BRANT WITH THE BRENT

The sun managed to come out around the middle of the day after it finished raining on Sunday 6th. Along some of the hedgerows at the park there are still several blackthorn bushes with lots of sloes on them, as in the picture above. Some of the blackbirds and thrushes stripped quite a few bushes earlier in the autumn. It was a much better crop this year and the birds will enjoy eating them later in the winter.

In the field by the car park the black brant was on show on both Saturday and Sunday feeding with about 1000 brent geese. It can be quite a challenge trying to find the bird in amongst the other geese when all their heads are down feeding. However if it sticks it's head up, it appears much blacker with the very big white neck collar and if the flank is on show, this is much whiter.
The geese seemed to have spent most of the day stripping the field of its winter wheat crop undisturbed and without being scared off.

In the now flooded grazing field, waders were gathering to roost ahead of the afternoon high tide. About 100 black-tailed godwits, 60 redshank and 60 curlew were noted along with the usual 200 wigeon and 100 teal.

At the park pond on Saturday, 6 little egrets arrived to roost during the high tide, standing amongst the clumps of reedmace at the back of the pond. At least 50 ducks were present at the pond including mallard, shoveler, gadwall, teal and tufted duck.

There was no sign of any snow buntings here at the Point on Saturday but the group of 13 birds were back again on Sunday around the middle of the day at least. Having been seen on the beach to start with, they took off and flew across the river Colne towards Colne Point but returned back to the beach 10 minutes later.

Big flocks of waders were gathering on the mud by the Point as the tide came in. The biggest group were 2000 dunlin, while 200 knot, 50 avocet and 8 sanderling were some of the other interesting waders. The pair of stonechats were seen by the Golfhouse on Sunday.

On Saturday a sparrowhawk flapped slowly over the Point and glided across the water to Point Clear. Ten skylarks, 4 reed buntings and a rock pipit kept their heads down as the hawk passed over.

Martin Cock saw a ringtail hen harrier at Maydays Farm on Saturday while Andy Field counted 9 marsh harriers going into the Langenhoe roost later in the same afternoon. The tawny owl was very vocal in the Shop Lane wood for Andy but didn't provide any views as darkness fell.
Earlier in the day a marsh harrier flew south over the East Mersea road heading in the direction of the Rewsalls marshes. Andy had another marsh harrier near the Strood also during Saturday when it put the big flock of 1000 golden plover into the air.
On Sunday night the little owl called very loudly from the side of the car park once the light had gone and the last of the visitors had just about gone home.

Martin Dence reported the unusual sight of a grey wagtail feeding around the dung heap at the back of his Bromans Farm near the park on Friday morning.

Despite the drizzle on Saturday evening, 8 winter moths were sitting on the outside of the lighted windows of the park house. These are the first ones noted here this winter and as the name suggests, they are on the wing in small numbers during the winter months.

WATER LEVELS RISING

Water levels around the park had risen noticeably on Thursday 3rd after the torrential rain of the previous evening. One of the park's grazing fields pictured above seems to have more water than grass on show. The borrowdyke in the foreground is also looking very full as some of the water pours off the field.

The ducks and waders are enjoying all the water although they're not concentrated round one or two small pools now like they used to be. Amongst the few hundred wigeon and teal were 20 black-tailed godwits and 50 redshank arriving to roost on the fields for the high tide.

At the park pond the kingfisher made a brief appearance, flying around calling loudly before perching on a sallow bush over the water. It stayed around for only 5 minutes before flying fast and low over the flooded grazing fields. There have been surprisingly few kingfisher sightings this autumn and winter on the Island.

Also around the pond and grazing fields were 40 stock doves, various thrushes such as singles of redwing, fieldfare, song thrush and a number of blackbirds. A male yellowhammer perched up calling from hedges by the pond and fields during the morning. A sparrowhawk flew low over the fields and sat up in a tree at the back.

