FRIENDLY FOX

A friendly fox came over to see what Andy Field was doing during the morning along the Esplanade on Wednesday 15th, allowing Andy to take this picture. Offshore a great northern diver, two red-breasted mergansers and a Mediterranean gull were seen.

An adder was enjoying the sunshine on Wednesday morning at Cudmore Grove country park. Two adders had been seen at the country park a few days earlier on Saturday 11th by Andy Field.

A dunlin rested beside the muddy edge of the park borrowdyke on Wednesday - an unusual place for a dunlin. Four tufted ducks were on the dyke and another six on the park pond where eight pochard were also seen and a sparrowhawk flew over.

There were a thousand brent geese feeding in the park's grazing fields, also 200 wigeon, five black-tailed godwit, 20 shoveler and a displaying lapwing. A stonechat was seen in the grazing fields and presumed same one on the seawall too. Two little owls were heard duetting at the back of the park fields by Andy Field and a goldcrest seen in the park.

A pair of wigeon was grazing the horse paddock at the Golfhouse on Wednesday.

A linnet, little egret and pair of ringed plover on the mud, were seen near the Point.

Two brown hares were chasing each other over a wheat field beside Bromans Lane on Wednesday, also a pair of buzzards perched behind Bromans Farm then took off calling to each other.

Steve Entwistle at the West Mersea Hard on Wednesday saw a pair of Egyptian geese over Old Hall Marshes, two marsh harriers and 25 turnstones.

At Maydays farm on Wednesday afternoon Martin Cock reported seeing three marsh harriers, three buzzards and two red-legged partridges.

On Tuesday 14th three redwing were beside the Firs Caravan park, while in the Strood channel were two great crested grebes.

A charm of 21 goldfinches was singing from a tree above the Firs Chase garden, also a pair of song thrush.

Two red-legged partridges were seen near Blue Row by Caroline White on Tuesday afternoon.

It was very windy on Monday 13th along the Strood channel with many waders and ducks trying to hide down in the creeks and rills. Beside the sluice outflow a mix of teal, wigeon and a black-tailed godwit were gathered. Birds of note were 40 shelduck, 70 wigeon, 60 teal, five black-tailed godwits, grey heron, rock pipit and meadow pipit.

A merlin was seeing flying over the Strood hill on Monday afternoon by Martin Cock, and a sparrowhawk was seen by Steve Entwistle in Oakwood Avenue.

Three stonechats were seen from the seawall on Sunday 12th at Bower Hall. A peregrine flew low over the fields which was presumed a different bird from one seen an hour earlier over Reeveshall. A red kite was flying over Langenhoe, two marsh harriers from Maydays, also six pintail, nine red-breasted mergansers and three great crested grebes were in the Pyefleet. 

On Reeveshall thirty lapwing, 20 stock doves and a stonechat were on the fields, two buzzards circling fields at the back and in Shop Lane a red squirrel crossed high overhead along branches and into Fishponds Wood.

Along the Strood were 300 golden plover, 30 black-tailed godwits and two marsh harriers flying over.

Steve Entwistle on Sunday reported six Mediterranean gulls, eight common gulls and a pair of greenfinches in Cross Lane.

BUZZARDS OVERHEAD

The sunny weather on Saturday 11th saw several birds of prey flying about during a walk along the Maydays and Reeveshall seawall. At least twelve buzzards were seen, one pictured passing overhead.

Three of the buzzards flew south together from Langenhoe and then passed over Maydays.

Another of the buzzards circling over the Maydays seawall had a couple of tail feathers missing. 

Also seven marsh harriers noted, one male calling high over Langenhoe.

Other birds noted from the Maydays seawall were two great white egrets - one dropping down onto Langenhoe and a second bird on the Bower Hall saltmarsh then flying over Maydays. Twelve pintail, two great crested grebe, seven red-breasted mergansers, fifty black-tailed godwits and one knot. 

On Reeveshall were 200 golden plover, 100 lapwing and 26 stock doves. Also the nice sound and sound of some of the eight lapwings displaying in a field near Broad Fleet. At Maydays were 50 chaffinches, 12 goldfinches and two linnets.

Steve Entwistle also visited Maydays on Saturday and noted the 50 chaffinches, 3 reed buntings, 50 jackdaws, 35 rooks, 25 carrion crows and a buzzard. Earlier with Oliver Cottis at the Esplanade two great northern divers, two red-breasted mergansers and two Mediterranean gulls. two Canada geese on Old Hall, and a buzzard over Firs Caravan park.

