HUNTING HAWK

 

A sparrowhawk flew around the trees behind the country park pond before landing high up in a willow tree on Monday 27th. After surveying the scene for a few minutes it flew fast and low as it hunted along the hedgerow. On the pond were two shoveler, four wigeon, four mallard, little egret and two teal.

Three brent geese were feeding on the edge of the mud near the Point on Monday morning. Also on the mud as the tide came in were thirty ringed plovers and two dunlin while a Sandwich tern was heard calling. On the Golfhouse pools were 20 wigeon, 100 redshank and ten lapwing. Fifteen linnets and a reed bunting were at the Point, two Cetti's warblers were singing from opposite sides of the grazing fields, while 20 swallows and a meadow pipit were seen near the Golfhouse.

Two clouded yellow butterflies were seen in the sunny but breezy conditions on Monday morning. This individual was the helice form with its creamy white upperwings rather than the usual yellow colour. Two painted ladies were also on the wing near the Point and seawall.

A red squirrel was seen scampering along the East Mersea road near the Dormy houses.

In the Pyefleet on Monday morning, Martin Cock walked the seawall near the Oyster Fishery and saw the osprey perched beside Pewit Island, also four Sandwich terns, four common terns, two Cetti's warblers, fifty swallows and a clouded yellow butterfly.

Later on Monday Steve Entwistle between the Golfhouse and the Oyster Fishery watched a great white egret flying up the river Colne early evening. Also noted were two mute swans, ten brent geese, two shoveler, 457 redshank, grey plover, 17 little egrets, dunlin, 12 teal, six wigeon, Sandwich tern, two common terns, six great crested grebes, fifty curlew, 200 oystercatchers and three meadow pipits.

Early evening from the the West Mersea Hard on Sunday 26th after walking 12kms from East Mersea Golfhouse back along the north side of the Island to home in Firs Chase. 

The highlight was watching two ospreys together briefly beside Pewit Island, one coming over to say hello to the youngster from the Scottish borders that has made this place home for the last three weeks. Six marsh harriers and four buzzards were seen, seven Sandwich terns, ten common terns and 12 Mediterranean gulls were in the Pyefleet. 

Waders noted were 100 black-tailed godwits, two bar-tailed godwits, four avocets, ten dunlin and a snipe flying over. By the Golfhouse were 75 wigeon and five teal while overhead were a sand martin and house martin in a flock of 50+ swallows.

Two wheatears were along the seawall on Sunday, this one at Maydays and another at Reeveshall. Twelve yellow wagtails were seen, many around the feet of the cows on Reeveshall. Six stonechats were by the Strood fields with one male by himself and the others on the other side of the field. Two Cetti's warblers were singing near the Oyster Fishery and a third one singing by the Strood reservoirs.

At Cudmore Grove on Sunday afternoon Steve Entwistle reported a few teal, wigeon and a gadwall on the park pond while in the bushes were a blackcap and four blackbirds. On the mud were 197 turnstone, 200 oystercatchers, lots of redshank, curlew, dunlin, 30 wigeon and 15 teal.

A scruffy corn bunting perched on a bush at Maydays on Saturday 25th before it flew off with a second corn bunting. Also two yellowhammers and ten reed buntings in bushes by the dyke.

The osprey was still perched on the fence-post on the ranges seawall behind Pewit Island. A peregrine was seen flying over the saltmarsh at the top end of the Pyefleet, five marsh harriers, five buzzards and two kestrels were also watched.

Two wheatears were on the Maydays seawall, two yellow wagtails, two swallows and fifteen meadow pipits flew over. Along the Pyefleet were four greenshank, two knot, green sandpiper heard calling, sixty golden plover, 200 grey plover, ten Mediterranean gulls, 30 dunlin and two ringed plovers. A leucistic starling was feeding with 500 starlings on Reeveshall. Two grey seals were resting on a pontoon in the Pyefleet.