At the Point 12 snow buntings were quite showy flying around several times and landing to feed nearby on the beach. Two or three of the birds had the bigger white wing panels of the males, which were very obvious when the birds were in flight. Ten reed buntings fed amongst the saltmarsh and 3 rock pipits were also noted.

As the tide came in there was the great wader spectacle of thousands of waders congregating on the last area of mud near the Point. Standing in the one spot there was the notable tally of 14 species being watched on and around the old East Mersea Hard. At the right time with the tides, this location at the mouth of the Colne estuary provides great views of all the typical wintering waders on the Essex coast all together.

Species noted were the avocet, oystercatcher, curlew, bar-tailed godwit, black-tailed godwit, redshank, lapwing, golden plover, grey plover, ringed plover, knot, dunlin, sanderling and turnstone. An impressive array of waders to admire and all within a few minutes of watching!

A marsh harrier flew high out of the river Colne leaving the Langehoe marshes and heading towards Colne Point.

Andy Cook knocked on my door late in the afternoon to let me know he had been lucky enough to see an immature spoonbill on the saltmarsh pools by the Point. Unfortunately the bird didn't stay around and it flew off to the north side of the Island. This is the first record for the park and we'll have to hope the bird makes a return trip.

As I walked along a short section of beach at the Point, my eye was caught by a number of these black "mermaids purses" recently washed up along the strandline. These are the egg-cases of the skate or ray fish, pictured above with some of the spongy egg-masses of the whelk.

RAIL IN THE RAIN

A lot of rain fell during Wednesday 2nd both in the morning and then again late in the afternoon turning torrential in the evening. I missed the chance to get some fresh air around the park during the dry spell in the middle of the day.

Seeking refuge from the late afternoon rain in the hide overlooking the park pond pictured above, the light was fading quickly. Even in the gathering gloom, a normally elusive water rail was watched amongst the clumps of reedmace in the middle of the pond. It was first seen as it broke cover and swam a short distance between clumps, where it proded and probed the soil at the base of the stems with its red bill.

It was watched for about 10 minutes which seems like a lifetime for water rail views here. At one point it started to swim back to the edge of the pond but it decided that the 10 metre gap was too risky and it turned back to carry on feeding in a different clump. In the poor light it was lost to view amongst the reedmace.

Other birds on the pond included 40 mallard, 6 shoveler, 8 gadwall, teal, tufted duck, little grebe and the usual sprinkling of coots and moorhens around the place.

The other sighting of note was a good roost count of about 50 stock doves that settled into the trees at the back of the pond with some wood pigeons. There have been some higher counts than usual this autumn over the grazing fields but it now seems the stock doves are joining the regular wood pigeon evening roost here.

The dull weather of today was in sharp contrast to the fine start to yesterday Tuesday 1st, with the park beach pictured above, a warm place to be out of the way of the chilly northerly wind. Along the water's edge as the tide came in were several small groups of sanderling feeding with turnstones. One group by the cliff totalled 22 birds while another group seen a short while later at the Point totalled 25 birds - some of which were probably from the first flock seen earlier.

Four red-breasted mergansers flew into the river passing the Point but only one or two great crested grebes also in the river Colne.
No sign of any snow buntings on the beach although one rock pipit was seen along with 10 skylarks flying around. Also seen were reed buntings and the pair of stonechats by the dyke, while 8 meadow pipits fed in the pools in the field.

The pools in the field have now formed one big flooded area with several hundred wigeon and teal on show. Also seen were 2 foxes prowling along the back of the field with the ducks generally unperturbed, even when one fox waded into the water to drink. The two foxes then lay down beside each other and made their strange squabbling calls to each other face to face with all ears pinned back.
A third fox was seen a little further away, sunning itself at the bottom of a hedge by the pond.

The first singing mistle thrush of the winter was heard by the end of the East Mersea road, while at West Mersea a song thrush has been singing loudly in recent mornings by Firs Chase.

