RED-BREASTED GOOSE

The red-breasted goose, pictured in the centre of the photo above, was seen by a number of birdwatchers throughout the day in the wheat field next to the Strood during Tuesday 15th. Although the sun was shining for most of the day, this digiscoped photo taken at lunchtime, was looking straight into the sun. It was certainly much better conditions than yesterday afternoon's gloom.

The red-breasted goose showed up well as it fed amongst the 500 dark-bellied brent geese. However my first view of the bird today was on the water in the Strood Channel when all the geese flew off the fields. After 15 minutes, there was the colourful image of the red-breasted goose flying back onto the fields, with the sun shining on the deep russet head and neck. A very striking bird in the bright sunshine. No rings were seen on the legs of the bird so it still suggests a wild origin. This corner of Mersea has never been used by any feral geese in the past.

The black brant goose was seen in the same flock while overhead a skein of 9 white-fronted geese circled above the brent before flying east to the Pyefleet. Earlier in the day a skein of 35 white-fronts were reported flying over the area heading east. Two marsh harriers were seen flying over the Channel in the afternoon while in the morning a short-eared owl was seen in the fields by Martin Cock. Also noted in the morning were 1500 golden plover.


At the country park the waders and wildfowl were out in force on the grazing fields with about 2000 birds of various species. Around 500 wigeon, some in the photo above and 400 brent geese were the main birds with 400 teal concentrated at the pools. The black brant and pale-bellied were still in the main brent flock. The snipe were more obvious in the bright morning sunshine with 44 birds noted although the jack snipe was probably still present but hiding.

There was the great sight of ringtail hen harrier crossing over the mudflats, hunting low along the seawall and then flying low inside the central ditch, so low it disappeared out of view, flushing a few snipe as it went along. The ringtail turned back at the end of the ditch, crossed over the pools and pond sending clouds of wildfowl into the air. A short while later a marsh harrier flew over the fields too and another second bird passed high overhead later in the morning.



This obliging little egret was feeding close to the seawall and was quickly digi-binned before it flew off. Two corn buntings flew east over the Point and 2 lesser redpolls flew over the park calling. Shelduck numbers have increased in recent days with 90 birds seen on mud near the Point. A common seal was seen with a fish in the middle of the Colne.

After dark last night a badger was seen in Bromans Lane whilost driving back late to the park.


This clump of sea rocket is enjoying the mild autumnal weather, is continuing to flower on the beach at the Point.

GOOSE IN THE GLOOM

It was a bit of a surprise to find a red-breasted goose feeding with the brent geese in this winter wheat field by the Strood on Monday 14th. Despite the gloomy conditions the distinctive markings on the head and neck, along with the broad white stripe on the flank stood out, even at 250 metres away through binoculars. The red breast and cheek appeared quite dull in the poor light but had the full red face suggesting an adult bird.

Stopping to scan through the 500 dark-bellied brent geese, the red-breast was noticed very quickly, as it fed on the edge of the flock. Martin Cock managed to stop off while driving back on to the Island and saw the bird too. The geese continued to feed for the last hour of the afternoon before flying to roost into the nearby Strood Channel. Earlier in the afternoon the geese were feeding in the nearby rape field but got spooked off and landed in the channel before returning to this wheat field. Also noted was a black brant amongst the brent, which I'd first noticed here two days ago, with a much smaller white flank patch than the East Mersea bird.

The origins of this red-breasted goose would seem to suggest a wild bird rather than one of the two feral ones from nearby Abberton reservoir. It was too dark and far off to check for rings on the legs. Those two geese are usually seen together and normally with Canadas or greylag geese and they've never been seen at Mersea previously. The Strood channel and the adjacent fields is not an area frequented by any feral geese. At the east end of the Island, there have been five records of wild red-breasted geese at Cudmore Grove mixed in with the brent since the mid 1980's, although none in the last few years.

Globally the red-breasted goose is the most endangered goose in the world following a 50% decline in the population over the last ten years. They breed in the Siberian Arctic as the brent geese do, but winter mainly in Rumania and Bulgaria.