Late morning from the West Mersea Esplanade Andy Field saw a great northern diver, six red breasted mergansers, 400 great crested grebes. From the Youth Camp were another 227 great crested grebes while at Cudmore Grove were a little owl at the barn owl box, six pochard and 12 tufted ducks.

A red squirrel was seen running along Bromans Lane early on Saturday morning by Nolly Urquhart.

Managed to brave the wintry showers on a chilly Friday 10th for a walk along the Strood seawall where quite a few birds such as 28 shelduck were gathered on the wet field at high tide. 

A flock of 200 dunlin and 48 ringed plover were feeding on the wet Strood field on Friday, also here four golden plover and a passing sparrowhawk along the back. A stonechat was near the caravan park and a marsh harrier flew over Ray Island.

The middle Strood field had started to dry out after a period of little rain the last month, however recent rains have waterlogged the field again.

Luckily I was wearing wellington boots during my walk past the Dabchicks sailing club on Friday as the tide was much higher than predicted. 

In Cross Lane on Friday a Cetti's warbler was seen and heard by Martin Cock, also three Mediterranean gulls seen.

Steve Entwistle saw a red squirrel in his Empress Drive garden on Friday - the third visit in three weeks.

A black-tailed godwit was almost in full summer breeding plumage along the Strood channel on Thursday 9th - probably a bit more ginger colouring still to go. This brightened up a dull and cold walk along the Strood seawall in the drizzle. 

The great white egret flew out of the Strood dyke and headed over Ray Island, also a marsh harrier there. Forty golden plover and 25 ringed plover were in the wet Strood field. A male blackcap was singing at the south side of the Firs Caravan park and a female blackcap was seen in the Firs Chase garden, where a song thrush and 25 goldfinches were seen in the trees here too.

One of the regular red squirrels that visits the Firs Chase garden with the pale flanks was eating a nut while sheltering from the morning rain under a wooden beam of the garden pergola.

A flock of 200 brent geese was feeding along amongst the flooded saltmarsh along the Strood channel on Wednesday 8th.

The regular light coloured brent goose was also feeding in the usual spot in front of the Firs Caravan park on Wednesday. It appears to have too pale a back and wings for the pale-bellied brent goose race. This individual has been seen several times in this area this winter.

Two Canada geese were seen flying over Feldy Marsh.

A grey plover stood on a wooden post along the Strood channel at high tide on Wednesday. In the wet field were the regular great white egret, 100 golden plover, five ringed plover, while along the seawall were stonechat, six rock pipits, ten reed buntings and four linnets.

On Wednesday evening a barn owl was seen perched on a fence in Dawes Lane by Martin Cock.

The great white egret was feeding in the Strood dyke near the sluice on Tuesday 7th, it then flew onto the nearby field where it stood about for a while. Twelve ringed plover and a Mediterranean gull were in the field, while nearby 20 corn buntings and ten reed buntings were feeding. A marsh harrier and 80 shelduck were seen along the Strood channel during the high tide.

On the Strood reservoirs eight pochard, a tufted duck and a pair of coot were seen.

A turnstone was feeding around the Fishermans Hut by the Hard during the high tide on Tuesday.

Martin Cock reported seeing two red-throated divers off Coopers Beach and two great northern divers off West Mersea on Tuesday.

A female kestrel watched over the Strood seawall on Monday 6th during a walk along part of it. Martin Cock also walked the seawall and noted the great white egret was in the dyke, also two little egrets, buzzard, two marsh harriers, two rock pipits, female stonechat and a singing blackcap by the caravan park.

On Sunday 5th at Maydays farm, a great white egret was seen flying to Langenhoe, two greylag geese, three red-legged partridge, forty stock doves, sparrowhawk and three buzzards were the main highlights.

Steve Entwistle reported on Sunday seeing offshore from West Mersea great northern diver, two red-throated divers, 91 great crested grebes, pair of Mediterranean gulls, three red-breasted mergansers and a peregrine on Bradwell power station.

On Saturday 4th at Coopers Beach the black brant was feeding in the wheat field with 800 brent geese, also on the marshes six teal, 30 curlew, ten black-tailed godwits, 20 redshank and 12 reed buntings. Fifty fieldfares flew east towards the East Mersea church and a Cetti's warbler was singing by the football pitch.

Offshore were three Slavonian grebes, 410 great crested grebes and six shelduck.

A red squirrel paused in the Firs Chase garden on Saturday afternoon to nibble on a nut.