On Saturday afternoon at Maydays Steve Entwistle reported seeing the osprey perched in the distance on a post for twenty minutes on the Geedons marsh. A corn bunting, yellowhammer, sparrowhawk, three kestrels, two marsh harriers, two grey herons and a little owl were also seen.

A kingfisher perched in the early Saturday morning mist at the country park pond, this photo snapped by Andy Field. Also noted there were the water rail heard calling, while offshore were 2 sandwich terns, 250 oystercatchers, 157 black-tailed godwit. A stonechat was at the Point, 30 meadow pipits seen, three Cetti's warblers heard, while at least six chiffchaffs and a lesser whitethroat were with a tit flock between the Golfhouse and the bus turning circle.

CALLING CHIFFCHAFFS

There was an influx of chiffchaffs into the Feldy View cemetery on Friday 24th with at least ten birds doing lots of calling as they fed with a mixed tit flock of long-tailed tits, great tits and blue tits. The flock was busy feeding among the birch trees as well as along hedgerows and other trees. A female blackcap was the only other warbler seen here.

There was plenty of sunshine on Friday for the walk along the Strood seawall. Birds of note along the channel were a greenshank, 25 teal, three wigeon, fifty golden plover and forty grey plover.

Three male stonechats and a female were seen close to the seawall, twenty meadow pipits flew north-west over and two buzzards circled over Strood Hill fields.

In the Pyefleet the osprey was seen perched behind Pewit Island on Friday by Martin Cock, also seen along the seawall from the Oyster Fishery to Shop Lane were 100 swallows, house martin, stonechat and twenty meadow pipits flying west. A red squirrel was seen in Shop Lane.

Steve Entwistle reported seeing on Friday afternoon by the Golfhouse, two shoveler, seven teal, 30 wigeon, 16 black-tailed godwits, seven turnstone, a water vole in the dyke and a clouded yellow.

Two clouded yellow butterflies were seen along the inside of the Strood seawall on Friday, there was also one seen here the day before on Thursday - pictured above.

A fresh painted lady was sitting on a flowering ivy bush beside Feldy View on Thursday 23rd.

A wheatear perched on posts in the Strood channel on Thursday 23rd, also three stonechats seen inside the seawall. A merlin was watched flying fast down channel from the Strood causeway, scattering all the birds before it slowly banked round and without slowing down for a breather, it continued to power back high over the Strood road. The first merlin sighting on the island this autumn.

Along the channel on Thursday were eight avocets, 300 golden plover spooked by the merlin, two greenshank, four Mediterranean gulls, eight wigeon, 15 teal and 180 black-tailed godwits mainly by the Dabchicks. Ten meadow pipits flew over and four chiffchaffs were by Feldy View.

In Meeting Lane on Thursday morning Martin Cock saw a hobby and a blackcap, while in the afternoon the osprey was seen in the Pyefleet from Maydays also four buzzards. A chiffchaff was in his West Mersea garden.

Wigeon numbers are slowly building up for the winter at East Mersea with 75 on the saltmarsh pools by the Golfhouse on Wednesday 22nd, also twelve teal seen here too. On the east side of the Colne seven brent geese are also recent arrivals for the winter. Two Sandwich terns, a common tern, 36 avocets, 50 ringed plover and a bar-tailed godwit were seen while above were two buzzards over Ivy Farm and a house martin with 100 swallows.

On the park pond on Wednesday were two shoveler, two gadwall, 25 little egrets here with 36 more on the Golfhouse saltmarsh, a water rail squealed, three Cetti's warblers called from various locations, four yellow wagtails, ten meadow pipits, pair of blackcaps and four great spotted woodpeckers were the other highlights from the country park. There was also a nice display of at least 13 clouded yellows enjoying the various yellow flowers like bristly ox-tongue and bird's foot trefoil on the grazing fields and seawall.

Martin Cock walked the seawall between the Oyster Fishery and East Mersea Point on Wednesday and noted seven brent geese, 100 wigeon, five Sandwich terns, kingfisher, whitethroat, lesser whitethroat, four Cetti's warblers, four yellow wagtails, 100 swallows and several chiffchaffs.

