MELLOW YELLOWS

The air around Maydays Farm on a hot Saturday 6th was full of the smell of the fields of oil seed rape in flower. Quite a colourful display of yellow under the blue sky.

A couple of male yellowhammers were singing by the side of the yellow rape fields.

Two yellow wagtails were seen, this bright yellow male perched up near the seawall.

Two sedge warblers were singing in close proximity to each other from bushes along the Maydays borrowdyke. Also 3 singing reed warblers, 3 singing reed buntings, 4 linnets, and lots of skylarks in full song over the rape fields.

A female wheatear perched up on fenceposts beside the Maydays seawall.

Five whimbrel, 6 shelduck and a lapwing were in the fields, while 6 house martins were by the farm buildings.

In the Pyefleet 2 common terns were the only bird of note as the tide came in, while over on Langenhoe, 4 common buzzards and three marsh harriers were seen in the air.

A distant common seal basked on the Pyefleet mud on the Langenhoe side.

A brown hare lay hidden in the long grass except for this brief glimpse. Another hare was seen running along the top of the seawall.

Butterflies noted during the Maydays walk included peacock, small tortoiseshell, small white, orange tip and large white.

The hot weather brought a nice selection of six species of raptor on show along the Strood Channel on Friday 5th. This common buzzard circled overhead as it crossed over the channel towards Ray Island. Also a hobby circled over Ray Island, a peregrine flew low and fast up the channel passing over the causeway early afternoon, a marsh harrier flew north over the fields, a sparrowhawk over the houses and a couple of kestrels rounded up an enjoyable couple of hours walk.

Mark and Jane Dixon later reported a possible male hen harrier flying past the Dabchicks early afternoon.

This male wheatear was one of three along the Strood seawall on Friday. Managed to see and hear my first cuckoo of the spring with one calling above the Firs Chase caravan site and then flying to the Strood Hill to call, before calling over on Ray Island. Other migrants included 2 swifts in the sky above Jumbo, also 5 yellow wagtails, singing sedge warbler, 2 reed warblers and five swallows.

Along the channel were 3 avocets, 15+ whimbrel, 2 common terns, while on the fields were 2 little egrets and 4 shelduck.
Butterflies seen near the caravan site and the seawall included a brimstone, orange tip, small white, large white, peacock, small tortoiseshell, holly blue and speckled wood.