EXPLOSIVE SONGSTER RETURNS

The distinctive song of a Cetti's warbler was heard from this wet and scrubby corner of the country park on Sunday 28th. The "explosive" song is normally a loud, brief burst that has been likened to it saying - "What's my name?...Cetti-Cetti-Cetti-that's it!"

I waited on top of the seawall and kept an eye on the small clump of reeds in the west end of the borrowdyke where a couple of bushes also grew. The bird duly appeared after a couple of minutes as it flew across a gap, a quick flash of a small rich-brown bird.


After a few minutes the skulking bird hopped into view at the side of a blackthorn bush, allowing a good view of its face and grey underparts. It dropped down out of sight into the thick mass of reeds, bramble and bushy growth around the ditch pictured above. It continued to give out brief bursts of song in the general area although it appeared to be moving further along a well wooded ditch when I left the area.


This sighting is only the second record for the Island with the last one seen near the park pond at exactly the same date three years ago. It was found on the 27th September 2005 and stayed for 4 days. Recent mild winters have seen a rapid increase of the population across Essex in suitable scrubby and reed habitat next to water. Although the last Mersea bird only stayed for 4 days, it shouldn't be long before the bird takes up permanent residence on the Island.


A quick morning walk to the Point produced a similar selection of birds as the previous day with 4 wheatear, 80 avocet, greenshank, 50 linnet, 60 goldfinch, 7 wigeon, while a water vole scuttled along the side of the dyke.


On the park the sunny weather kept the snake-tin warm near the car park where 3 adders were found lying underneath. Small copper, small heath, comma, 2 red admirals, small white and large white were the butterflies seen.

Richard Allen joined the throng of visitors to the park all enjoying the sunshine and was rewarded with the sight of 2 honey buzzards flying south as he walked back to the car park. He also noted yellow wagtail, 2 wheatears, 10 swallows, 4 common tern and 100 golden plover.

Spent the evening along the Reeveshall seawall looking at this big grass field pictured above where a distant view of a short-eared owl was seen flying around amongst the sheep. Martin Cock had just been watching the same field just before I arrived and had watched 3 short-eared owls as well as a common buzzard on the ground. As the light faded a barn owl hunted along the side of Broad Fleet at the back of the fields. Also 50 meadow pipits along the side of the seawall here and a wheatear by the Pool.

Despite the usual wide scattering of lots of waders along the Pyefleet Channel, there was little of note. Martin watched a juvenile curlew sandpiper near Maydays and saw just the one knot. Further along I had a knot too but no flocks of dunlin were tracked down during the evening, where there are usually a few other interesting waders with them.

In the Channel 6 great crested grebes and there was still one of the two common seals that had been seen earlier in the day by Steve Entwhistle. Ten little egrets headed east to roost as the light faded.

Andy Field and Richard Hull during their visit to the nearby Langenhoe Marshes noted a flow of 8 common buzzards that appeared to be heading up the river Colne. Also hobby, peregrine, 6 marsh harriers, 2 little stints, 4 green sandpipers, 4 greenshank, 2 wheatears, 4 stonechat, spotted flycatcher and a long-tailed tit flock with one bird having a white head.