A Mediterranean gull was in the Strood Channel on Tuesday 21st, while fifty black-tailed godwits were feeding by the Dabchicks. A stonechat was perched on a bush by the dyke, fifty swallows and a sand martin were feeding over the fields and perching on the maize crop, also 700 starlings fed in the grass field, a reed warbler called from reeds, two blackcaps and six chiffchaffs were in Feldy View and a sparrowhawk passed over.

The osprey was seen in the Pyefleet channel perched on a post in front of Pewit Island on Tuesday morning by Shaun Bater, also noted from the Shop Lane seawall were 17 avocets, green sandpiper, black-tailed godwit and two green woodpeckers by the wood.

Martin Cock also watched the osprey on Tuesday fishing in front of the Oyster Fishery for about ten minutes before it flew back to the fence behind Pewit Island. Also two Sandwich terns, two common terns, six clouded yellows and a brimstone butterfly.

Steve Entwistle reported very little on Tuesday afternoon in the Cross Lane and Waldegraves area with 82 ringed plovers, lots of oystercatchers, curlews, a few Mediterranean gulls, common gulls and eight great black-backed gulls.

A willow warbler and chiffchaff were seen in the Firs Chase garden on Tuesday while in Shop Lane near the pub were a Mediterranean gull, kestrel and a clouded yellow.

A jay perched on a bench in Feldy View on Monday 20th.

Along the Strood channel were 200 golden plover, 20 grey plover, 50 black-tailed godwits, one knot and six Mediterranean gulls. A wheatear was on the seawall, a pair of stonechat was by the dyke, two meadow pipits flew over, thirty swallows flew over the maize, while a buzzard and reed warbler were also noted.

Two chiffchaffs were in Ron Harvey's garden in Whittaker Way on Monday afternoon.

DOUBLE OSPREY SHOW

Two ospreys were on show along the Pyefleet Channel on Sunday 19th. This bird flew slowly down the channel, circling over the water as it looked for fish. It drifted close to the first osprey which was perched on a post eating a fish but there was no interaction and the bird flew back up the Pyefleet. After half an hour it returned and continued flying north-east over to the Colne.

The first osprey seen on Sunday was this bird that has now been present in the Colne estuary for nearly three weeks. It perched on a fence-post on the nearby Langenhoe army ranges behind Pewit Island, eating a fish. It seemed to spend most of the middle part of Sunday perched on this post.

Also on Langenhoe were three marsh harriers including one with red wing-tags which is presumed to be the same bird seen a week earlier, that is a juvenile female born this year in north-west Norfolk.

Fifteen common terns were in the Pyefleet, while 25 stock doves, four yellow wagtails with cattle, buzzard and a wheatear were on Reeveshall. At least nine clouded yellow butterflies were alongside the Reeveshall and Maydays seawall, but just one painted lady.

A yellowhammer was at Maydays on Sunday, and there was a greenshank in the saltmarsh by Bowers Hall farm.

Along the Strood seawall were a whinchat, wheatear, fifty swallows, 25 golden plover, 300 redshank, greenshank and a marsh harrier.

A small copper butterfly rested on a plant on top of the Strood seawall late afternoon on Sunday.

At Rewsalls lake on Sunday Martin Cock noted 152 redshank, 28 turnstone, nine ringed plover, dunlin, black-tailed godwit, common sandpiper, two little grebe and two teal.

A wheatear was seen on the Waldegraves seawall by Sarah Thorley early Sunday morning.

Steve Entwistle noted at Cudmore Grove on Sunday afternoon great spotted woodpecker, green woodpecker, Cetti's warbler, shoveler, 22 wigeon, four gadwall, ten swallows, six blackbirds and a dead adder on the central track.

This wheatear was photographed on Saturday 18th by Andy Field at East Mersea Point.

