ian's garden in the morning. Jonathan Bustard reported dozens of fieldfares around the village it seemed. Shaun Bater was pleased to have at least one fieldfare in his Estuary Park Road garden along with lots of chaffinches and a pied wagtail. 

A redwing was feeding on berries with several others near the West Mersea Yacht Club on Tuesday morning.

A red kite was seen by Martin Cock flying over his garden in the Coverts on Tuesday heading north.

Andy Field reported that the country park was quiet with fieldfare and redwing activity with just a few seen compared with the mass of activity in West Mersea.

Along the snowy Strood seawall on Tuesday 9th, the bearded tit was seen in the borrowdyke showing well among the clubrush, also the pair of stonechat, marsh harrier, buzzard, 30 avocets, 200 golden plover and a little egret. A large flock of 1500 brent geese was feeding on the Peldon fields.

A pair of stock doves was feeding under the bird feeders in the Firs Chase garden on Tuesday - the first garden visit for a few months.

Three stock doves were photographed by Michael Thorley when they visited his East Mersea garden near Meeting Lane on Tuesday. Also a marsh harrier flew over the field to the south, three red-legged partridges seen and later at dusk three skylarks came into the garden to feed.

Ten marsh harriers were seen flying into the Langenhoe roost by Martin Cock on Tuesday late afternoon.

One of the many fieldfares visiting Phil Passfield's Yorick Road garden was photographed by him early on Tuesday morning.

SNOWFALL WITH FIELDFARES

Almost five inches of snow had covered many places around West Mersea by the end of Monday 8th - the second day of snow falling. A flock of 20 fieldfares in Feldy View seemed a small amount compared to the big flocks of fieldfares being seen all over West Mersea on Monday. Reports came in from Church Road by Frances McKay of 300 stripping pyracantha berries, 200+ seen in Firs Road by Andy Radley, a fieldfares flock at East Road /Oakwood along with four redwings seen by Adrian Amos, 300 fieldfares and redwings noted generally around West Mersea by Martin Cock, as well as 30 fieldfares seen in Empress Drive by Kate Entwistle while five redwings were seen the previous day. 

Ian Black reported the pyracantha bush in his Mersea Avenue garden was covered with redwings and fieldfares with big flocks flying about most of Monday afternoon. Twenty fieldfares and three redwings were seen in Firs Chase in the middle of the day. Andy Field saw a few fieldfares along the East Mersea road and a fed up looking red-legged partridge in the cold of Chapmans Lane.

The fields beside the Strood channel looked more like the Siberian tundra with their covering of snow.

A marsh harrier was seen hunting over one field, a buzzard perched in a tree while small birds noted were 12 linnets, six reed buntings, four skylarks and three meadow pipits. A flock of 200 golden plover were huddled together on one of the snowy fields.

The Strood seawall covered in snow. As the tide receded along the Strood channel, a full summer plumaged bar-tailed godwit was feeding with five others in winter plumage, also nearby a single black-tailed godwit.

This regular male sparrowhawk was photographed by Michael Thorley in his East Mersea garden near Meeting Lane as the snow fell on Sunday 7th. Feeding in the nearby flooded wheat field were 20+ jackdaws, rooks and carrion crows.

At West Mersea three bar-tailed godwits were seen on the mud near the Monkey beach by Jonathan Bustard on Sunday.

In East Mersea, the Youth Camp little owl was playing hard to spot on Saturday 6th, as it perched close to the trunk of a poplar tree. A buzzard, Mediterranean gull and green woodpecker were in the area while in the field hedges behind the boating lake were six yellowhammers and five reed buntings. 

Near Meeting Lane Michael Thorley noted both great spotted woodpecker and green woodpecker in his garden with 15 fieldfares in a hedgerow.

Offshore from Cudmore Grove on Saturday, Steve Entwistle located the three velvet scoters in the outer Colne estuary and after a long wait they flapped their wings to show their diagnostic white wing-bar, A Slavonian grebe was also seen offshore while in the park were eight snipe in the field, three pochard on the pond, a green woodpecker and a goldcrest.

Thirty avocets were seen along the Strood Channel on Saturday afternoon by Jonathan Bustard.

A wood-mouse was found on the boardwalk near the St Peters well on Saturday, looking a bit poorly.

On Friday 5th a chiffchaff was in bushes at the bottom corner of the Firs Caravan park, thirty avocets feeding in the channel and a buzzard at the back of the fields.

Late on Friday afternoon a visit to the Reeveshall seawall proved productive with a male hen harrier seemingly going to roost in the Langenhoe Point reedbed. It was first seen flying north over the reedbed there before returning half an hour later, flying slowly low over the reeds. Also there were at least six marsh harriers also heading into the roost. 

