MERSEA WILDLIFE: FLYCATCHER CORNER

A spotted flycatcher was found on Monday 24th in the scrubby corner down the side of the Firs Chase caravan park.

The spotted flycatcher was feeding actively, perching on branches for just a few seconds before flying off to catch another insect. It was still present late Monday afternoon but not seen again after this.
Five willow warblers were feeding in the birches and oaks of the Feldy View field and a small copper butterfly was flying low to the ground in the sunshine.

Along the central ditchline between two of the fields, two whinchats were perched up although a sparrowhawk was seen briefly at one end and two common buzzards were perched up at the southern end on a bush together. Another whinchat and wheatear were also seen in the area while 70 linnets over one field was the first flock of the autumn here, also a second sparrowhawk flew over the fields.
Along the channel were 25+ Mediterranean gulls resting on the mud during low tide, greenshank, 3 common terns and nearer the Dabchicks were 100+ black-tailed godwits.
Ron Harvey reported two wheatears along the Strood seawall on Monday.

An osprey was seen alongside the Strood on Monday early afternoon by Martin and Ann Cock as well as Richard Brown. It was seen hovering above the old gap in the seawall near the East Mersea turning, before it then flew along the Pyefleet towards Langenhoe marsh.

At East Mersea on Monday, Andy Field reported at the Reeveshall and Shop Lane area five wheatears, two whinchats, 20+ yellow wagtails, green sandpiper, hobby, marsh harrier, buzzard, three common terns and a colour-ringed black-tailed godwit ORB-OLO.

Several whinchats were seen on Sunday 23rd along the back of the Island. Ten were seen on fenceposts in the Maydays / Reeveshall area along with a wheatear to start with. Later a second wheatear was seen by Steve Entwistle along with eight of the whinchats. At the eastern end of Reeveshall two whinchats and two wheatears were by the dried-up pool.

Also seen at Maydays were 200+ swallows and two sand martins over the fields, two yellow wagtails, common buzzard and two whitethroats. Along the Pyefleet were 12 knot, two greenshank, bar tailed godwit, 50 grey plover, two common terns, 8 shelduck and two great crested grebes, while above Langenhoe were 3 marsh harriers in the air together.

Steve Entwistle had an adult grey partridge with three young at Maydays along with another one calling nearby. Martin Cock counted 90+ avocets on the mud near Shop Lane on Sunday morning.
Along the Strood seawall on Sunday two whinchats were seen by Jonathan Bustard as well as a steady passage of martins and a few Mediterranean gulls following the tractor ploughing the field.

On Saturday 22nd along the Strood seawall were seen four Mediterranean gulls, two common terns, three ringed plovers and a sand martin.
Later on Saturday a raven was seen flying south-west over the Dabchicks sailing club by Ian Black, also two green woodpeckers in the Lane.

At Maydays farm on Saturday Steve Entwistle finally caught up with a green sandpiper after walking the same section of seawall six times over a period of three hours! Also four common sandpipers and two greenshank.

Andy Field looked at the marshes beside Coopers Beach on Saturday during the high tide and reported a common sandpiper, two yellow wagtails, 12 pied wagtails, 23 little egrets, 8 common terns and a Mediterranean gull.

On Friday 23rd during a very windy walk along the Reeveshall seawall, five wheatears and ten yellow wagtails were seen on and near the old dried out pool.
A buzzard, kestrel, four stock doves and two swifts were seen over the fields, while a pale leucistic starling was feeding with a flock of 500 starlings in the fields. In the Pyefleet were 53 avocets, two great crested grebes and two common terns.