As well as the wheatear, Andy noted 20 linnets at the Point, also four yellow wagtails and two Cetti's warblers near the Golfhouse, while near Ivy Dock were 62 dunlin, 176 black-tailed godwits, six bar-tailed godwits, 140 turnstone, 100 curlew, 20 knot, 100 grey plover, 150 redshank, 126 ringed plover and six Sandwich terns. A sparrowhawk was also seen in the area, as were 20 wigeon, 12 teal and two shoveler.

At Maydays on Saturday afternoon the osprey was seen again in the Pyefleet by Steve Entwistle. Also 25 chaffinches feeding in Haycocks Lane, two yellowhammers and two reed buntings seen by the seawall,

Birds seen at Coopers Beach during the Saturday high tide with the water flooding in through the old seawall included 320 golden plover, 50 ringed plover, 20 little egrets, two Mediterranean gulls, two teal and a little grebe. Smaller birds seen were a blackcap, chiffchaff, forty linnets and 25 swallows heading west.

On Friday 17th at the Rewsalls marshes for the high tide roost were common sandpiper, two bar-tailed godwit, eight black-tailed godwits, 114 redshank, 35 turnstone, two dunlin and three little grebes. 

Thirty meadow pipits and forty swallows with a sand martin flew west along the coastline. Three buzzards were also seen.

Steve Entwistle noted from the Coopers Beach side of Rewsalls on Friday, two willow warblers, lesser whitethroat, whitethroat, 25 golden plover, 120 starling, 100+ linnets, bar-tailed godwit and three meadow pipits.

Six wheatears were on a ploughed field to the west of the Youth Camp with another two on the beach for the second day. In two gull roosts bordering the Youth Camp were forty Mediterranean gulls.

A hobby was seen flying fast over the top of Cross Lane in West Mersea, while a buzzard was mobbed by crows over Firs Chase.

Later on Friday Steve visited Cudmore Grove and saw a pale-bellied brent goose with two dark-bellied brent on the east side of the Colne, also Cetti's warbler by the Golfhouse, tufted duck, wigeon, 18 Mediterranean gulls, ten grey plover, 20 turnstone, nine black-tailed godwits and a coot with three very new chicks.

Chris Mole reported seeing a red squirrel in his Strood Close garden on Friday

A collection of little owl pellets from Michael Thorley's East Mersea garden near Meeting Lane. Also pictured is a slightly larger darker pellet, pictured beside the ruler which was thought to be a carrion crow's pellet consisting of blackberries and insect exoskeletons.

Just off the Island in Peldon, Jack Hoy found this dotterel beside a farm track trotting ahead of his car on Friday 17th and managed to take this picture of it with his phone.

REWSALLS MARSHES

At the lake and the Rewsalls marshes on Thursday 16th for the high tide roost were a common sandpiper, 200 golden plover, and 20 little egrets. Offshore a couple of Sandwich terns flew past, also 20 common terns while on the shingle island off Waldegraves were 350 herring gulls and 50 ringed plovers. Fifteen Mediterranean gulls roosted with the black-headed gulls in two fields next to the Youth Camp.

Two wheatears were feeding along the collapsed seawall in front of the Youth Camp on Thursday. A south-westerly passage took place during the morning with 80+ meadow pipits, 100 swallows and ten house martins noted. On the marshes were thirty linnets, four buzzards came in off the sea heading north and another buzzard circling high near the East Mersea church. A chiffchaff and four lesser whitethroats were feeding in some of the bushes by the marshes.

At Cudmore Grove in the early evening on Thursday, Steve Entwistle reported seeing the first brent geese back for the winter with three on the east side of the Colne. Also two Sandwich terns on the mud, 40 turnstones, three knot, 30 dunlin, two bar-tailed godwits, great crested grebe, 23 lapwings and three grey plover.

A clouded yellow was seen on the East Mersea seawall on Thursday by Angela Buckley.

A green woodpecker was photographed by Michael Thorley in his East Mersea garden near Meeting Lane on Thursday.

A hummingbird hawk-moth was also photographed by Michael in his garden.

The hummingbird hawkmoth hovering in front of the flowers to feed.

A female common darter seen egg-laying at Michael's pond.