At the same time a short-eared owl was hunting along the Reeveshall seawall, perching on the old traffic bollard again. Two buzzards and a sparrowhawk were also in the area while in the Pyefleet were fifty avocets and a red-breasted merganser. Four yellowhammers were roosting in a hedge for the night.

At Maydays farm on Friday Martin Cock reported seeing 12 pintail, two stonechats, buzzard, sparrowhawk and a distant great white egret on the Geedons. 

Four white-fronted geese, above photographed by Andy Field also seen at Cudmore Grove were 13 snipe and two pochard on Friday. At West Mersea two female eiders were seen off the Dabchicks sailing club by Ian Black.

On Thursday 4th along the Strood of note were three marsh harriers, a buzzard, four Mediterranean gulls, stonechat and 43 avocets.

A flock of 700 brent geese was feeding on the grazing fields at Cudmore Grove on Wednesday 3rd - until something spooked all the birds away. Also on the fields were 1000 wigeon, 100 lapwing, 30 greylag geese, six snipe while at the pond were two pochard, ten gadwall and eight tufted duck. 

A red squirrel was seen in a tree just inside the park entrance.

Offshore from the West Mersea beach on Wednesday were three great northern divers seen by Jonathan Bustard.

A male reed bunting was feeding close to the Strood seawall along with its partner on Tuesday 2nd.

The Cetti's warbler was heard calling from the bushes at the end of the central ditch, also three stonechats were seen, a sparrowhawk, two marsh harriers and a buzzard. Of interest along the Strood channel were 140 shelduck, 34 avocets, 150 redshank and 200 wigeon.

At Reeveshall on Tuesday afternoon, Andy Field reported a merlin, one possibly two barn owls, short-eared owl, 14 marsh harriers and nine red-breasted mergansers.

Three great northern divers and a red-throated diver were seen offshore from the West Mersea beach on Tuesday by Jonathan Bustard.

Michael Thorley took these three pictures of a sanderling at Coopers Beach on Tuesday afternoon.

Sanderling feeding along beside Coopers Beach.

Sanderling with its wings stretched getting ready to fly.

SHORT-EARED OVER REEVESHALL

A short-eared owl was seen hunting over the grass beside the Reeveshall seawall on Monday 1st. After flying the full length of the seawall, it stopped to rest on this old traffic bollard. It would seem this bollard might be a regular perch for it judging by the dropping stains down it.

Despite attracting the attention of a carrion crow, the short-eared owl perched on the bollard for about ten minutes, whilst I watched it from about 70 metres away. It then flew back along the inside of the seawall following the line of the overflowing ditch.

Also noted at Reeveshall were two buzzards, one which crossed over the Pyefleet to Langenhoe, also on the fields were 200 lapwing, 300 starlings, fourteen stock doves, 70 jackdaws and a corn bunting singing on a bush.

Later on Monday Steve Entwistle visited Maydays farm and also saw the short-eared owl hunting over Reeveshall as well as a barn owl flying about. A peregrine was seen perched on the Langenhoe seawall and also a merlin sitting on a post on Langenhoe. The kingfisher was briefly seen over the Maydays marsh and a rock pipit noted too.

At the country park on Monday Martin Cock saw the pochard was still on the pond, four white-fronted geese were feeding near the Golfhouse and a peregrine flew over the grazing fields

This rock pipit was photographed by Michael Thorley on Monday as it perched on the seawall sluice near the Golfhouse.

An unusual sight for Mersea was this quail which a cat brought into the house near Colchester Road  belonging to Ron Harvey's daughter, early on Monday morning. It was soon repatriated with its rightful owners who keep quail in captivity in nearby Upland Road, seemingly unscathed!

A grey squirrel was trapped in Seaview Avenue, the day after one had been trapped near Triangle Wood.

A male blackcap was photographed by Phil Passfield at his garden feeders in Yorick Road whilst he was doing the RSPB garden birdwatch survey on Sunday 31st. The next day two male blackcaps were seen at the feeders on Monday.

Along the Bower Hall seawall on the north side of the island on Sunday morning a kingfisher flew over the saltmarsh, three marsh harriers were seen flying about, two little egrets, stonechat and a noisy flock of 150 jackdaws flew over. Beside Haycocks Lane a flock of 100 linnets and 70 chaffinches were feeding in a game crop. A brown hare was seen running over the saltmarsh and across the nearby field.

Steve Entwistle reported seeing on Sunday morning at the country park three snipe, a pochard while at the end of the afternoon a barn owl flew across the field to Bromans Farm. In Haycocks Lane 150 linnets and 30 chaffinch were noted.