On Friday 3rd Howard Vaughan reported seeing from West Mersea a black-throated diver, great northern diver and a red-throated diver in the Blackwater river.

FELDY KITE

A red kite was seen flying along the Feldy Marshes seawall, opposite the West Mersea Hard on Friday 3rd.

The red kite spent at least quarter of an hour going back and forwards along the same length of seawall and at one point flying low over the saltmarsh beside Salcott Creek.

Two marsh harriers and three buzzards were seen during the walk along the Strood seawall.

The female stonechat was feeding along the bottom of the Firs Caravan park on Friday.

A flock of 200 dunlin was feeding on the mud along the Strood channel as the tide came in on Friday morning. Also in the channel were 300 brent geese, 58 shelduck, 20 black-tailed godwits while 30 lapwing flew off a field being cultivated.

The great white egret was seen feeding briefly in the Strood dyke and then in the nearby field before it flew over to the Ray Channel to feed. Two Mediterranean gulls were roosting with black-headed gulls in the wet field.

Two redshank were waiting in the Strood channel as the tide covered the mud on Friday.

Steve Entwistle spent three hours at the Hard on Friday afternoon scoping birds on the mainland and saw a barn owl near Abbotts Hall, two buzzards, four marsh harriers, three greylag geese, while a male pintail flew from Cobmarsh Island to Old Hall.

A female blackcap visited the Firs Chase garden bird feeders on Friday 3rd.

A red squirrel was seen at the nut feeder in the Firs Chase garden on Thursday 2nd. This individual has a normal coloured coat - there's a second individual with distinctive pale flanks that is also a regular visitor.

Steve Entwistle reported seeing a red squirrel in his Empress Drive garden on Friday 3rd, the second time in the last two weeks one has been seen in his garden.

A great white egret was seen flying from the Strood borrowdyke on Wednesday 1st. 

There was a marsh harrier flying over Ray Island, 55 shelduck along the Strood channel while 300 golden plovers were gathered in one of the Strood fields. Two rock pipits and two reed buntings were seen along the Strood seawall. A pair of red-breasted mergansers was in the Mersea Quarters opposite the Victory pub. 

A mistle thrush was heard calling from high in the poplar trees at the top end of the Firs Caravan park.

A second winter Mediterranean gull was seen at the Esplanade by Steve Entwistle on Wednesday

At Cudmore Grove Country Park on Tuesday 28th, a little owl was seen in the kestrel nest-box at the back of the grazing fields by Steve Entwistle.

A charm of 30 goldfinches was singing noisily from the top of a tree above the Firs Chase garden on Tuesday.

LITTLE OWL LOOKING OUT

It was a surprise to see a little owl perched in the kestrel nest-box at the country park on Monday 27th. Earlier the little owl was heard calling and a second bird quickly duetting with it somewhere nearby at the back of the grazing fields. The little owl disappeared from the box mid morning but was seen back there again late afternoon by Caroline White.

The kestrel was seen near the park pond in the morning, a sparrowhawk circled high overhead and a buzzard was seen at the back of nearby Bromans Farm.

A flock of 700 brent geese was feeding in the park's grazing fields on Monday, also two greylag geese, 400+ wigeon and fifty teal, while 14 shoveler were on the Golfhouse pools. On the park pond were nine pochard and ten gadwall with a few mallard and teal.

Fourteen tufted ducks were along the park dyke, a female pictured here.

Birds on the mudflats were distant late Monday morning with 144 oystercatchers, 20 shelduck, two great crested grebes, four reed buntings and two linnets being the main birds noted from the Point.

A mistle thrush and four pied wagtails were feeding in the Golfhouse horse paddock on Monday, while a Cetti's warbler was singing near from bushes near the end of the East Mersea road.

On Sunday 26th the regular great white egret was back on the wet Strood field, as was a little egret, two ringed plovers and two Mediterranean gulls. A flock of fifty skylarks was flying over the field by Strood Hill, a stonechat was by the Firs caravan park.

A mixed flock of fifty fieldfares and ten redwing was feeding on one of the paramotor fields at Bower Hall, and a marsh harrier was seen flying over. A male stonechat was by the Maydays seawall and a pair further east near the Shop Lane seawall.

Twelve red-breasted mergansers and two great crested grebes were in the Pyefleet on Sunday, while on Reeveshall were fifty stock doves, 200 starlings and 100 lapwings.

A red squirrel posed briefly high in a cedar tree in the Firs Chase garden on Sunday afternoon.

Andy Field visited the East Mersea Youth Camp on Saturday 25th and noted a Slavonian grebe offshore, also 20 fieldfare, six redwing and a buzzard.