Richard Allen found a black brant goose with the dark-bellied brent at the north end of Shop Lane in the morning along with a peregrine, 1000 golden plovers and 4 marsh harriers on Langenhoe. At West Mersea a great northern diver was seen from St Peters.

EYGPTIAN EXOTICS

Andy Field found these two Egyptian geese on the park grazing fields on Sunday 29th. As far as we can recollect, this is the first record for the Island, so there was no hesitation in responding to the call to go and look at them. Although Egyptian geese are regarded as an exotic species, there are small numbers breeding in the wild in Essex and this pair could be wanderers from the nearby Abberton reservoir.

Andy had earlier managed to see 3 snow buntings at the Point as well at least 2 possibly 3 immature little gulls feeding in the Colne. There was also the big flock of 1000 golden plover on the mud.

Andy, Martin Cock and I then spent the last hour of daylight at the north end of Shop Lane in East Mersea, watching the marsh harriers coming into roost on Langenhoe. In the dull and breezy conditions, only six birds were seen flying around. Not much to report from the adjacent Pyefleet Channel except a male pintail amongst a group of wigeon. Two yellowhammers flew over one of the fields at dusk.

As we walked past the conifer wood the tawny owl was heard calling nearby. Returning the call back to the bird, it moved further away before coming back and somehow doubling back over us to some neighbouring trees, still calling regularly. Although the light had virtually gone, we backed up to some bushes and waited to see if the owl would fly past us. Amazingly the dark silhouette of the tawny then shot past us just above head height between us, before disappearing into the trees.

Begrudging congratulations to Martin who added two new species today for his year list on the Island taking his tally to the set target of 150 species. The rest of us are following closely behind him in the Island race and in my case, just two species behind. However the year's not finished yet Martin!

Managed to walk along the Strood seawall late on the afternoon of Monday 30th, as dusk descended. Whilst counting the 16 dabchicks just up from the Dabchicks sailing club, a common seal swam slowly down channel. There have been lots of reports of a seal feeding around the area of the West Mersea Hard in recent weeks.

Amongst the various waders and wildfowl seen were 200 knot and 500 dunlin together, 200 wigeon and 90 shelduck feeding or roosting on the mud. The big noisy flock of 1000 brent geese flew off one of the fields next to the Ray Channel at dusk. At least 3 little egrets were ready for the night perched in the Ray Island trees. Two marsh harriers flew south-west over the Ray to their roost presumably on Old Hall marshes.

Two corn buntings, 2 reed buntings and a rock pipit were the only small birds of note seen along the seawall.

BREEZY AND BRIGHT AT MAYDAYS

Andy Field and I braved the chilly wind to visit Maydays Farm and walk along the seawall pictured above, on a sunny Saturday 28th. We had hoped to find the small flock of twite that had been seen twice over the last week here, but without any joy.

Although the tide was out and there was plenty of mud on show, the strong wind hindered the viewing through the telescope. Four marsh harriers were seen on Langenhoe along with two distant common buzzards. Along the Pyefleet 2 great crested grebes were seen and the only wader flock of note were 200 knot.

On Reeveshall, 1000 brent geese fed on a big grass field along with a big flock of 1000 golden plover and a few hundred lapwing too. A stonechat was seen by the seawall along with some greenfinches.

It was nice to see lots of small birds beside a young tree plantation and flying around the various hedgerows near to the seawall. A mix of 20 chaffinches, 20 greenfinches, 10 yellowhammers, reed bunting as well as 15 fieldfares and a redwing were all noted along with the commoner birds like robin, blackbird, song thrush and tits.
A little owl flew along a hedge perching up on one or two trees and a water rail squealed briefly from the nearby borrowdyke.

On the Maydays saltmarsh, the only small flock of finches were 30 linnets and 10 goldfinches along the seawall but no sign of the twite. At least ten little egrets were seen dotted around the huge expanse of saltmarsh, along with the usual curlew and redshank. A snipe flew over and dropped down onto the saltings.

