BEARDED ON SHOW

A male bearded tit perched up in full view for a change in the reedbed along the Strood seawall on Monday 21st.

At least two bearded tits were seen flying across the tops of the reeds, with the male perching long enough for a few pictures to be taken. There have been three birds present for two weeks in this reedbed, although most of the time, only their pinging calls have been heard without showing.

A view of the black moustache markings on the face - not quite a beard as the Bearded Tit name suggests!

Other birds seen along the Strood seawall on Monday included 16 corn buntings, lesser redpoll flying over, 5 stonechats, 25 skylarks, two rock pipits and a marsh harrier. Along the channel were 52 shelduck, 100 wigeon, 200 golden plover, 41 dunlin, 48 black-tailed godwits and a bar-tailed godwit.

Three goldcrests were along the top of the Firs Caravan park while overhead were 130 cormorants heading over to Abberton reservoir.

On Sunday 20th birds of note seen during a brief walk along the Strood seawall at high tide were a marsh harrier, two swallows, 20 skylarks, 25 goldfinches and five bar-tailed godwits.

The very high tide on Saturday 19th surrounded the fisherman's hut by the West Mersea Hard. 

A walk along the Strood seawall revealed 15 avocets, buzzard, 3 swallows, stonechat, 100 linnets and 100 turnstones perched on the boats.

On Friday 17th Andy Field and I carried out the monthly wetland bird survey along the north side of the island between Maydays and Cudmore Grove. The viewing conditions were perfect with plenty of sunshine and light wind, although numbers of birds were generally low. 

A flock of 12 Canada geese was in the Pyefleet, as were 100+ wigeon, great white egret, 55 avocets, 300+ redshank, 200+ lapwing flying over, ten Mediterranean gulls and five snipe. A kingfisher was heard by the Oyster Fishery, two marsh harriers, six buzzards were noted, three stonechats and six rock pipits along the north side of the island. A yellowhammer and two song thrushes were at Maydays, while at Reeveshall a yellow wagtail with a greyish back was only seen briefly to confirm the ID.

At the Cudmore Grove park pond 70 wigeon, gadwall, two shoveler, 12 little egrets and a calling water rail were noted. A pair of stonechat was on the grazing fields, while in the car park there was a siskin with 20 greenfinches, a few chaffinches and goldfinches.

The high tide on Friday covered most of the saltmarsh along the Pyefleet Channel.

A muntjac deer photographed by Andy beside the seawall near Shop Lane on Friday. Three common seals were on the saltmarsh at the top end of the Pyefleet.

Charlie Williams was also counting birds for the monthly WeBS survey on Friday, walking between Maydays, round to West Mersea seafront. Birds of note included a kingfisher, marsh harrier, 8 Mediterranean gulls, 158 turnstones roosting on boats, 36 little egrets, 28 avocets, 28 ringed plover and also two Sandwich terns offshore.

Martin Cock visited Maydays on Friday morning and noted 8 buzzards, 2 marsh harriers, 200 redshank, 60 grey plovers, 25 black-tailed godwits, 40 dunlin, snipe, two grey herons, 30 lapwing and a rock pipit.

A speckled wood butterfly was photographed in Shop Lane by Michael Thorley on Friday.

Always nice to find a Merveille du Jour moth in the garden moth trap in Firs Chase, on 21st.

Several Red-green Carpets have been noted this month.

A Mallow on the 21st.

A few Green-brindled Crescents during mid-month. Migrant moths have included Scarce Bordered Straw, Delicate and Silver Y on the 21st, and a couple of Rusty-dot Pearls on the 19th.

ROOF-TOP BLACK RED

A black redstart was a nice find for Jon Ward in East Mersea on Thursday 17th, pictured here by Jon when it perched on a house roof near the bus-turning circle. The bird was quite mobile mid-afternoon and was later seen in a nearby horse paddock. 

A little owl was seen at Cudmore Grove on Thursday afternoon by Daniel Woollard.

