The great naturalist Gilbert White, gave the first description of the sedge warbler explaining that it was more streaky in appearance then the reed warbler and also having a very distinctive milky coloured eye stripe. Both warblers do however share the same habitat. This one was photographed at coopers beach Mersea earlier this week.
Took a stroll round Hythe Lagoons yesterday hoping to locate and photograph a Grasshopper Warbler that had been report. But i dipped out on the warbler, so decided that i would make the four Avocet my subject for the day.
Due to the fantastic weather i decided to have a stroll with the family round Chigborough lakes Maldon in the afternoon. What magic it was to watch 3 Hobbys playing in the thermals, soaring high into a clear blue sky. catching the odd dragonfly and eating them on the wing.
Spent a good few hours in the sun trying to photograph Reed Warblers today, not an easy task.
The cliffs at Bempton where alive with the noise of the Kittiwake, and being they spend most of the time at sea it was a great opportunity to see these gentle looking gulls at rest in large colonies on the cliff face.
Found this splendid Wheatear on my local patch which was very pleasing, as i have not seen much at all recently on daily walks with the dog.
Sun was shinning a light wind, i could feel summer in the air at last after such a long winter. But what really made it feel like summer was my first migrant of the year this Chiffchaff on my local patch after such a long journey.
With the early mornings being lighter at the moment i took a quick strole round one of the local farms today and crept up on this Partridge, wasnt long before he heard me and was running into the edge for cover.
This pair of Goldeneye were surprised to see me standing on the seawall as they surfaced, as i was them when i arrived at Coopers beach East Mersea. But as always there gleaming golden eye was instantly seen in the gloomy weather and the drakes bottle green head can actually be seen in the top picture. The chance of more photo's soon disappeared as they quickly swam back out into the estuary.
With plenty of Mergansers on the estuary, and with the sun shinning. I went out with the hope of getting some better photos of them as they drifted with the tide . Still quite distant but i am pleased with the outcome of the pictures.
Well with very few Waxwings seen in the UK this winter how very pleased i was to find a pair outside my second home the Mersea island branch of the Royal British legion. The pair were very obliging eating the rose hip buds on the car park bush and have attracted many visitors to our little island over the last week.
Very dull and overcast today, but with high tide being early i decided to see if i could get some photos of the Mergansers that have been on the estuary. I decided to visit the hammerhead on the island and stood on the ponton. No sign of any drakes but this female was busy trying to swallow the lug worm she had found.
Time is always limited when i have the chance to visit a M.O.D permit only area. So these or just a few sightings from last year although they are not brilliant pictures they are still very memorable moments that i feel are worthy off showing.
Guillemot's can be seen all along the cliffs at Bempton at this time of year. Some of the Guillemots have a monocal looking white eye ring and line down the cheek. 
