SUNNY AND STILL STROOD

Perfect winter morning for a walk along the Strood seawall on Saturday 10th with sunny and still conditions. Two of the sixty avocets were feeding along the channel as the tide came in.

Twenty black-tailed godwits were also feeding along the channel.

Several curlew were to be seen along the edge of the incoming tide.

A redshank was feeding along one of the small saltmarsh channels.

In the Strood fields 100 lapwing and 200 golden plover were feeding.

The black brant was seen feeding in the wheat field near Whittaker Way houses along with 700 brent geese on Saturday morning by Sean Nixon. He also saw two snipe flushed off the grass field by a passing marsh harrier.

Three mute swans flew over the Strood causeway and landed in the water before slowly swimming down channel. Along the edge of the saltmarshes were 200 wigeon and 100 teal.

There was no wind at the start of the day with waters in the Strood channel like a mirror.

Marsh harriers were often seen during the two hours walk with four individuals noted at different times.

One of the two buzzards seen on Saturday was this one perched overlooking the road by the Strood layby.

 

A female pintail on the country park pond was an unusual visitor there on Friday 9th. Also 95 mallard, 14 gadwall, tufted duck were also present.

A female stonechat was feeding on the main field of the park on Friday, feeding on a recently mown area of long grass. A goldcrest was feeding in trees along the park horseride.

 A buzzard perched in the trees beside the park pond on Friday.

At the back of the park's grazing fields a muntjac deer was grazing mid morning on Friday.

Six great crested grebes were seen in the Colne, also five red-breasted mergansers.

Also noted were four snipe, four mute swans, two greylag geese flying over, two avocets, Mediterranean gulls, two rock pipits and eight reed buntings.

A mistle thrush and song thrush were by the Golfhouse and ten skylarks, fifty lapwing and four stock doves were in a recently sown arable field near horse paddocks.

A woodcock was seen flying away by Martin Cock on Friday to the west of Shop Lane near Gyants Marsh.

REWSALLS MARSHES

A nice variety of waders were roosting on the side lake at Rewsalls marshes during the high tide on Wednesday 7th. On one of the mud spits was a mixed flock of 40 curlew and 25 black-tailed godwits.

Two greenshank were of interest, here one of the birds seen with a redshank. One of the greenshank later flew off to the north-west in the direction of the Strood. Other waders gathered on the Rewsalls side lake were 130 redshank, 120 turnstone, 200 dunlin, 15 grey plover, 18 ringed plover, 6 lapwing and four oystercatchers.

A line of 24 little grebes were on the Rewsalls side lake, sixty teal were feeding on the flooded marshes, while offshore 20 great crested grebes were on the sea. A marsh harrier was seen flying north over the sea to East Mersea.

A kingfisher flew along a ditch perching amongst the reeds in front of the East Mersea boating lake on Wednesday. 

Six reed buntings were feeding beside the boating lake on Wednesday.

Two song thrushes and a buzzard were seen near the Youth Camp, while in Waldegraves caravan park there were 65 mallard, song thrush, four linnets and 52 sanderling on the beach. Beside Cross Lane there was a buzzard, two great spotted woodpeckers, three redwing, song thrush, Cetti's warbler, seven skylarks and ten Mediterranean gulls.

Martin Cock also visited Cross Lane on Wednesday morning and noted two redwing, forty greenfinches and a buzzard.

At Cudmore Grove Country Park on Wednesday, Andy Field photographed this leucistic redshank roosting with a few other redshank and grey plovers on the Golfhouse pools. This pale biscuit-coloured redshank has been seen a few times in the Colne before, here at East Mersea and also at Fingringhoe NR. On the fields were 200 wigeon, goldcrest in the park and 15 great crested grebes on the sea.

Fourteen sanderling were seen on the East Mersea Point by Andy on Wednesday, one pictured here.

Another sanderling photographed by Andy at the East Mersea Point.

Andy saw a buzzard at Cudmore Grove and another buzzard perched on a telegraph pole at Chapmans Lane.

It was nice and sunny but chilly looking across the Rewsalls marshes from Coopers Beach on Tuesday 6th. Four shelduck, six teal, 55 curlew, five little egrets were on the marshes, with ten reed buntings, stonechat, two singing Cetti's warblers, 15 linnets and a song thrush nearby. Offshore there were thirty great crested grebes.

A kestrel perched on wires along the track to the west of East Mersea church on Tuesday. In the nearby wheat fields the black brant was feeding with a large flock of 700 brent geese.