Close to the Strood on the fishing reservoirs were 35 mallard, 3 teal, little grebe, tufted duck, 10 coot and 10 moorhens.

Along the Channel, 3 marsh harriers flew north-east over the Strood causeway late in the afternoon, presumably heading to roost at Langenhoe. There was a feeding frenzy by 20 little egrets beside the brushwood polders as they jostled with each other to catch small fish as the tide receded. Three green sandpipers flew out of a ditch in the fields but no sign of any lapland buntings today.

At the country park yesterday the shorelark was only seen first thing in the morning at the Point but not after the beach got busy with walkers. The jack snipe, black brant and pale-bellied brent goose were still present on the grazing fields. In the car park two sparrowhawks circled ovehead while a chiffchaff called loudly from the clifftop trees.

CRANE PAIN

All eyes were on the gloomy Mersea sky during the early afternoon of Saturday 12th after four common cranes were seen from Fingringhoe flying south to the Island. Barbara Laport and her husband were the only lucky birdwatchers to see the cranes on the Island as they drove along the East Mersea road, somewhere near Meeting Lane. Un-beknown to them, the heads-up alert had been issued only five minutes earlier to a couple of us on the Island by Andrew Thompson who had seen the cranes flying south. I just happened to be in my car along the East Mersea road when I got the call but despite scanning the skies, was a couple of minutes too early to see them and as it turned out, about 1km too far east!

Lots of birdwatchers were out in force again on a grey day at the country park. The grazing fields pictured above, still provide the main interest with a good number and variety of wader and wildfowl.

All eyes were on the look out for the saker falcon which spent an hour yesterday morning over the park but didn't show today. Pete Marchant and Martin Cock saw the bird create mass chaos over the fields as it did on the 24th October. The bird perched in the same oak tree behind the pools a few times and was also flying over the cliff where it was seen hanging in the air. The bird was identified as the immature female and assumed to be the same bird as here before. I just happened to arrive back at the park just as the saker was making its last pass over the fields, but all I could see was a flock of wood pigeons rising into the air near the pond.

On Saturday afternoon a peregrine falcon flew over the fields and many of the birds took to the air well before the peregrine was anywhere near. The bird passed high overhead and a little while later a sparrowhawk was also seen nearby. In the fields one jack snipe was seen along with 20+ snipe, 50+ redshank, 30 black-tailed godwits and several hundred wigeon and teal. The black brant and the pale-bellied brent goose were with 500 dark-bellied brent geese while greylag geese numbers have built up to 42 birds. The black brant and jack snipe were also seen in the fields yesterday as was a snow bunting flying along the beach.

The big surprise late in the afternoon was the unexpected sight of a shorelark on the beach at the Point. This scarce visitor must've only just arrived as no-one else had reported seeing it but despite several walkers on the beach, the bird stayed at the Point presumably till dusk. There was only one shorelark sighting last winter and the same the winter before. Four twite were seen at the Point earlier in the day but there weren't any snow buntings in the afternoon.

From the Point a red-throated diver, 2 goldeneye and male eider were reported during the day.
At the park pond 4 little egrets roosted at high tide, while 10 siskin flew over the car park. Yesterday a chiffchaff calling in the car park was a late date for this summer migrant.


A Saturday morning walk along the Strood seawall in the gloom was fairly unremarkable. In a rape field 400 brent geese were making a mess of the crop. The tide was coming in and pushing up the channel with 50 black-tailed godwits, 200 dunlin, 100 redshank and 500 golden plover the main waders. Also along the channel were 150 wigeon and teal, 14 shelduck and 4 little grebes. Also noted during the walk were rock pipit, kestrel, fieldfare and redwing.

Michael Thorley reported hearing a tawny owl and a little owl in the trees by the East Mersea church within the last few days.

BLACK RED AND SNOW BUNTS

Richard Brown took these photos above and below, on Wednesday 9th, with this male black redstart sitting on a fence at the Coopers Beach caravan park in East Mersea. The bird was only seen on this one day.


