ITCHING TO MIGRATE

Enjoyed a rain-free walk for a change, along the Strood seawall on Monday 8th. The bright conditions in the morning along with a south-westerly breeze, saw various birds on their move across the Island.

Six wheatears were still on the seawall and in various places, 5 whinchats were still present for the third day. There was a steady passage of small flocks of swallows, a few sand martins and the occasional house martin heading low over the fields as they headed west. There was a small number of up to 20 meadow pipits also passing westwards and one yellow wagtail.


The very distinctive call of a tree pipit came from two birds that rose out of the grass near the seawall. Along with a meadow pipit they flew a short distance and dropped down onto the saltmarsh. A minute later they took off again and headed west off the Island towards the Feldy Marshes. Tree pipits are scarce passage visitors in the autumn to the Island but they never stay around.


Another bird itching to keep migrating was a willow warbler that was seen flying along the hedgeline towards the seawall. The bird flew to the top of the seawall, perching in some vegetation, before flying out across the mud towards Ray Island. However it had only flown 50 metres across when it had second thoughts about the crossing. It turned back to the safety of dry land and landed back beside the seawall. Another two willow warblers were seen with a tit flock foraging along the dyke.

A red admiral butterfly was watched crossing low over the fields in a very determined fashion, heading in the same westerly direction as the pipits and swallows.


At the back of the fields 25 corn buntings perched up on some overhead wires, sometimes dropping down to the field below. Also feeding near here were 30 house sparrows and a kestrel was noted too.


A sparrowhawk crossed eastwards onto the Island near the Dabchicks area. Two marsh harriers were seen on the mainland, one over Feldy and the other near the Strood. There was no sign of the recent osprey hunting to the west over Salcott Channel.


There were plenty of waders feeding along the length of the muddy Strood Channel although most appeared to be redshank with about 500 seen. Three greenshank were the main species of note while 25 black-tailed godwits, 30 golden plover and 50 grey plovers were also seen.

An early evening visit to Coopers Beach revealed the red-necked phalarope was still present for its third day, happily swimming back and fowards along a fifty metre section of rather rank water (pictured above) Maybe feeding in close proximity to the outflow of the nearby sewage treatment works, provided some rich pickings for the bird.

Having checked the bird records for the Island, this red-necked phalarope is actually the second record for the Island. The first one was seen 46 years ago in September 1962 by the Strood. There is one record of grey phalarope which was seen in November 1969 from West Mersea, while in 1995 a few of us took the boat from the West Mersea Hard across to Old Hall Marshes to see a Wilsons phalarope.

Also seen in the area were 20 pied wagtails, yellow wagtail, wheatear and kestrel, while out at sea 7 common terns flew past.

The last port of call for the evening was to the Pyefleet Channel as the tide ebbed. There was a nice selection of waders gathered in the muddy bay to the north of Shop Lane. A single avocet and four common terns stood out amongst the brown waders, with 200 black-tailed godwits and 150 redshank the most numerous. Ten knot, 20 dunlin, turnstone, along with a group of 50 grey and golden plovers were also noted.

There was the interesting sight on the pool of 42 recently fledged shelducklings being nannied by four adults. This group must be the local breeding success of several shelduck families getting together at the end of the breeding season. Also seen here were 30 teal, snipe little grebe and six black-tailed godwits.

As the light faded, a very distant short-eared owl was seen perched on a fence post at the west end of Reeveshall. It flew low over the nearby grass field, at one point swooping quickly down unsuccessfully after something. There have been quite a few recent sightings of short-eared owls on the Island - the most recent being at Coopers Beach yesterday.

A little owl called from the hedgeline at the back of Reeveshall and 3 brown hares were also noted