SIX OF THE BEST

The initial walk around the country park on Saturday 13th seemed to produce the same birds as yesterday. Once the gloom had lifted, there was blue sky and a light northerly breeze - the sort of summery day we should've had in August.

It turned out to be a memorable day for birds of prey over the park with six species recorded - the previous best daily tally was five. Weather conditions were ideal for raptor migration with the light winds and warm air with the sun shining. I got reports to keep checking the sky for honey buzzards as several had been seen during the morning along the East Anglian coast, involving migrants that had just arrived from Scandinavia.

A marsh harrier was watched gliding along the south shore of Mersea heading west in mid-morning. In mid afternoon a large gull circled high over the car park, except on closer inspection the bird turned out to be an osprey which passed right overhead and glided westwards towards the caravan sites.

Amazingly while Andy Field was telling me on the mobile phone to look out for honey buzzards, one passed overhead following the same route as the osprey and about a kilometre behind it. It glided swiftly over the car park, showing the long tail, longish wings, short head, pale body with dark carpal patches under each wing. Twenty minutes later a second honey buzzard also glided over the car park along the same route. The same bright plumage with dark secondaries on the wings along with pale body and barred tail and wings, would indicate a juvenile bird. The bird glided away on very flat wings but in a profile unlike common buzzard. A kestrel was also seen in the air while the honeys were passing over.

A visit was made to the hide by the pond as it can provide a good view, pictured above looking north. Two separate sparrowhawks and a marsh harrier were seen over the fields from here. By late afternoon Andy joined me and we both saw a hobby fly east over the car park area, which notched up the sixth bird of prey for the day.

The bushes with berries such as this elder bush have been good places to look for migrants, both in the car park and by the pond. The same sort of warblers as on Friday were still with the mixed tit flock, such as whitethroat, lesser whitethroat, blackcap, chiffchaff, willow warbler and also a couple of goldcrests.

By the pond one large group of elder and rowan bushes proved popular for 10 blackbirds and 5 song thrushes, as well as four blackcaps. Six siskin flew over the pond calling as they headed west. Also during the day was a continuous flow of small groups of meadow pipits, possibly numbering about 50 birds. Martin Cock also noted 2 siskin and groups of meadow pipits flying west over West Mersea in the morning. Mixed flocks of swallows and martins flew over the park with up to 150 during the day.

At the park pond 4 little egrets roosted in the tree, while below a pair of gadwall and 20 teal were seen amongst the mallard. Andy Field saw a spotted flycatcher near here in the afternoon.
At the end of the day a little owl called from the area just north of the park, while the regular tawny owl perched on wires over the exit track out of the park at dusk.

Meanwhile along at Coopers Beach there was nearly as much excitement with the red-necked phalarope still showing well in the dyke. There was also the great early evening sight for Andy Field and Steve Entwhistle over the Rewsalls Marshes, of two short-eared owls hunting over the fields along with a barn owl.


The warm weather brought a few more insects out, such as this long-winged conehead, only the second record of this bush cricket in the country park. This species has spread rapidly north and eastwards across the county in recent years since its first discovery in south-west Essex in 1995. This individual above, was found on the side of a rubbish bin in the car park - not exactly an expected habitat for them! This one pictured is the female with the long curved ovipositor - the long blade it uses to help lay her eggs.
Of the butterflies, speckled wood, comma, red admiral, small white and large white were all noted.

At West Mersea a thousand golden plover were seen flying over the Mersea Quarters. William Baker one of the local oystermen, enjoyed seeing the two ospreys during the week with one seen catching a fish.