HAWK-EYES

A nicely patterned male sparrowhawk was giving me the stare as it perched for several minutes on a fence-post along the front of the Firs Caravan park, before flying low over the nearby saltmarsh on Monday 5th.

A flock of 500 brent geese was feeding in the wheat field near Whittaker Way before flying down to the channel for a preen and bathe - some of them seen here. 

An intermediate type of brent goose with a paler back and belly was seen on Monday near the Firs Caravan park. This brent doesn't appear pale enough to be a pale-bellied brent goose but isn't as dark as the dark-bellied brent individual nearby.

Along the Strood seawall on Monday as the tide rose were fifty redshank, 30 avocets, 200 wigeon, 100 teal, marsh harrier, buzzard, while on the fields were 40 skylarks, 15 linnets, three stonechats and a flyover yellowhammer heading to the Strood reservoirs.

A greenshank was photographed near the Strood by Lolly Watson on Monday. 

A winter male snow bunting was found feeding beside the Reeveshall seawall on Sunday 4th. It flew a short distance a couple of times flashing wide white wing-bars.

On Reeveshall were 200 brent geese, four greylag geese, eight stock doves, while on Langenhoe were four marsh harriers. In the Pyefleet off Maydays were 16 red-breasted mergansers, seven great crested grebes and thirty shelduck. A stonechat and 14 corn buntings were noted along the Bower Hall seawall with 100 cormorants flying over.

In the Strood channel 1000 golden plover, 45 avocets, 45 knot were seen, while in the fields were 800 brent geese, two stonechats and 30 linnets.

Steve Entwistle saw two eider and a great northern diver off the Victoria Esplanade on Sunday, while at Coopers Beach there were 400 dunlin, ten sanderling, six black-tailed godwits, four ringed plover and fifty turnstone. Earlier in the morning three redwings, four blackbirds and a greenfinch were in Meeting Lane.

A Mediterranean gull was seen among the small group of black-headed gulls at the West Mersea Hard on Saturday 3rd.

Steve Entwistle and Oliver Cottis on Sunday saw two great northern divers, three eider, red-breasted merganser, two Mediterranean gulls and a possible goldeneye in the distance off the Esplanade / Kingsland Road. Earlier in East Mersea there was a goldcrest, mistle thrush and a red squirrel - but no sign of the three snow buntings seen the day before at the Point.

SCUTTLING BUNTINGS

Three snow buntings were found on Friday 2nd feeding on the beach on the East Mersea Point. They scuttled about on the shingle like mice and were very well camouflaged until they moved.

Three linnets joined them later, also at the Point were a pied wagtail and a rock pipit, while in the Colne was a great crested grebe.

Two snipe and ten shoveler were on the Golfhouse pools and a stonechat perched nearby on the bushes.

On the park's grazing fields on Friday were 400 wigeon and also 400 brent geese. A buzzard was mobbed by crows as it flew over the fields.

A grey heron stalked alongside the park dyke on Friday. On the park pond there were fifty mallard, tufted duck, twenty teal and four shoveler. A goldcrest was in trees along the horseride path.

A flock of 36 skylarks flew over fields to the north of the park, and a mistle thrush was in horse paddocks here.

Eight red-legged partridges were in a field by Weir Farm earlier on Friday morning.

A red squirrel ran across the path behind the bird hide and then shot up a tree at the country park on Friday.

The red squirrel waited for a few minutes in a tree before deciding to scramble away through the branches and off through the trees.

At Maydays on Friday Martin Cock reported two green sandpipers, nine red-breasted mergansers, 60 knot, buzzard, three marsh harriers, while later at the West Mersea Esplanade two eider and a great northern diver were seen. A merlin was seen flying north to West Mersea from Bradwell by Colin Mackenzie Grieve from Old Hall. 

On Thursday 1st along the Strood seawall a peregrine was watched chasing a stock dove over Ray Island with the dove escaping when it reached the safety of the trees there. Two marsh harriers and a buzzard were seen, also 700 brent geese, and three stonechats, while along the channel were 25 little grebes and twenty avocets. A green woodpecker was seen out on the seawall and in trees alongside the dyke.

Offshore from the Esplanade on Thursday morning, two eider, great northern diver, three red-throated divers, two red-breasted mergansers, seven common scoter, 17 great crested grebes, three sanderling, 43 dunlin and two Mediterranean gulls were reported by Steve Entwistle with contributions from Andy Field, Martin Cock and Daryl Rhymes.

