KINGFISHER BLUE

A female kingfisher posed nicely in front of me by the dyke in front of the East Mersea boating lake on Saturday 5th. The bird sat for less than a minute before flying off. The first sighting of the autumn on the Island after an absence since late winter.

At the same time as the kingfisher was briefly present by the boating lake, this common sandpiper flew into view nearby landing on a clump of reeds in the dyke. It later flew to feed on the large marsh beside the boating lake where 55 redshank, 20 ringed plover, little egret and grey heron were seen.
Three wheatears were flitting along the old seawall, two of them later feeding on the beach. A meadow pipit and kestrel flew over and a Mediterranean gull was on the Youth Camp field.

Jonathan Norgate watched a wheatear mid morning Saturday first on the West Mersea beach before then perching on a TV aerial on flats near the beach huts. In the afternoon it was showing well on the lawn beside Shears Court where it was photographed - above.
Five meadow pipits flew west along the West Mersea beach.

This guillemot was photographed by Paul Harrison from his boat on Friday 4th in the Pyefleet channel. One had been seen the previous day in the Colne upstream from the Wivenhoe barrier, which is probably the same bird.

At Coopers Beach on Friday 4th, a female stonechat was near the kids playground, presumably the resident female from earlier in the spring and early summer. It hadn't been seen during two previous visits in the last month. Five wheatears were feeding on the flooded field, perching together on one bush at one point.
A common sandpiper was heard calling, 20+ redshank were along the dyke, also 8 little egrets, common tern over the lake while offshore were four great crested grebes and 20+ swallows flying west over the sea.

A pale leucistic starling stood out among a flock of 500+ starlings when in flight along the Strood seawall on Thursday 3rd. The bird seems to have cream coloured wings, back and a cream head.
Along the channel were two avocets, ringed plover and 70+ golden plover while most of the 250+ black-tailed godwits were on mud by the Dabchicks.
Over the fields were 50+ swallows with a dozen or so house martins heading west, a buzzard on a bush and 25 linnets feeding in a field.

At Reeveshall on Thursday four curlew sandpipers were seen feeding in the Pyefleet by Andy Field, before the incoming tide pushed them down the channel.
At Maydays on Thursday Martin Cock reported a red kite, marsh harrier, three green sandpipers and a common sandpiper.

A roost of 50 little egrets was counted at the Cudmore Grove pond on Wednesday 2nd. Later on the walk another flock of 55 little egrets was seen on the edge of the saltmarsh near Ivy Farm. Two shoveler and half a dozen mallard were seen on the pond, while a buzzard perched on a nearby tree.
Six lesser whitethroats, five whitethroats and three blackcaps were seen in various bushes. Fifty linnets were feeding near the Point and 20 yellow wagtails were feeding with horses and the cattle.
In the Colne 12 common terns were perched on buoys, two Mediterranean gulls flew past and 18 ringed plover were on the last bit of mud as the tide came in. A common seal was in the Colne.

A spotted flycatcher was watched feeding in the horse paddock near the top of the track going down to the Golfhouse on Wednesday.

Two little terns were seen by Martin Cock on mud at Langenhoe Point on Wednesday morning. Also noted along the seawall between the Golfhouse and the Oyster Fishery were lesser whitethroat, whitethroat, reed warbler, yellow wagtail and sand martin.

A spotted flycatcher was seen beside the path down the side of the Firs Chase caravan park on Tuesday 1st, along with a willow warbler. Two Cetti's warblers were heard singing from different locations in the Strood dyke, also three whitethroats, two whinchats and a yellow wagtail from the seawall. A buzzard was seen circling over one of the fields.
Twenty-five Mediterranean gulls, greenshank and 20+ black-tailed godwits were seen along the Strood channel as was a common seal - until the water-skiers arrived.

At Maydays on Tuesday early evening, Martin Cock reported a redstart flycatching beside the borrowdyke, a short-eared owl over Reeveshall, two greenshank, common sandpiper and green sandpiper, ten knot, marsh harrier and a common buzzard.

This wooden plaque in the Feldy View cemetery seems to provide the ideal basking spot on Tuesday morning for common lizards.

Ron Harvey photographed this hummingbird hawkmoth feeding in his garden in Whittaker Way on Tuesday.
One was also seen feeding along the footpath folly between The Lane and Firs Chase two days later on Thursday 3rd.