PYEFLEET OSPREY

Richard Brown took this picture of an osprey whilst he was on the Langenhoe ranges just to the north of the Island on Monday 21st. The bird was seen by Richard and John Fell flying in a clockwise direction from South Green then along the Fingringhoe channel, turning south down the Colne and then west along the Pyefleet, doing this several times during mid afternoon. It was last seen with a fish on its usual post in the Geedons at 15.30.

A male redstart was a nice discovery along the Strood seawall on Tuesday 22nd. The bird appeared at the side of the bush quivering its tail and on a couple of occasions flew down onto the seawall to pick up some food. The bird had to switch bushes because of walkers passing nearby and it was later seen along the central hedgeline on bushes. Half an hour later it returned to the original hawthorn bush where this "record-shot" was taken moments before a vehicle drove past it.

A stonechat was also on the same bush, also a new bird just passing through.

A kestrel was perched up near the Firs Caravan Park on Tuesday, surveying the scene. Later it had a tussle with a local crow, before hunting over the fields. Two common buzzards were circling high over the Strood fields.

Two swallows passed over and three chiffchaffs called from the trees.

A turnstone was turning over seaweed beside the Strood seawall on Tuesday. Other waders of interest seen along the channel were four greenshank, eight knot, 25 dunlin, 50 golden plover, one avocet and 200 black-tailed godwits by the Dabchicks sailing club.

Later on Tuesday Jonathan Bustard saw the stonechat and a wheatear along the Strood seawall.

A wheatear was feeding along the Strood seawall on Monday 21st. A Cetti's warbler was singing quietly from the reeds and a reed warbler was also seen feeding in the reeds. 

A peregrine made a couple of flights over the fields scattering the pigeons before it settled back down on the ploughed field, while two common buzzards were at the back of the fields.

Along the channel were 13 wigeon, three greenshank, ten knot, one bar-tailed godwit, twenty dunlin, five ringed plover and also 250+ black-tailed godwits on mud by the Dabchicks sailing club. Twelve little grebes were in the channel and another in the dyke - where a water vole was also seen splashing among the rushes.

Ten meadow pipits flew over and four swallows were flying over Strood Hill and three chiffchaffs feeding near the caravan site.

Martin Cock reported seeing on Monday six chiffchaffs, grey wagtail and red-legged partridge in Cross Lane, then between Cudmore Grove and the Oyster Fishery seven chiffchaffs, two Cetti's warblers, reed warbler, eider, two Sandwich terns, 40 teal, 25 wigeon, while in his West Mersea garden two chiffchaffs were present too.

On Sunday 20th birds noted along the north side of the Island during the monthly WeBs count by Andy Field and me, included a greenshank and wheatear at Maydays, 20 avocets in the Pyefleet, an eider on Langenhoe Point, snipe, thirty brent geese arriving in the Colne in three flocks - the first autumn arrivals, three buzzards, sparrowhawk, 15 swallows, wheatear on park fields, while at the park pond was a calling water rail and eight wigeon.

Four common seals and a grey seal were seen in the Pyefleet.

Charlie Williams reported 25+ Mediterranean gulls by the Strood.

Two hummingbird hawkmoths were seen visiting Andy Field's garden in High St North on Sunday morning.

A Sandwich tern was roosting during the high tide on Saturday 19th at the East Mersea Youth Camp along with fifty other gulls - black-headed and common gulls. A green woodpecker was feeding on the Youth Camp field while nine little egrets were on the flooded Rewsalls marshes.

A common blue, brown argus, small white and large white butterflies were seen by the Youth Camp.