An distant osprey was seen on Thursday perched in a hedge at the back of the Strood fields. After being mobbed by a few magpies, it flew over to the fishing lakes at the Strood, passing over the queuing cars that were waiting for the high tide to drop. The osprey perched briefly in a tree by the lakes for a few minutes before heading off to the north.

The high tide on Thursday covered all the saltmarshes, including the one below the Strood Hill. Birds noted in the channel were 100 wigeon, 15 avocets, 30 black-tailed godwits, two bar-tailed godwits, 20 Mediterranean gulls and 15 little egrets on Ray Island.

At least two bearded tits were heard pinging from the main reedbed along the Strood seawall but not seen on Thursday. A male yellowhammer was an unusual sight for the central ditch, also three stonechats, 50 linnets, 20 meadow pipits, 20 skylarks, three rock pipits, 20 swallows, three buzzards and two Cetti's warblers.

Early evening on Thursday a short-eared owl was seen by Steve Entwistle from the Strood layby, flying near the Strood seawall.

There was a good number of waders roosting at high tide near the East Mersea boating lake at Rewsalls on Wednesday 16th. The main flocks included this one of 85 ringed plovers on an island, 195 redshank, 190 turnstone, 145 curlew, ten dunlin and a common sandpiper, also 28 little egrets, 27 little grebes, grey heron and ten Mediterranean gulls. Also noted in the area were a buzzard, 15 skylarks, rock pipit, Cetti's warbler and also a stonechat in a field west of the Youth Camp.

A blackbird was stripping berries from a rowan tree in Feldy View on Tuesday 15th. Eleven redwing and two brambling were seen flying south-west, also three corn buntings and eight swallows over while 16 pied wagtails feeding in Feldy View was a notable count.

A pair of stonechat was along the Strood seawall on Tuesday, also a chiffchaff, Cetti's warbler, three corn buntings, 30 linnets, rock pipit, snipe and five Mediterranean gulls.

At Cudmore Grove a female stonechat by the dell near the car park was photographed by Andy Field on Tuesday. Also a firecrest was found near the park entrance by Andy, a second stonechat at the park, 12 meadow pipits, six redwings over and three Cetti's warblers.

Simon Patient visiting Cudmore reported a chiffchaff, several redwing over, ten chaffinches and a grey squirrel at the park entrance on Tuesday.

On Monday 14th birds noted along the Strood during a high tide walk were 36 Canada geese flying down Ray channel, five bar-tailed godwits, ten Mediterranean gulls, two sparrowhawks, marsh harrier, two stonechats, fifty linnets, rock pipit and a Cetti's warbler.

A red line of marsh samphire adds an interesting line in the saltmarsh by the Strood - the red line being along a regular path worn path. The bare mud subsequently being colonised by the samphire.

On Sunday along the Strood channel on Sunday there were 95 wigeon, 40 teal, 100 golden plover, 25 ringed plover, bar-tailed godwit, sparrowhawk, five buzzards, swallow, four stonechats, fifty linnets and two corn buntings. 

On Saturday 12th birds noted at Maydays included great white egret, great crested grebe, 35 avocets, forty grey plover, 20 dunlin, five Mediterranean gulls, two marsh harriers, five swallows, four stonechats, two rock pipits and ten meadow pipits.

Andy Field at Cudmore Grove on Saturday morning reported two goldcrests and a stonechat, while Charlie Coltman saw either the same goldcrests or two different ones by the play area.

At the side of Firs Chase caravan park, Steve Entwistle saw on Saturday, two chiffchaffs, ten chaffinches, three greenfinches, great spotted woodpecker and also 11 little grebes in the Strood channel.

On Friday 11th Simon Patient visited Cudmore Grove and reported two goldcrests, pale phase buzzard in off the sea from Colne Point heading west, 15 meadow pipits heading west, also 20 red admirals flying west, later six buzzards spiralling up and over the park having just arrived from Colne Point also two red kites too.

At Little Paddock in East Mersea Michael Thorley saw male sparrowhawk, three red admirals and a peacock in his garden on Friday, while earlier at the East Mersea Point were 42 wigeon and two avocets. 

