MORE CETTI'S

After the 24 mms of rain that fell on Mersea throughout yesterday, it was a relief to get out for a dry walk along the Strood seawall on Monday 6th. I had stopped at this point in the photo above to listen to the rare sound of a Cetti's warbler singing as it foraged through the reeds in the dyke. At that moment Martin Cock phoned me to say he had heard a Cetti's warbler as well, earlier in the morning in the reed-filled dyke at Maydays Farm. Like waiting for a bus, none for a few years and now three in the space of a week!

It will be interesting to see if either of these two birds stays around, as the one last week at the country park appears to have moved on. It was last seen on the Monday, having stayed for only two days.

The lack of wind seemed to inspire all the small birds into activity, which was in sharp contrast to the last walk along here on the windy Friday. The best sight and sound was a sky-full of 80+ skylarks that rose off the fields in two flocks, all calling as they circled overhead. A short while later 50 corn buntings flew around calling too as they moved between ditch, hedge, fields and reedbed. A small group of 20 house sparrows were also seen along one of the field hedges.

A pair of stonechats were still present as were 8 linnets on the seawall side. A rock pipit flew along calling and about 12 meadow pipits passed over too. A mixed group of ten house martins and swallows crossed onto the Island from Ray Island. Near the caravan site 3 chiffchaffs and a blackcap were feeding with a tit flock.

The most interesting wader was seen circling over the fields, a ruff - the first on the Island for a couple of months. Feeding for a short while on the fields were 25 lapwing and 50 golden plover. They later moved onto the mudflats to join groups totalling 150 lapwing and 200 golden plover.
Also of note along the channel were ten little grebes, 2 greenshank and one avocet.


The day brightened up early in the afternoon with the sun shining and a light breeze, making it a pleasant visit to the beach at St Peters. Just offshore from here on Cobmarsh Island were 12 brent geese and a couple of common terns. A wheatear flew from the St Peters onto Cobmarsh.



The wonderful red colour of the glasswort (locally called samphire), adds some colour to the saltmarsh on the edge of West Mersea. Many new plants appear to have colonised the bare mud alongside the boardwalk, now that walkers are keeping off the mud.
A rock pipit flew over calling but there was no sign of a recently reported lame little egret.



This big colourful hornet with the reddy-brown and yellow markings, was resting on the ground beside some thick ivy bushes in flower alongside St Peters meadow. Hornets seem to be scarce on the Island and not often seen.

The ivy bushes around this bench were alive with insect activity - bees, wasps, hoverflies, flies and a few others. Not many butterflies except for one resting comma, although nearby two large whites and a red admiral flew past.