Ten red-legged partridges were seen on Thursday morning by Steve Entwistle near the East Mersea Road by the Old Rectory, Weir Farm.

Offshore from the Monkey Beach on Wednesday 30th a goldeneye flew west into the Mersea Quarters and headed possibly towards Salcott channel. A great northern diver was close to Cobmarsh and fifteen great crested grebes were offshore. A grey wagtail was feeding close to the Coast Road amongst the flotsam washed up on the saltmarsh near the houseboats. A pale-bellied brent goose was with a handful of dark-bellied brent geese along from the Hard.

Martin Cock saw two red-throated divers, at least two great northern divers and an unidentified auk offshore from the Esplanade on Wednesday. Earlier two lesser redpolls flying over Maydays were seen by Martin.

The regular black brant was feeding with a few dark-bellied brent geese near the West Mersea Hard on Tuesday 29th. In the wheat field near Feldy View there were 600 brent geese feeding while along the Strood channel were 350 wigeon, 100 teal, 24 little grebes, 48 avocets, two knot, also a snipe flying over. Four grey herons and ten little egrets seen too.

A male hen harrier was glimpsed briefly as it hunted the Peldon seawall behind Ray Island, also a peregrine seen flying over Ray Island, a marsh harrier, two buzzards and a kestrel noted. 

In the fields were a stonechat, 50 skylarks, twenty meadow pipits and a Cetti's warbler calling from the reedbed.

Offshore from the West Mersea Esplanade on Tuesday afternoon were two great northern divers, a red-throated diver, twenty great crested grebes and two marsh harriers seen crossing the river Blackwater north to Mersea / Old Hall.

Steve Entwistle also at the Esplanade reported in addition, three red-throated divers, red-breasted merganser, eight mute swans and six shelduck.

The red-throated diver was still feeding in the Strood channel on a nice sunny and still Monday 28th - present for its second day. The diver was feeding as far up the channel beyond the seawall sluice before drifting back down channel, feeding as it went.

Along the channel were 1000 golden plover, 200 lapwing, forty avocets, forty black-tailed godwits, four knot, ten little egrets and two Mediterranean gulls. Three marsh harriers and a sparrowhawk were seen too, while on the fields were 50 skylarks, 30 linnets, ten reed buntings, two Cetti's warblers, stonechat and a lesser redpoll flying west over the channel.

Several of the skylarks were feeding on top of the Strood seawall on Monday.

Offshore from the Esplanade on Monday late afternoon, Steve Entwistle was pleased to see the very rare sight here of a puffin as it drifted out from Tollesbury Fleet where it had been reported earlier in the afternoon. Also six great crested grebes. Martin Cock saw a great northern diver and three red-throated divers offshore.

A common scoter was seen distantly by Andy Field offshore from Cudmore Grove on Monday morning.

On a grey and overcast Sunday 27th, a red-throated diver was seen feeding in the Strood channel, feeding on the far side beside the Ray Island saltings.

The pale-bellied brent goose was feeding with some dark-bellied brent geese in front of the Firs Caravan park on Sunday.

The flock of 1000 brent geese were flushed off the wheat field beside the Whittaker Way houses and landed in the Strood channel for a bathe and preen on Sunday. Also along the channel were 800 golden plover, 90 grey plover, 48 avocets, 40 black-tailed godwits, 15 shelduck and four knot.

Three marsh harriers flew separately over Ray Island, while over the Strood fields were two stonechats, seven corn buntings, fifteen linnets and a Cetti's warbler calling in the reeds. 

A great white egret was seen on the Maydays saltmarsh on Sunday by Martin Cock.

STROOD WADERS

There was a good showing of various wader species along the Strood channel on Saturday 26th such as this grey plover which looked like it had eaten something unpleasant!

 A curlew was seen walking along the edge of the mud close to the Strood seawall.

Twenty black-tailed godwits were seen along the Strood channel on Saturday.

At least 200 dunlin were scuttling about on the Strood mud on Saturday. Other waders of interest were 800 golden plover, 200 lapwing, 55 avocets and also a snipe flying over the fields.

The main flock of brent geese flew off the fields near the houses at Whittaker Way and after landing in the Strood, 940 geese were counted. 

A sparrowhawk flew over the fields where 50 skylarks were feeding, a stonechat, 30 linnets, two corn buntings and ten reed buntings. A Cetti's warbler was calling from the corner reedbed and four rock pipits along the seawall. A brown hare was resting in the middle of one of the fields.

