SONG OF THE NIGHTINGALE

A colourful male linnet sat in the early evening sun near the East Mersea Oyster Fishery on Sunday 6th.

The loud song of the nightingale was heard from the seawall near the Oyster Fishery, singing from a hedge at the back of the field. A second nightingale was heard calling from the other end of the hedge. This is the second year the nightingales have been here, the only place on the Island for them.
Also singing from the same hedge was a Cetti's warbler, while reed bunting was also seen nearby.
Seven pochard, 2 tufted duck, whimbrel and a pair of oystercatcher were in the area too.


On Monday during a walk along the Strood seawall in the blazing heat, 2 corn buntings were singing, as were 3 reed warblers, a yellow wagtail seen, while along the channel were a pair of common terns and 4 whimbrel.
The first swift over Adrian Amos' West Mersea garden along East Road was on Monday.


Two green hairstreaks were spiralling round with each other near Feldy View, a new location for them. Four green hairstreaks were watched by Steve Entwistle at the Youth Camp entrance also on Monday

A great spotted woodpecker visited the bird feeder in the Firs Chase garden, taking a peanut and pecking at it after wedging it in the bark of the nearby tree.
Individual common buzzards passed high over the garden drifting west off  the Island on Saturday, Sunday and Monday. A pair of sparrowhawks was also seen circling above the garden being mobbed by a crow.
The songs of goldcrest, blackcap and chiffchaff were heard in or near the Firs Chase garden.

A couple of large-red damselflies rested in the sunshine in the garden on Monday 8th  - the first sighting here for three years. Also a hairy dragonfly in the evening hawking after insects.
Garden butterflies over the weekend included speckled wood, holly blue, small white, large white and orange-tip.

After the regular female red squirrel had enjoyed feeding on the nuts, she washed them down with a good drink of water from the plastic cup. In the hot weather the squirrels have needed to drink more.

The red squirrel then turned and scurried up the tree in the evening of Monday 8th.