MERLIN OVER MARSHES

Walked the length of the seawall beside the Strood Channel by West Mersea on Friday morning It stayed dry, the out-going tide had uncovered most of the mudflats but the chill in the wind meant you didn't want to hang around for too long.

Watching the 100 lapwing and 300 golden plover suddenly take to the air, two falcons appeared into view and spooked the roosting waders away. In the hurry to quickly identify the two falcons, the first bird may've have been a kestrel but I turned my attention to the second bird which luckily was seen to be a female merlin. I kept watching this bird as it dropped quickly down towards the field and then raced low across the ground where it then sat on a clod of earth for five minutes. The brown colouring of the bird blended in well with the colour of the field.

A couple of minutes later there was the nice view of a male marsh harrier flying east over the same fields. The merlin watched it pass by, with the harrier continuing on its way and passing high over the traffic at the bottom of Strood Hill. The merlin took off and raced fast and low over the grass fields but no small birds were flushed up in front of it as it went. It disappeared out of view as it passed over the seawall towards the Hard and the Mersea Quarters.
A kestrel was seen at the start of the walk near the caravan site and then later, a sparrowhawk glided over Firs Chase.

The brent geese were feeding in a wheat field and a brief count of the youngsters present revealed about 60 young birds from this summer, among a flock of about 400 birds. A slightly higher proportion of young than earlier in the autumn but not the signs of a good breeding season this year.

In the Channel small groups of wigeon, teal and shelduck were noted while amongst the various waders, a group of 100 knot seemed the most interesting for the area. In the actual channel 10 little grebes were bobbing up and down in the choppy waters and a handful of cormorants were feeding amongst the boats.

The only small birds noted were 10 linnets, and a couple of reed buntings that kept thinking about flying off the Island towards Ray Island

GOOSE GUESSING

Ian Black and I gave this brent goose standing up in this picture a good long look, as it fed in the wheat field next to the country park on Wednesday 25th. It was quite a clear view of this small group of geese seen through the hedge only about 50 metres away from the car park. It had the features of the black brant and certainly stood out from the other dark-bellied brent geese beside it. The white flank patch was brighter on the day than this picture shows and was the first feature that made you look at the bird.

The other striking feature was the big and bright white neck collar, which clearly shows up in this photo. Not only did the collar encircle the whole neck, there was some unusual white flecking down the back of the neck. This should make the bird easy to recognise during the rest of the winter. However the base of the chest didn't appear as dark black as the classic black-brant birds that have been seen here before, although its wings did seem to be slightly blacker than the wings of the other geese next to it.

Judgement might have to be reserved on this goose until a better view is obtained in some better light. The black brant is the vagrant race of the brent goose to our shores, that breeds in eastern Siberia and in North America. There have been a few other sightings in previous winters here on the Island of a black brant seen feeding amongst the dark-bellied brent geese.


The pools in the grazing fields continue to extend in size with all the recent rain. Wigeon and teal total about 500 birds with a few gadwall and shoveler. Also feeding in the pools were 10 black-tailed godwit and 4 snipe along with one or two curlew and redshank.

Three snow buntings were watched flying west along the seawall and beach, calling as they went.
On the mudflats at low tide a huge flock of golden plover were gathered in their usual spot with about 2000 birds clustered together.

Martin Cock saw the 10 snow buntings at the Point on Tuesday and 2 peregrines along the Pyefleet on Wednesday, while Richard Brown was lucky to see the 10 twite on the saltings near Maydays Farm on Wednesday.
Received an interesting report of a grey wagtail seen feeding around a garden water feature in a West Mersea garden. The yellow markings seen on this bird distinguished it from the more usual pied wagtail.

This herald moth unexpectedly dropped onto the floor in the house on Wednesday morning. No doubt it moved in recently to try and find somewhere sheltered where it could spend the winter before it gets back on the wing next spring.