SPRING DRUMMER

The male great spotted woodpecker has been drumming from the tree-tops in Firs Chase over recent days. This individual pictured in a tall tree in the neighbour's garden.

Two green woodpeckers were seen on Wednesday 25th in the Feldy View cemetery, during the morning dog walk from home. This male perched in a larch tree in the middle of the field with its partner flying into trees nearby.

Six buzzards were seen during the walk along the Strood seawall, probably half the birds being ones on passage. Earlier in the morning a buzzard was also seen from the Firs Chase house as it drifted west. A pair of sparrowhawks circled near the caravan site and a kestrel was also seen by the seawall.

Birds seen along the Strood channel included 60 curlew, 8 grey plover, single knot and black-tailed godwit. In the fields were 11 shelduck and five linnets noted too.

Earlier on Wednesday Andy Field reported a marsh harrier and a blackcap during his walk to the Strood seawall.

The first small white butterfly of the season was in the Feldy View field on Wednesday, also peacock seen too

The male blackcap is still visiting the feeders in the Firs Chase garden, thought to be the overwintering bird. It has been singing a subsong on occasions.

The female blackcap is also a daily garden visitor and quite often with the male bird too.

There were clear skies again on Tuesday 24th during a walk along the Strood seawall.
A large unidentified bird of prey was being mobbed by a couple of much smaller buzzards as it drifted along the Peldon fields before it headed high over Peldon church. Five common buzzards, sparrowhawk and a pair of kestrels were seen from the seawall.

Five Mediterranean gulls were resting in the field, also seen from the seawall were 4 little egrets, great crested grebe, ten wigeon, 70 brent and a meadow pipit.
A small tortoiseshell was seen by the caravan site.

Thirty corn buntings, chiffchaff and a marsh harrier were reported from Maydays on Tuesday.

On Monday 25th twelve Mediterranean gulls were watched along side 200+ black-headed gulls in the recently drilled Strood Hill field. Five buzzards, 4 little egrets, great crested grebe, black-tailed godwit were also noted with 150 brent along the Strood channel.

At Maydays four buzzards, two marsh harriers and a sparrowhawk were seen on Monday by Martin Cock.

Plenty sunshine on Sunday 22nd during the walk along the Maydays seawall on the north side of the Island. A peregrine was watched flying low over the Maydays saltmarsh scattering the waders as it headed east and then landed in a field for over twenty minutes, surveying its surroundings. A while later the peregrine was seen tussling with a marsh harrier over Reeveshall with another peregrine also in the air briefly nearby. Three marsh harriers were seen hunting over Reeveshall with another two birds over Langenhoe marsh. Two common buzzards and two kestrels also out hunting.

In the fields 60 golden plover roosted, at least eight lapwing were seen - some holding territories, 12 linnets, five yellowhammers, 6 stock doves while in the Pyefleet were 3 great crested grebes and a common seal.

At Cudmore Grove CP on Sunday, the Cetti's warbler showed well for Steve Entwistle, as it called continuously in brambles by the park pond. Also there two chiffchaffs, pair of pochard and 8 little egrets at the pond.
The male stonechat was in the eastern end of the marshes at Coopers Beach on Sunday.

Twelve Mediterranean gulls were seen along the foreshore by the West Mersea beach huts on Sunday by Jonathan Bustard.

A badger has been visiting Andy Field's garden recently in High Street North, while one was seen dead by the East Mersea road near Weir Farm on Saturday morning the 21st.
Four adders were seen at Cudmore Grove Country Park on Saturday by Martin Cock.

Marion and Piers Potifar have reported up to seven little egrets feeding in their field at the north end of Shop Lane over the previous four weeks up to 19th March, one staying till dusk most evenings. The little owl was seen in their garden on 15th and 18th March, later calling that evening from the nearby telegraph pole.