PLOVER CHICKS

The three young ringed plover chicks were seen feeding on some mud between the seawall and the beach near the old fort at East Mersea Point on Thursday 1st. The parents were calling to the chicks whenever a family walked too close along the beach. The birds were easily viewed and photographed from the path on the top of the seawall.

The chicks have done well to survive the last ten days since they were first spotted. Their little legs having to work fast to run away from any dangers.

The three ringed plover eggs remain still untouched having been abandoned about six weeks ago in mid / late June. Surprised that a gull, fox or crow has not taken them since they were left.
Also near the Point on Thursday were three other adult ringed plovers and also a fledged ringed plover too.

The pair of avocets with the two young were resting on the saltmarsh pools near the Point on Thursday. On the saltmarsh was a flock of 100 black-tailed godwit and one bar-tailed godwit, one whimbrel and 4 Mediterranean gulls. A common buzzard crossed west over the Colne heading onto the Island and two sand martins were noted too.

Along the park dyke was a family of pochard with four ducklings, while further along was a brood of five young tufted ducklings. At least 20 little egrets were roosting in the trees by the park pond at high tide. A painted lady flew along the seawall.

A female eider was preening and feeding about 50m offshore from near the East Mersea Point just before high tide on Thursday late morning. Also in the Colne were 2 great crested grebes and 3 common terns.

A pied wagtail was feeding alongside the Strood seawall on Wednesday 31st, as were three others and 2 yellow wagtails. Two sand martins flew west off the Island and 5 swifts were still in the air over West Mersea.

Three common buzzards circled over the Strood fields on Wednesday, a marsh harrier hunted low along the ditches and a kestrel hovered in the air with a second kestrel on Ray Island.
A big flock of 250 linnets was a big early autumnal flock, feeding in the rape stubble field by Strood Hill and 52 golden plover were resting there too. The flock of 100 house sparrows was still feeding on the wheat crop still to be harvested.

On Tuesday 30th at Reeveshall, 300 black-tailed godwits and the two broods of avocets were seen by Andy Field, who also saw a red squirrel by Fishponds Wood in Shop Lane.

On Monday 27th two painted ladies were seen in Feldy View, West Mersea feeding on the lavender, one individual fresh looking while the other very tatty. Five more were also seen along the Strood seawall.

A hobby provided a close fly-past along the Strood seawall on a sunny Monday, as it swooped down on a yellow wagtail which managed to evade being snatched. A wheatear on the seawall was the first returning one of the autumn to the Island. Three common buzzards circled in the air with a fourth bird passing over west high up. A Mediterranean gull, 2 grey herons, black-tailed godwit, 100 house sparrows were noted while a single brent goose flying along the Channel was unexpected.

On Sunday 28th an adult curlew sandpiper with blotchy red underparts was found in the Pyefleet near Shop Lane by Martin Cock. It was later found feeding on the mud near Ivy Dock along with 200 dunlin. Other waders were a common sandpiper, 50 black-tailed godwits and a whimbrel, while a Mediterranean gull, two marsh harriers and a yellow wagtail were noted too.
Steve Entwistle also reported from the Ivy Farm to Oyster Fishery seawall seeing a hobby flying from Langenhoe to Maydays, 2 yellow wagtails, 2 common terns, 5 turnstones, 30+ avocets, grey plover and a painted lady butterfly.

Several clumps of sea holly were admired near the beach between Cross Lane and Waldegraves on a dull Saturday 27th. On the mud were 8 whimbrel, 20 curlew, 10 Mediterranean gulls, two common terns fishing while a sparrowhawk flew along Cross Lane carrying some prey.