The snow bunting flock at the East Mersea Point reached 11 birds on Wednesday.


The birds flew around at times in between feeding along the tideline on the beach.

The markings on the birds help them blend in well with the beach, making them hard to find if they stay still.

CHASING CETTI'S

The Cetti's warbler remains a scarce annual visitor to the Island, so one found by Andy Field the previous day at Rewsalls Marshes, provided the best opportunity of seeing one for the year on Thursday 10th. I joined Steve Entwistle and Martin Cock around lunchtime to see if we could catch a glimpse of this little skulker. The bird was singing a form of sub-song continuously from inside a thick blackthorn bush and hardly provided any views. The bird slowly worked its way along a ditch and we were rewarded with a nano-second view of the little brown bird flying fast across a field gate-way.

Whilst waiting for the Cetti's to show, a ringtail hen harrier seemed to be spending a bit of time hunting low over the surrounding fields. Two kestrels were present along the hedgelines and the regular little owl perched up in the willow tree near the Youth Camp entrance. There was no sign of the stonechat that had been seen the day before. However a silver-Y moth fluttered along the bottom of a hedgerow here.

Coopers Beach had provided some local excitement on Wednesday when Martin found a male black redstart near the clubhouse.The bird hopped around the grass and nearby seawall, perching up on fences and bushes, being chased away by a local robin. Also seen from here were 2 snow buntings on the seawall, a guillemot flying east, Mediterranean gull, two little egrets in the dyke with Andy later finding the Cetti's and a stonechat.

At the country park during Thursday, one snow bunting had been seen early in the morning at the Point before being disturbed by a dog-walker. Also at the Point were 3 rock pipits, 4 eider, 4 red-breasted mergansers, 4 sanderling and a marsh harrier flying up river. In the fields the black brant was back amongst the 400 brent geese and a goose that suggested pale-bellied. The jack snipe was seen at the pools by Andrew Thompson and Steve Grimwade, where many of the waders and wildfowl were spooked by a passing sparrowhawk as well as a fox on the prowl. Three fieldfares were also noted flying over the park and a late red admiral was seen on the wing.

The dull skies cleared on Wednesday afternoon and a nicely marked male wheatear was seen on this beach by the park. This is one of the latest records for a wheatear on the Island. At the Point 11 snow buntings were seen while Richard Brown was lucky enough to see 3 twite amongst the 30 linnets on the saltmarsh. Also seen from the Point were 3 red-breasted mergansers, male eider, marsh harrier, 2 sparrowhawks, 800 golden plover on the mud and 15 skylarks.

There seemed to be good numbers of wildfowl on the fields with 500 wigeon, 300 teal, 400 brent geese, pale-bellied brent goose and the greylag geese increasing to 24. The jack snipe was seen at the pools while 8 lesser redpolls flew over the pond and 15 fieldfares and 2 redwing were seen in the car park.

Earlier in the day Martin Cock watched a marsh harrier and a merlin as they flew over fields by the East Mersea road at Bocking Hall.

On Tuesday Steve Entwistle watched 2 "cracking-looking" twite feeding at the Point with some linnets. There was also the flock of at least 10 snow buntings flying around the beach here too.

The previous day on Monday Tim Mendham saw the pale bellied brent goose with the brent flock in the fields and counted 7 snow buntings at the Point which swelled to 9 by the end of the day. Two visiting birdwatchers were lucky enough to see a little auk flying into the Colne while 2 others were seen from nearby Old Hall Point as well as 8 little gulls at the entrance to the Mersea Quarters.

The moth trapping session during Wednesday night produced 7 moths of 5 species with this migrant micro-moth, the rusty-dot pearl the second one this autumn. Other moths were the November, yellow-line quaker, dark chestnut and chestnut. The bright full moon no doubt kept several moths away from the trap.

