BUNTING BUSHES

A walk onto the Strood seawall on Monday 8th produced a surprising variety of small bird activity for once. Finding flocks of small birds out on the fields is becoming scarcer these days and will become harder as winter sets in. The hawthorn bushes may have lots of juicy looking berries but most of the small birds are leaving them alone. The main activity seemed to be centred around the hedgeline alongside the unofficial path pictured below.

At least 50 corn buntings were flying around in small groups between the reedbed in the dyke, to nearby bush tops as well as flying onto the ground to feed. This reedbed area is where they have been roosting at night, so this group didn't appear to have flown very far in the six hours since dawn.

The other flock of birds to perch on the bushes here were 25 linnets, part of a group of 40 in the area. Small groups were breaking off from the main flock to feed on the tideline on the seawall where seeds may have been washed up.

A pair of stonechats perched prominently on tall plant stalks on the seawall before flying over to join the buntings on the bushes. Two reed buntings flew across the reedbed, flicking their tails nervously when they landed. Passing overhead was a rock pipit, calling several times as it flew.

A green woodpecker gave good views as it fed along the top of the seawall, presumably after ants on the ground. It kept having to flew a short distance ahead of me as I approached, each time showing off its yellow back whenever it opened its wings to fly. After hopping and flying lots of short distances along the path, it headed out across the mud and Strood Channel, heading over to the trees of Ray Island about a quarter of a mile away. It didn't take it long to cross over the channel with its big powerful wingbeats. No doubt it was going to check out the ants on the Ray.

Saying goodbye to one creature leaving Mersea but I was soon pleased to welcome a painted lady crossing onto Mersea from Ray Island in return. It fluttered low over a field and then rested on some bare earth. The only other butterflies seen on the walk were a red admiral and some small whites, also common darter and southern hawker dragonflies noted.

Some mud was becoming exposed along the Strood and one little egret was checking out the brushwood sea defences, hoping for some trapped fish-fry. Two brent geese were noted in the channel.

Of the waders a bar-tailed godwit and two knot seen near the Dabchicks Club, were the most noteworthy for the area.

A pear tree is growing in the reedbed with some branches already turning a deep red colour. The bush provides a good vantage point for many small birds to survey the surroundings.

One of the paths onto the seawall was buzzing with insects as they fed on the ivy flowers. Some clumps finished flowering over a month ago with others just reaching their peak at the moment. The cloudy skies meant no butterflies were on show but bumble bees, wasps, hoverflies, flies were swarming all over the flowers.

Towards the end of the walk the peace was shattered by a very low-flying army helicopter which passed overhead scattering bird flocks in its wake. In the distance near the Strood Hill about 500 wood pigeons settled back down onto the fields once the helicopter had gone.