REWSALLS RAMBLE

Visited the Rewsalls marshes area of East Mersea on a sunny Monday 14th. The picture above shows the view looking west towards the Mersea Outdoors Centre. As the tide went out there was plenty of mud revealed but very few waders. Twenty oystercatchers, 3 curlew and a little egret were the only birds other than lots of gulls, using the mud in a wide scan of the area.

On the Rewsalls marshes with its long grass and reed-filled ditches were a handful of meadow pipit pairs, singing reed bunting, two kestrels, singing reed warbler while in one corner there was an unexpected a corn bunting seen. There seemed to be a light migration of swallows and sand martins taking place with about 100 birds trickling westwards during the visit. Along the dyke there were 12 mallard including a brood of six ducklings.

Scanning along the water's edge in the dyke, I managed to find an elusive water vole hiding just inside the entrance to its burrow. As I watched it from the opposite bank, fifteen metres away, it stayed motionless with its' little beady eyes staring out. There seems to be plenty of burrows along the water's edge so there's probably quite a good population on these Rewsalls marshes.


There was the usual fine display of sea holly on the small beach, although winter high tides have removed large chunks of "dune" including clumps of sea holly. This clump above is still clinging on above the high-tide mark and will probably get washed away this coming winter.

The display of sea holly here is as impressive as I've seen it in recent years. A few summers ago, this area of beach was littered with small sea holly seedlings which have matured in the last two or three years into respectable clumps. However the continuing erosion of the beach each winter threatens this small but eye-catching colony.

The warm weather brought out the insects such as this female ruddy darter dragonfly. Many of these ruddies were keeping low in the long vegetation close to the water, out of the summer breeze. A few of the more colourful bright red males were also seen.

A good spot for dragonfly watching was at this pond at the rear of the Rewsalls marshes. A large male emperor dragonfly patrolled endlessly around the pond hardly stopping for a rest. Close to the water a four-spotted chaser perched on a short stalk in the water, also a few common blue damselflies, while lots of blue-tailed damselflies flew around in tandem, males and females coupled together.

Lots of the typical meadow / hedgerow butterflies flying around with meadow browns, hedge browns, small and Essex skippers, small whites, large white, peacock and commas.