WINDY-CHATS

It was windy during the evening walk along the park seawall on Thursday 3rd but at least the sun was still shining. There had actually been some rain on the Island last night for a few hours but the strong winds of today have removed all traces of puddles.

Two whinchats perched on low bushes on the beach and beside the seawall, so that they didn't get blown about by the wind. Four linnets were also seen near the seawall, while reed bunting and reed warbler were also heard by the dyke. Swooping low over the dyke by the Golfhouse were 50 swallows as they did some early evening flycatching beside the water. Five yellow wagtails fed in the nearby horse field with a further five by the cattle in the grazing fields.

Two black-tailed godwits and 2 lapwing were in the muddy pools that were now a little wetter after last night's rain. A kestrel flew up to the nestbox in the tree where they nested earlier in the summer.

The tide was well out opposite the park and a variety of waders were scattered into the distance although 5 avocets were noted, also a dozen golden plover and 30 black-tailed godwits were closer in.

Yesterday Wednesday, Martin Cock watched a hobby catching a swallow near the Rewsalls Marshes in East Mersea, also 150 linnets, 50 yellow wagtails and 12 mistle thrushes seen in a stubble field near here. On the Reeveshall pool a little ringed plover was present as was the single wigeon. Five whinchats and 4 wheatears were seen near the pool and a clouded yellow butterfly flew along the Reeveshall seawall, while a further 25 yellow wagtails in the cattle field made it a good wagtail tally for the day .

Hugh Owen reported seeing an osprey flying away with a fish just north of the Island beside the Mersea road near the Langehoehall marshes in the morning. This could've been the same osprey seen at the Abberton Reservoir in the afternoon. Also seen over Langenhoehall marshes were a buzzard and two marsh harriers, while whinchat and wheatears have been noted recently.

Over the park on Tuesday was a swift flying west with a group of swallows.

A terrier dog has now made a full recovery from a nasty adder bite on its foot after it accidentally stood on the snake beside the footpath between Shop Lane and Meeting Lane in East Mersea a fortnight ago. Here at the park the only recent reports of adders have been beside the seawall. In previous years the last adder sightings of the autumn are usually seen up until mid October.