PURPLE HAIRSTREAK

Half a dozen purple hairstreaks were seen on Monday 15th enjoying the warm but cloudy conditions alongside the footpath between Meeting Lane and Shop Lane in East Mersea. Some of the individuals came down from the tops of the oak trees to feed on the bramble flowers.

At least ten fresh looking peacocks were also seen along the footpath on Monday, as were comma, small white, large white, Essex / small skipper, ringlet, gatekeeper, meadow brown butterflies.

The Cetti's warbler was still present in the Gyants Marsh area giving out a loud burst of song late morning. Also three common buzzards, two male yellowhammers, great spotted woodpecker and a green woodpecker seen.

Also on Monday, Martin Cock noted at Maydays farm 3 little tern, common sandpiper, greenshank, sedge warbler, corn bunting as well as marsh harrier and common buzzard. A grey seal and a common seal were at the top end of the Pyefleet channel.

A skylark was seen singing from the top of a bush near the Bower Hall seawall on Sunday 14th.
A hobby flew over the fields between Maydays and Bower Hall scattering the local 30+ house martins, before it chased one unsuccessfully for a short while. The hobby then flew low over the Maydays saltings heading towards Langenhoe. A buzzard was by Bower Hall, a marsh harrier over the marsh and a kestrel flew over the seawall were also noted.

Three greenshank were in the top end of the Pyefleet as was a whimbrel, common sandpiper and five young shelducklings. Two grey herons, 2 yellow wagtails and 3 singing yellowhammers were seen as was a common seal.

There was a nice display of wild carrots in flower along the field edges between the Strood and Maydays farm.

A brown hare tried to stay hidden in a field although the big ears betrayed its presence.

A little egret was feeding near the Strood seawall on Saturday 13th.
Two greenshank, a black-tailed godwit, 5 yellow wagtails and two kestrels were also noted by the Strood.
A common buzzard flew over Firs Chase later on Saturday.

On Friday 12th, joined local RSPB volunteers Steve Hunting and Cheryl on Stacey Belbin's Lady Grace boat, to survey the breeding gulls, waders and terns on the shingle beaches of Packing Shed, Cobmarsh, Old Hall Point, Tollesbury Shingle-head Point and also Great Cob Island.

Haven't seen the final figures from the count but there were good numbers of herring gull chicks, three seen here on Packing Shed. No little terns were seen, ten common terns were on Shinglehead Point, Mediterranean gull on Great Cob, only one fledged ringed plover chick was seen but no oystercatcher chicks noted although lots of adult pairs seen.
A peregrine flew over the Hard car park mid morning, marsh harrier over Old Hall, yellow wagtail on Cobmarsh and four great crested grebes seen in the outer quarters.
A sparrowhawk flew over Firs Chase being followed by some swallows.