FIRST SNOW BUNTINGS

The first snow buntings of the winter were at the East Mersea Point during all of Sunday 6th. On such a dull day with a cold wind from the north, the three snow buntings added a typical winter's feel to the day. The birds fed along the various strandlines on the beach, picking at various seeds washed up amongst the debris. Their brownish markings blended perfectly with the beach and they seemed happier crouching down to remain camouflaged rather than fly up in the air. Neil Harvey found the birds first thing in the morning and also saw a common scoter fly up river and 9 red-breasted mergansers.

Also seen from the Point were 2 rock pipits, male goldeneye flying upriver, marsh harrier flying out of the river, while 3 shelduck flocks totalling 30 birds appeared to be new arrivals from the continent. Fourteen sanderling, 300 knot and 40 avocets and a common seal were also noted.



There was no sign of the jack snipe over the weekend although a dozen snipe were still present at the pools in the park's grazing fields. The brent geese flock flew onto the fields late in the morning and the pale-bellied brent was seen amongst the 400 dark-bellied brent geese but no sign of the black brant.

At the park pond 25 siskin flew around with some goldfinches and a least one lesser redpoll, settling back down on some of the nearby trees. Earlier in the morning 3 lesser redpolls flew over the car park and a brambling sat atop one of the rowan trees in the car park calling. A chiffchaff called from the willow trees at the back of the pond and at least two redwings were seen.

The day before on Saturday 5th, a water rail having showed fleetingly on the pond's edge, walked into full view on the muddy cattle pathway and nervously crossed over it to the nearby hedgerow. Fifteen redwings were also feeding on the same bit of muddy track.
A yellowhammer flew over the seawall calling near Ivy Dock on Saturday morning and 1000 golden plover were on the mud near the Point.


The moth trap was put out on both Friday night and Saturday night with roughly the same sort of moths noted on both sessions although 40 moths of 8 species on Friday was the slightly better night. This neatly marked satellite moth pictured above, was one of two noted on the Friday night.
Other moths noted were large wainscot, yellow-line quaker, green-brindled crescent, dark chestnut, November sp, feathered thorn as well as a late square-spot rustic. The very tiny migrant micro-moth, the diamond-back was also noted on the Friday session.

Two streak moths were amongst the 30 moths found after the Saturday night's trapping session. Slightly fewer moths than the previous night but then the breeze had switched to a northerly direction.
During Friday a red admiral butterfly was flying around in the afternoon sunshine.

BRENT RACES COME TOGETHER

There were lots of ducks on the country park pond on Thursday 3rd with about a hundred present. Around 80 mallard, 10 teal, 10 shoveler and 6 gadwall along with a few little grebes, mute swans, coots and moorhens.

A dozen siskin were flying around the tree-tops near the pond feeding on some poplar trees but especially some of the alders. Two goldcrests foraged with a mixed tit flock through the car park bushes.


It was nice and sunny on Tuesday 1st with lots of geese on the park's grazing fields. Amongst the 600 dark-bellied brent geese were found a black brant goose and also a pale-bellied brent goose. The black brant stood out clearly amongst the other geese and was first spotted in the morning without having binoculars with me. At one point in the afternoon all three brent races were together in the same field of view. The black brant was still present the next day on Wednesday. Twelve greylag geese have also been in the fields around the pools.

The pools in the fields have been holding 1000+ birds in the last few days with most being the wigeon and teal. The jack snipe was seen on both Tuesday and Wednesday along with 15+ common snipe. More waders gather during the high tide with 50+ redshank and 20 black-tailed godwits as well as 50 lapwing and 100 golden plover on the fields too.

George Brown watched the glossy ibis feeding for about ten minutes in the Pyefleet Channel on Tuesday morning before it flew across to Pewit Island. Andy Field saw the bird again in the Pyefleet at Reeveshall on Wednesday.


The moth trap got a bit wet during the early hours of Thursday morning but this feathered thorn was one of about 20 moths of 7 species found shortly after daybreak. Others noted included yellow-line quaker, large wainscot, green brindled crescent, dark chestnut, November sp and barred sallow.

There were two mallow moths noted, one pictured above, a fairly typical autumn moth here.