In fields to the west of the East Mersea church on Sunday morning, Andy Field saw the black brant feeding with 500 brent geese, also the rare sight of two grey partridge in a stubble field and 120 curlew.

Saturday 30th was a very wet day with lots of rain flooding the fields beside the Strood seawall even more. On the wet fields during the high tide were 1000 dunlin, 50 ringed plover, 25 redshank and 30 grey plover. A pair of stonechat was still by the seawall while near the caravan site were a pale-bellied brent goose and a male red-breasted merganser.

This green woodpecker visited Michael Thorley's East Mersea garden near Meeting Lane on the wet Saturday 30th morning, photographed through his window.

A recent high tide dumped this boat on the old polder at an odd angle along the Strood channel on Friday 29th. The boat is named aptly - or prophetically, "Get wrecked"! 

Birds noted during the seawall walk were marsh harrier, two buzzards, sparrowhawk, stonechat, pale-bellied brent goose, Mediterranean gull, as well as 1000 dunlin, 50 ringed plover, 50 golden plover, 50 redshank and 20 grey plover on the wet fields.

At Cudmore Grove on Friday four white-fronted geese were seen in the fields by Martin Cock, also noting two stonechat, Cetti's warbler by the central ditch while offshore were two Slavonian grebes and two red-throated divers. Michael Thorley saw the purple sandpiper for a few minutes near the East Mersea Point on Friday afternoon.

On Thursday 28th a female kingfisher was perched at the back of the old Rewsalls marshes in a small pond, also 11 snipe seen while in the wheat field near Coopers Beach were 300 brent geese and 160 curlew. Four sanderling were on the beach by the Youth Camp and five Mediterranean gulls were amongst the gull flock feeding in the fields west of the church.

At Cudmore Grove on Thursday Andy Field reported a pair of pintail, four white-fronted geese, Cetti's warbler by the dyke, four colour-ringed black-tailed godwits among the flock of 400, also a mistle thrush by the Golfhouse and the purple sandpiper on the mud.

A buzzard was seen by Ian Black flying over the High Street on Thursday.

SCAMPERING SANDERLING

Seventeen sanderling were seen scampering along the beach at the East Mersea Point on Wednesday 27th.

The sanderling had the beach almost to themselves during the high tide period late morning.

Also feeding along the beach at the Point was this turnstone. There was no sign of the two snow buntings seen a couple of days earlier on the Monday by Angela Buckley. Other birds noted were a red-throated diver in the river Colne, eight red-breasted mergansers upriver and one great crested grebe flying past. A grey seal was feeding on a fish close to the Point.

For a while on Wednesday there was little to see in the mouth of the Colne because of a thick haar that rolled in over the sea. 

On the nearby park grazing fields, most of the 400 black-tailed godwits were roosting together, also 100 redshank,14 snipe, 100 lapwing and 300 dunlin were present among the 1000+ wigeon. By the pond were a fieldfare, two redwings, a goldcrest, while ten gadwall and six tufted duck were on the pond. A buzzard flew over Ivy Farm being mobbed by crows, a mistle thrush was by the Golfhouse amongst the mistletoe while a red squirrel was seen in a hedge near the Dormy houses on East Rd.

At West Mersea a great northern diver was seen off Kingsland Road beach by Jonathan Bustard while in Mersea Avenue a Mediterranean gull was coming down to bread with the black-headed gulls in Ian Black's back garden.

A buck muntjac deer was spotted on Wednesday as I drove past the Manwood Grove near the top end of Shop Lane. After a bit of browsing it disappeared into the wood.

Offshore from Coopers Beach on Tuesday 26th, three distant velvet scoter were seen in the outer part of the Colne estuary. It needed a call to Chris Balchin over at Colne Point, asking him to confirm the identification as he would get a closer look at the birds. A fourth duck was also present but its identification wasn't confirmed. 

Also of note offshore were the passing red-throated divers with 46 noted, some on the water, others flying past eastwards. There were five Slavonian grebes and 380 great crested grebes counted offshore from Coopers too and also four gadwall flying about. Twelve sanderling flew along the beach with a few turnstones and a sparrowhawk flew past too. On the flooded Coopers marsh were a snipe, 15 curlew, 2 little egrets, golden plover and a couple of shelduck.