On Thursday 10th the bearded tits were proving elusive along the Strood seawall to some of the local birders. There were fleeting glimpses in the morning of at least two birds but they didn't perch up for any views. A squealing water rail was heard from the main reedbed which was of note.

Along the Strood channel were 14 shelduck, 70 wigeon, 50 teal, 400 golden plover, bar-tailed godwit, four greenshank, two marsh harriers, two buzzards, 30 skylarks, four chiffchaffs, three stonechats, 100 linnets and ten meadow pipits.

A common seal was eating a fish in the Strood channel on Thursday - an unusual sight this far up the channel.

Steve Entwistle saw two Sandwich terns and four Mediterranean gulls offshore from the Esplanade on Thursday, also a distant peregrine perched on the Bradwell power station roof.

A wheatear was photographed by Michael Thorley at Coopers Beach on Thursday.

The wheatear allowed Michael to approach quite close to it with his camera.

A colourful Aurora borealis pictured by Jon Ward from East Mersea Point mid-evening on Thursday 10th.

A colourful night sky looking over Dawes Lane, photographed by Caroline White on Thursday mid-evening.

A rusty-dot pearl moth was noted at the Firs Chase garden moth trap on 15th.

This leaf beetle Chrysolina banksi with a dusty-looking back was also at the garden moth trap on the 15th.

STROOD BEARDIES

A bearded tit perched up into view in the reedbed by the Strood seawall for Andy Field to take this picture on Wednesday 9th - one of three birds seen. Earlier in the day the three bearded tits were seen flying over the reedbed for about thirty metres before dropping back inside the reeds. This is now the third day they've been present here.

Andy photographed this wheatear along the Strood seawall on Wednesday afternoon, also two Sandwich terns and a common tern. 

Charlie Coltman saw three oystercatchers, two brent geese and a pied wagtail in the afternoon.

A short-eared owl was seen by Steve Entwistle flying over Ray Island on Wednesday afternoon, also seen during his walk along the Strood seawall were stonechat, corn bunting, three house martins, swallow, common tern, two Sandwich terns, little grebe, 10 linnets, two kestrels, wheatear, two reed buntings, three meadow pipits, rock pipit, marsh harrier, also ten chaffinches near Feldy View.

Two wheatears were seen on Wednesday morning along the Strood seawall, also four stonechats. Forty swallows and fifteen house martins headed south-west.

A rock pipit was feeding along the edge of the Strood channel on Wednesday, twenty meadow pipits also noted by the seawall.

Two corn buntings and five reed buntings were seen on Wednesday along the Strood seawall - one of each pictured here together. Eighty linnets were in the field and two Cetti's warblers heard from the reedbed. A marsh harrier and two buzzards seen.

A flock of 300 golden plover was roosting along the Strood channel on Wednesday, other birds were ten avocets, thirty dunlin, twenty black-tailed godwits, bar-tailed godwit, five shelduck, fifty wigeon and 85 teal. A common tern was in the channel while in the Mersea Quarters were 27 brent geese and five Sandwich terns.

On Tuesday 8th a great white egret was one of the highlights for Charlie Coltman and I, as we walked the Strood seawall and Feldy View, logging an impressive 68 species in the morning.

At least one bearded tit could be heard pinging from the main reedbed but stayed down and out of view. Three stonechats, two wheatears, three rock pipits, ten meadow pipits, two Cetti's warblers and 150 linnets were noted in the fields. A marsh harrier, two buzzards, two sparrowhawks and two kestrels were also seen over the fields, as were most of the thirty Mediterranean gulls seen during the walk and twenty swallows.

Along the channel were 70 wigeon, 50 teal, 8 avocets, 600 golden plover, two greenshank, three bar-tailed godwits, 25 black-tailed godwits, 6 shelduck, three brent geese and a common tern.

A song thrush was seen in Feldy View while up to fifteen chiffchaffs were seen down the side of the Firs caravan park and also in bushes along the borrowdyke.

A red admiral was soaking up the sunshine on Wednesday in the Firs Chase garden. A speckled wood was seen in Feldy View.

