COOPERS CHORUS

Decided to have a walk around the Rewsalls marshes near the Coopers Beach caravan park in East Mersea on Friday 30th. On the north side of the marshes there is a small pond tucked away in the field corner, which can be viewed from a nearby public footpath and is always worthy of a look. The picture above, shows the eye-catching stand of yellow iris adding some colour to the pond. Later in the summer there is often a nice display on the water of the mainly white flowers of the water crowfoot.

A familiar selection of birds were encountered around the area with typical ones for the hedges, fields and ditches. One lesser whitethroat and three common whitethroats were singing from the hedgerows. Along the reedy ditches a sedge warbler, three reed warblers and a reed bunting were also noted. In the grass fields two skylarks and three meadow pipits were heard singing, adding to the Coopers Chorus.

A pair of kestrels headed over to fields not far from the East Mersea church where the pair have a nest this spring in the tower. A green woodpecker and a mistle thrush were noted on the football pitch.

There seemed more mallard than usual seen along the borrowdyke with up to 20 mallard, including one duck with 5 ducklings. One drake shoveler was the only other species of duck in the dyke, other than six shelduck seen in the area.

The tide was well out so very little seen on the mudflats other than one or two oystercatchers and a few gulls.