Michael Thorley found a grey wagtail feeding by an icy puddle near the Coopers Beach clubhouse later on Tuesday. A red-throated diver was seen off the West Mersea beach by Jonathan Bustard and a male sparrowhawk was seen in Shaun Bater's Estuary Park Road garden

It had been a cold overnight Sunday into Monday morning with this patch of frozen water still sitting on the Strood channel by late morning on Monday 25th. Birds of note included three buzzards, marsh harrier, 25 avocets, while in the fields were 300 brent geese, 100 golden plover, two Mediterranean gulls and two stonechats.

A couple of redshank were feeding on the saltmarsh near the Firs Caravan park.

One of the redshank seemed quite confiding although it stopped feeding while I walked close-by.

At the East Mersea Youth Camp on Monday, Martin Cock reported a great northern diver and red-throated diver offshore and a green sandpiper over the marshes. Michael Thorley saw 70 corn buntings near Cross Lane.

Angela Buckley visited Cudmore Grove on Monday seeing two snow buntings, some turnstones and sanderling on the beach but no purple sandpiper, also two buzzards, stonechat and a greenfinch with a pale face.

On Sunday 24th Steve Entwistle had a successful day - finally catching up with the purple sandpiper on the mud near East Mersea Point on his eight attempt this month at trying to see it! Along the Strood Jonathan Bustard saw a male hen harrier, marsh harrier and the bearded tit. 

At Maydays farm on Sunday a male merlin flew low over the marsh, a peregrine caused some panic along the Pyefleet, while four marsh harriers, six buzzards and a sparrowhawk were also seen. A Cetti's warbler called from the dyke, two male stonechats were seen in different locations, while two yellowhammers, 100 linnets and two fieldfares were also noted. At the back of Reeveshall were 800+ brent geese in a field.

Along the channel were six red-breasted mergansers, 100 avocets, 500 knot, two bar-tailed godwits and 20 black-tailed godwits.

In East Mersea near Meeting Lane on Sunday a peregrine chased a starling over Michael Thorley's garden, while in West Mersea a female blackcap was on feeders in Ian Black's garden.

There was a colourful sunset at the end of Saturday 23rd at the West Mersea Hard, after the sun had shone for most of the day. Offshore from the Esplanade were a great northern diver, red-breasted merganser and at least a dozen Mediterranean gulls in the gull roost on the water.

A flock of eighty corn buntings and twenty linnets were flying around and feeding on the stubble field to the west of Waldegraves.

Offshore from the Youth Camp on Saturday were a Slavonian grebe, three red-throated divers, 25 great crested grebes and also eleven bar-tailed godwits on the mudflats. Two little egrets, 36 mallard and a rock pipit were by the boating lake and old marshes. Feeding in the game cover crop and fields west of the East Mersea church were ten reed buntings, two yellowhammers, 15 chaffinches, 20 pied wagtails and three song thrushes. A couple of goldcrests were seen near the church by Martin Cock.

Along the Strood seawall on Saturday, Steve Entwistle finally watched the elusive bearded tit at the top of the reeds along the dyke after lots of missed attempts, also five reed buntings seen too. Ian Black saw a female hen harrier  over the south end of Ray Island flying towards Copt Hall, also a great spotted woodpecker drumming in Mersea Avenue.

A barn owl was seen at Maydays mid afternoon on Saturday by Steve Entwistle, who watched it hunting over the fields and perching up on a post for a short while. In the brief shower of heavy snow at Maydays a pair of pintail, two marsh harriers and a male stonechat were noted. At least ten red-legged partridge were seen near the Maydays farmyard, also seven red-legged partridge beside Chapmans Lane and a sparrowhawk noted too.

A kestrel was photographed near Feldy View by Andy Field on Friday 22nd. 

A peregrine was seen flying over the Feldy seawall on the mainland as it headed over to Copt Hall. Two buzzards and a couple of sparrowhawks were noted along the Strood seawall. A kingfisher perched on the seawall sluice and the bearded tit was seen in the reeds by Andy Field. Also of interest were a stonechat, rock pipit, six linnets as well as seven avocets, 80+ shelduck, 100 teal and a little egret.

A red kite was seen by Kate Entwistle flying over her Empress Drive house on Friday. The firecrest was seen feeding in the holly bushes in Reymead Wood on Friday afternoon, also three song thrushes heard singing and a sparrowhawk passed over.

A barn owl flew low over Shop Lane on Friday, almost crashing into the car windscreen of Michael Thorley as he drove along late afternoon. The Cetti's warbler was heard calling from the Maydays dyke by Martin Cock on Friday.

On Thursday 21st, two peregrines were seen together briefly close to the Strood causeway before heading off in opposite directions. A marsh harrier flew over Ray Island while along the channel were 11 avocets, 106 shelduck, 48 curlew and 300 golden plover, also two stonechats beside the seawall. The large flock of 1000 brent geese was feeding on the Peldon side.

