KITE NEAR CUDMORE

A red kite was photographed by Andy Field as it passed overhead near the horse paddocks north of the country park on Saturday 26th. Noted at the park was a marsh harrier over the grazing fields, ringed plover on its nest on the beach, whimbrel, three golden plover, three sedge warblers, fifty sand martins.

Later on Saturday at the park were three Sandwich terns which flew over Steve Entwistle's head calling as they passed by.

Andy also noticed this thread-waisted wasp which feeds on other insects, during his Cudmore walk.

Phil Passfield was asked by a lady in Whittaker Way what this seemingly abandoned large chick was that she found in her garden. This cuckoo chick was probably still being fed by its foster parents such as dunnocks, so the lady was advised to put the bird back in her garden and leave it somewhere off the ground. Its calls will soon be heard again by its "parents".

An adder was photographed by Andy Field at Cudmore Grove on Wednesday near the park entrance.

Also at the park were two fledged lapwing chicks, eight avocets with one chick, four curlew, two whimbrel, at least one ringed plover chick with another pair trying to nest again, four little terns, six common terns, 25 sand martins by the cliffs, some young sedge warblers by the park pond and two buzzards seen too.

This ringlet butterfly was photographed on Steve Entwistle's phone in Feldy View on Wednesday, also three meadow browns, ten red admirals, holly blue, four small heaths a cinnabar moth as well as a whitethroat singing.

A red kite was seen flying over Steve's house in Empress Drive by his wife Kate.

On Tuesday 22nd two Sandwich terns were seen by Ian Black flying past the West Mersea Hard towards the Strood channel.

At Cudmore Grove on Tuesday afternoon, Steve Entwistle reported two little terns in the Colne, two common terns, pair of Mediterranean gulls, 56 oystercatchers, two whimbrel, nine curlew, seven avocets with one large chick, a black-headed gull still sitting on its nest as well as a mistle thrush by the East Mersea road near Bromans Lane.