A brown argus was seen on the Strood seawall on Monday 7th.

Birds noted along the Strood seawall on Monday included at least two bearded tits heard pinging from the reeds with a brief glimpse of a male being the only perched view. Also two wheatears, four stonechats, two rock pipits, fifty linnets, Cetti's warbler, while six chiffchaffs were by the side of the Firs caravan park.

Along the Strood channel on Monday were 300 golden plover, fifty ringed plover, greenshank, 13 knot, 46 dunlin, eight avocets, two bar-tailed godwits, 30 black-tailed godwits, three brent geese, 70 wigeon, forty teal, ten Mediterranean gulls and common tern.

A small copper was also seen on the Strood seawall on Monday.

Several Ivy Mining bees were feeding on the ivy flowers near the Firs Caravan park on Monday.

A redshank was feeding close to the Strood seawall on Sunday 6th, also along the channel were ten shelduck, 500 golden plover, 80 grey plover, 50 ringed plover, two bar-tailed godwits, 30 black-tailed godwits, two Sandwich terns and five Mediterranean gulls.

A wheatear was feeding on a recently reprofiled dried out pond in a Strood field on Sunday. A peregrine flew over the Strood channel scattering all the waders and after heading towards the Barrow Hill, then returned to fly over Bonners saltings where it began mobbing a fox by diving down after it several times. The fox hurriedly continued over the saltmarsh to Ray Island. A marsh harrier, two buzzards also seen, fifty linnets were in the weedy field and ten chiffchaffs were by the caravan park.

A large number of starlings were seen by Jack Hoy on Sunday late afternoon heading to their roost at Windsor Road flats.

On Saturday 5th a red kite was seen from the Maydays seawall circling over Langenhoe marsh before it drifted westwards. Four buzzards and a couple of marsh harriers also noted, while in the Pyefleet were 50 avocets, five Sandwich terns, 30 shelduck, three great crested grebes, 30 black-tailed godwits and also a green sandpiper flying over then landing in Bower Hall marsh.

Six stonechats were seen at Maydays on Saturday, as well as four yellowhammers, two rock pipits, 15 meadow pipits, three singing Cetti's warblers, chiffchaff, four swallows, fifty linnets, a wheatear on Reeveshall and a red-legged partridge heard.

At Cudmore Grove on Saturday morning two stonechats were seen by Andy Field.

An osprey was seen by Andy over the river Colne, thanks to a heads-up by Jim Hume watching from Fingringhoe. A probable yellow-browed warbler was heard by Andy calling near the Golfhouse but not seen. Also noted were a calling water rail, marsh harrier, reed warbler, 100 dunlin, 150 grey plover, two Cetti's warbler.

Simon Patient saw buzzard, two Sandwich terns and three jays flying over whilst at Cudmore Grove on Saturday.

On Friday 4th an osprey flew over East Mersea Point spooking all the birds below before heading up river and then into the Pyefleet. The warm weather saw ten buzzards circling over Ivy Farm, while other birds seen were sparrowhawk, ten Sandwich terns, 88 little egrets including 66 by the Golfhouse pools, 70 brent geese, 30 shelduck, shoveler, forty wigeon, ten teal, great crested grebe, three avocets and 75 dunlin.

Five lapwings were feeding in the Golfhouse horse paddock on Friday, as were three black-tailed godwits. A rock pipit and ten meadow pipits were noted by the seawall, while two Cetti's warblers were heard.

Four red-legged partridges were seen in Dawes Lane on Friday by Steve Entwistle.

On Thursday 3rd an Arctic skua was watched by Martin Cock flying across the Blackwater between West Mersea and Bradwell, after first being seen by Colin Mackenzie-Grieve from Old Hall flying over Great Cob Island.

Earlier on Thursday at Maydays, Martin saw a great white egret, buzzard and 100 grey plovers, then later from the Esplanade saw 32 Sandwich terns heading west.

A Scarce Bordered Straw was in the garden moth trap in Firs Chase on 3rd.

One Black Rustic on 3rd.

Two Delicate moths on the 6th.

Dark Swordgrass on 6th.