Shaun Bater walked the cemetery/ Strood seawall circuit on Sunday and reported five pochard on the fishing lakes, great white egret near the seawall sluice, 300 golden plover in the field, stonechat by the caravan park, kestrel, little grebe, 11 avocets and two distant mute swans on Peldon fields.

Along the Strood seawall on Friday 24th were the great white egret, two little egrets, 100 golden plover, 33 black-tailed godwits, bar-tailed godwit, 13 avocets, ten little grebes, 36 shelduck, 100 teal, 50 wigeon, marsh harrier over Ray Island and 1000 brent geese feeding on Feldy Marsh. A male blackcap was feeding inside a mistletoe clump at the top end of Firs caravan park.

Steve Entwistle enjoyed close views of a male sparrowhawk perched at the top-end of the Firs caravan park on Friday morning.

Michael Thorley photographed some pochard and tufted ducks at the country park on Wednesday 22nd. Here two female pochards in the park dyke.

A female pochard photographed by Michael.

Male pochard photographed in the park dyke by Michael.

Four tufted ducks photographed by Michael.

A male tufted duck and part of a female tufted duck photographed by Michael. In total four pairs of tufted ducks, three pairs of pochard and a pair of mute swans too. On the Cudmore foreshore on Wednesday 22nd were 120 oystercatcher.

STROOD GREAT WHITE EGRET AGAIN

The great white egret was seen feeding again in the Strood dyke and then flying onto the nearby field on Thursday 23rd.

The great white egret seems to like visiting the section of dyke near the sluice in the Strood seawall.

After flying onto the nearby field, the great white egret stood for a while, did some preening, before returning to the dyke to feed again.

Two little egrets and a grey heron were also seen in the area, while in the field were 400 golden plover, 25 ringed plovers and five Mediterranean gulls. In the Strood channel were 13 avocets, bar-tailed godwit and 20 black-tailed godwits. A Cetti's warbler was singing by the Strood layby.

A male sparrowhawk perched above the entrance to the Firs Caravan park on Thursday, later a second bird was seen flying over the Strood fields. Two marsh harriers were seen flying over the Ray saltmarsh.

A pair of stonechat was photographed by Andy Field beside the Shop Lane seawall on Thursday late afternoon - male pictured.

The female stonechat photographed by Andy near the Shop Lane seawall on Thursday.

Only nine marsh harriers were seen by Andy heading into the Langenhoe roost on Thursday early evening. A pair of buzzard was seen near Fishponds Wood in Shop Lane.

On Wednesday 22nd Martin Cock heard a little owl calling at the East Mersea Youth Camp but couldn't see the bird, also a Cetti's warbler heard there too. In Rewsalls Lane there were 100 fieldfare and fifty chaffinches.

Along the Strood channel at high tide on Wednesday morning a male pintail was seen swimming along the edge of the Ray saltings. In the fields were nine Mediterranean gulls, 100 golden plover and twenty ringed plover. A sparrowhawk was seen flying and ten goldfinches were seen by the caravan park.

Late on Wednesday afternoon a sparrowhawk was seen by Andy Field trying to take out one of the starlings from the few thousand gathering to roost near the top of Oakwood Avenue.

The regular pale-sided red squirrel visited the nut feeder in the Firs Chase garden on Tuesday 21st.

The black brant was seen back again by the saltmarsh at high tide in front of the Firs Caravan park on Tuesday. It hasn't been seen here for several weeks. Further along the Strood channel at high tide a kingfisher was seen flying low over the water towards the sluice, where it appeared to spend fifteen minutes or so, before flying off. 

Fifteen Mediterranean gulls were roosting in the wet field beside the Strood seawall on Tuesday, also fifty golden plover and fifty ringed plovers gathered here at high tide. The faint high-pitched display calls of a marsh harrier were heard from a male marsh harrier as it flew high over Ray Island. Another marsh harrier was seen later also a buzzard.

Shaun Bater looked through the fence of the Strood fishing lakes and saw five pochard and a tufted duck. The great white egret was on the Strood fields, 11 avocets, little grebe, marsh harrier, reed bunting and a drumming great spotted woodpecker beside the caravan park were all noted on Thursday morning too.

Andy Field saw three great northern divers together and two Mediterranean gulls offshore from Kingsland Road on Tuesday morning.

An oak beauty was in the moth trap in the Firs Chase garden on Tuesday 21st.

A common quaker moth seen on Tuesday, also a satellite moth.