Twelve goldfinches flew over Firs Chase.

A red squirrel visited the feeder in the Firs Chase garden on Saturday.

This red squirrel is a slightly darker individual than one of the other recent visitors to the feeder.

Another red squirrel was also seen by the path at the top of the Firs Caravan park on Saturday morning.

A colourful male shoveler was seen on the saltmarsh pools near the East Mersea Golfhouse on Friday 25th. On the park's grazing fields there were 300 brent geese, 300 wigeon, 130 curlew and a singing Cetti's warbler.

As the tide began covering the saltmarsh near the Point, at least fifteen snipe flew off calling, with two birds being seen later at the back of the one of the pools.

The high tide covered all the saltmarsh by the Golfhouse pools and by the Point on Friday late morning. In the Colne seven red-breasted mergansers flew up river, while three others were seen in the Pyefleet. A red-throated diver had been feeding close to Ivy Dock and then flew up the Pyefleet where it dropped down opposite the Shop Lane seawall. 

A male stonechat was by the Golfhouse sluice on Friday, while near the Oyster Fishery a pair were seen there. A mistle thrush was seen by the Golfhouse flying from the poplar trees with the mistletoe clumps.

Two great crested grebes were preening near the East Mersea Point on Friday, also eight sanderling on the beach at high tide.

In the Pyefleet on Friday there were 140 avocets, 30 shelduck, 1500 dunlin roosting on Langenhoe Point, 100 turnstone roosting on a pontoon and six marsh harriers over Langenhoe. A water rail and Cetti's warbler called near the Oyster Fishery.

At Maydays on Friday Martin Cock reported a pintail, two red-breasted mergansers, four marsh harriers, 30 reed buntings and a yellowhammer.

A grey wagtail was seen by the Strood causeway on Friday just before high tide by Steve Entwistle.

A common buzzard was hurriedly photographed through the car windscreen, as it perched beside the road at Weir Farm on Friday.

The black brant was feeding with the big flock of dark-bellied brent geese in the winter wheat field close to Whittaker Way on Thursday 24th.

Around 1000 brent geese were feeding in the field by Whittaker Way on Thursday on the top of the fields above the Strood - pictured in the background. 

The pale-bellied brent goose was seen feeding with a handful of dark-bellied brent geese in front of the Firs Caravan park on Thursday. This is likely the same bird that has returned for the third winter running.

A distant kingfisher perched on a culvert pipe along the Strood dyke on Thursday.

Along the Strood channel were 300 wigeon, 150 teal, 20 shelduck, 55 avocets, 500 dunlin and a snipe passing over. A marsh harrier, buzzard, stonechat pair, fifty skylarks and fifty linnets were also noted. 

A buzzard was seen flying low over Firs Chase on Thursday morning.

Near the East Mersea Oyster Fishery a kingfisher, buzzard, four marsh harriers and red-breasted mergansers were seen by Martin Cock on Thursday morning.

At Cudmore Grove on Thursday morning Andy Field reported three song thrushes, redwing, two stonechats, an auk flew out of the Colne, 20 sanderling, snipe, knot, 95 curlew, 300 brent geese, 200 wigeon and three marsh harriers.

Steve Entwistle on Thursday saw six goldcrest and eight long-tailed tits in Shop Lane, a sparrowhawk sitting on the road in Meeting Lane while at Coopers Beach four gannets, two red-throated divers, six common gulls, four sanderling, 78 redshank and twenty black-tailed godwits were seen.

A grey heron stalked a field between Cross Lane and Waldegraves caravan park on Wednesday 23rd. In another field nearby four red-legged partridge and a buzzard were seen.

The Waldegraves little owl perched in its regular hawthorn tree although partially obscured by the branches. On the fishing lakes and ponds were 75 mallard, three little egrets, twenty moorhens and a coot.

Thirty-five sanderling were feeding on the beach just after high tide near Waldegraves, also five Mediterranean gulls and ten ringed plovers there on Wednesday.

Two rock pipits were feeding along the beach by the Youth Camp on Wednesday.

The black brant was seen feeding with 1000 dark-bellied brent geese in the wheat field behind the Rewsalls marshes on Wednesday. A kingfisher and 28 little grebes were near the boating lake, 190 cormorants flew past in a single file, while a sparrowhawk, buzzard and kestrel were noted in the area.