The firecrest was seen on Thursday by Michael Thorley, it showed well feeding in the hollies in the middle of Reymead Wood.

A grey squirrel was pictured on trail-camera in the Seaview Avenue garden of Duncan Philpott on Saturday 23rd. Measures had been started the day before to try and catch this individual.

GRAZING FIELD GODWITS

 

A flock of 200 black-tailed godwits was seen in the grazing fields at the country park on Wednesday 20th.

All the black-tailed godwits and other waders and ducks on the fields were spooked by a peregrine which sent many birds into the air for a minute, some flying out into the estuary. The godwits and lots of wigeon settled back down again but looked very nervous when the peregrine appeared again. None of the birds took to the air where they would be vulnerable to a peregrine attack but they all watched the skies above with necks outstretched ready to take evasive action. The peregrine hung in the air waiting to see if any bird took to the wing but none did - and it then flew off.

Other birds in the fields on Wednesday morning were 73 greylag geese, 200 lapwing, 25 shoveler, 50 redshank and 100 teal. On the pond were 8 gadwall and 6 tufted duck with five redwing in nearby trees.

In the Colne were three great crested grebes and a red-breasted merganser, while 30 avocets and 15 shelduck were on the mud.

In Reymead Wood the firecrest was seen again on Wednesday by Jonathan Bustard.

A marsh tit was seen briefly in Reymead Wood on Tuesday for the second time by Richard Brown. This is the first record for the Island of marsh tit. The bird was seen with some long-tailed tits earlier in the day but was not seen subsequently. The firecrest was still present on Tuesday, also 30 goldfinches and a sparrowhawk seen.

A grey squirrel was seen in the back garden of Duncan Philpott in Seaview Avenue on Tuesday.

On Tuesday along the Strood seawall were seen a marsh harrier, buzzard, a pair of stonechats, 35 avocets and two little egrets. A mistle thrush was perched beside mistletoe clumps in poplars near the Firs caravan site, also six redwing and a goldcrest seen near too.

A firecrest was found along the folly footpath at the top of the Firs Caravan park on Monday, the same place as one has been seen the last two winters so maybe the same bird overwintering. A colourful male yellowhammer was calling from a perch beside the Feldy View field on Monday and two great spotted woodpeckers flew over.

Along the Strood were a merlin perched on a post on Ray Island, buzzard, two sparrowhawks, bar-tailed godwit, 33 avocets, 200 lapwing, 300 wigeon, 100 teal, five Mediterranean gulls and three stonechats inside the seawall. The only little egret found was sadly a dead one by a ditch.

This colourful male sparrowhawk was photographed by Michael Thorley in his East Mersea garden near Meeting Lane on Sunday 17th.

The sparrowhawk was perched below the bird feeders in the garden - also a female blackcap in the garden.

 

Jonathan Bustard took these five photographs of the firecrest in Reymead Wood on Sunday.

Jonathan said it was tricky controlling the light for the pictures even on a bright day in the wood.

The firecrest showed well at various times through the day.

In the sunlight the bright golden colour on the side of the neck of the firecrest showed up nicely.

On Sunday at the Youth Camp a grey wagtail was seen by Martin Cock as it flew over towards Waldegraves. Also a merlin was seen and two Slavonian grebes off Coopers Beach.

Water levels were high along the ditch at Reeveshall on Sunday 17th with water now spilling onto the grass. Fifty redshank were making the most of the fresh wet conditions here, while in other fields were 300 lapwings, 300 starlings, 300 rooks and 150 jackdaws and 25 pied wagtails. Three marsh harriers and three common buzzards were noted and a peregrine perched on the Langenhoe seawall. Four gadwall, two shoveler and 30 mallard flew off Reeveshall, also two yellowhammers, nine corn buntings and a pair of stonechats seen too. In the channel were two red-breasted mergansers, 200 avocets, 100 shelduck and 90 teal.

In the Fishponds Wood in Shop Lane a goldcrest was in the trees and also a red squirrel seen too.

In the Firs Chase garden two goldcrests and a red squirrel were also seen on Sunday.

A distant female kingfisher perched on the Strood seawall sluice on Saturday 16th in the afternoon after the rain had stopped. The bearded tit was heard calling and the Cetti's warbler showed briefly on a bush by the reedbed. The wet fields had 200 dunlin, 50 ringed plover and 15 grey plover feeding on them. A marsh harrier flew over Ray Island, 44 avocets were in the channel and 1000 brent geese rose in the air off the Peldon fields.

Shaun Bater had two badgers and two foxes visit his garden in Estuary Park Road late on Friday night.