MORE LIKE AUTUMN

It has felt more like autumn over the last few days on Mersea with grey skies, cold winds and a few showers thrown in as well. Much of the wildlife has been keeping a low profile and remained well hidden - just like the sun. Despite the weather there have been one or two things of note over the weekend.

The only turtle dove at the park this summer continues to sing either from Bromans Lane or in the bushes in the car park. Three birds were seen flying around together on Saturday, perching on wires near the park entrance.

The breezy conditions have kept many of the small birds sheltering inside the bushes but one willow warbler was heard calling as were several chiffchaffs around the park. Many of the local common whitethroats and lesser whitethroats may have left for Africa already as there has been little evidence of them around recently. One lesser whitethroat and a couple of whitethroats were seen briefly. Their favourite haunts at this time of year are usually the elder bushes which are laden down with ripe berries.

Five swifts passed over the park on Sunday as did a yellow wagtail heading westwards along the Island. The whistled calls of the whimbrel could also be heard as one headed out onto the mudflats.

On the park pond forty mallard, the ruddy duck family, two little grebe families and a few young tufted ducks were the main wildfowl along with several coots and moorhens.

It seems strange to get excited about house sparrow flocks on Mersea these days but two separate flocks were seen away from the gardens of West Mersea. One group of 25 were seen near the road by Blue Corner- a regular site, as is the East Mersea village shop where another 20 were seen nearby.
Two grey herons were seen disputing territorial rights close to the East Mersea road early on Monday morning between the pub and the village shop.

At high tide on Monday afternoon around 20 common terns could be seen flying around while perched on one of the breakwaters was a common gull which is the first autumn sighting. Lots more to follow over the next few weeks. Three sandwich terns flew into the river Colne on Saturday.

On Saturday Martin Cock visited the Reeveshall area and saw a bearded tit, 7 green sandpipers, whimbrel, little ringed plover, 20 teal, 100 swallows while 380 black-tailed godwits fed on the grass field. At Maydays on the Friday Martin noted 2 whinchat and a yellow wagtail.


The dull weather has discouraged many insects from flying although several painted ladies were seen on Saturday with up to about 50 still present by the beach where there was less wind and more warmth. Other butterflies on the park were speckled wood, red admiral, holly blue, common blue, small white and meadow brown. Common darter, migrant hawker and southern hawker were the dragonflies noted hunting in the shelter of bushes.

The regular adder remained tucked well into the long grass, keeping out of the cool breeze.
A fox appeared in the grass-field near the pond and although he could see rabbits close-by, it seemed he was more concerned about all the itches that needed scratching with his paws.

A fox was also seen in the car park as darkness fell on Monday evening, while nearby the tawny owl was heard calling along Bromans Lane.


Not the most inspiring of wildlife to look at in the park but you can't fail to notice the many slugs and snails all over the park, especially in the damp conditions. These common garden snails were clustered around an old flower-head of a wild carrot plant on the side of the seawall.