In the Firs Chase garden on Thursday, this small toadlet had a lucky escape from the lawn-mower as the long grass on the lawn had its first cut for three months.

A colour ringed Mediterranean gull was seen along the Strood channel on Wednesday and photographed by Andy Field. Five other Med gulls were seen along the channel.

A close-up of the Mediterranean gull's ring shows the number - we're waiting to hear where it was ringed.

Walking the Strood seawall with Andy on Wednesday morning, birds noted included a peregrine low over the fields and then over the houses, seven buzzards, a whinchat, wheatear, six yellow wagtails, Cetti's warbler, 100 linnets, five meadow pipits, fifty swallows with two sand martins.

Along the Strood channel were 150 black-tailed godwits, two greenshank, four ringed plover, 25 grey plover and two common terns.

A large hairy fox moth caterpillar was marching across the path on the top of the Strood seawall on Wednesday.

At Maydays on Wednesday Martin Cock noted three greenshank, whinchat, kingfisher, two Sandwich terns, 14 grey herons, four meadow pipits, yellow wagtail, whitethroat, 120 curlew, five buzzards, two sparrowhawks and a marsh harrier.

On Tuesday 14th along the Strood seawall were seen a buzzard, greenshank, five golden plover, 30 grey plover, 100 linnets, 1000 starlings, 70 black-tailed godwits, three mute swans, three common terns. Twenty house martins were still flying over the houses at Wellhouse.

A red squirrel was reported being seen near the entrance to the Firs Road cemetery.

At East Mersea on Tuesday morning, two yellow wagtails, whitethroat, two Cetti's warbler, wheatear, 12 Sandwich terns and forty house martins were seen by Martin Cock between Cudmore Grove and the Golfhouse.

A wing-tagged marsh harrier was photographed by Richard Brown on Langenhoe ranges and he's since found out that this is a female bird ringed on 14th June 2021 at its nest in Norfolk at Wild Ken Hill, along two male siblings. This is the first sighting of her away from her natal area. One of her brothers was seen at Trimley Marshes in Suffolk on 20th August 2021.

Earlier on Monday 13th, the osprey was seen fishing in the river Colne near Langenhoe Point. It was also reported by Liz Huxley who was watching from Brightlingsea. A curlew sandpiper was seen on the mud near Ivy Dock by Martin, also 12 knot, 15 bar-tailed godwits and 12 Sandwich terns.

Steve Entwistle visited Reeveshall on Monday afternoon and noted four marsh harriers, sparrowhawk, little tern, Sandwich tern, two mute swans, 30 swallows and a chiffchaff in Fishponds Wood.

In Firs Chase on Monday afternoon a buzzard passed over the garden mewing, while a willow warbler was calling in a birch tree. Also 12 red admirals and a comma butterfly feeding on the ivy flowers.

A very young muntjac deer was seen by the Potifars in their Shop Lane garden on Wednesday 15th and was thought to have been born between the 9th and the 15th September. The second year running a young muntjac was thought to have been born in their garden

BUZZARD PASSAGE

Common buzzards were on the move over Mersea Island during Sunday 12th with at least forty birds seen. The first group seen was above the Mersea Barns car park in East Mersea about mid-day when a mewing buzzard made me look skywards and saw five buzzards soaring with a sparrowhawk.

During an afternoon walk along the north side of the Island from Shop Lane to the Strood, another flock of buzzards were seen whilst walking the seawall with 22 buzzards counted in the air together over the Shop Lane area about 12.30pm. Most drifted westwards. At least another 13 buzzards were counted whilst walking Reeveshall to Bower Hall and it seemed they were heading off the Island near the Strood northwest towards Peldon. The only other report of buzzards was of five over the Dabchicks seen by Mark Farrant. Other large buzzard counts in Essex reported during Sunday of birds on passage were 16 at Holland Haven and 31 over Chelmsford city centre.

Other birds of prey noted were the osprey was still fishing the Pyefleet channel at the west end near Maydays mid afternoon, also a peregrine flying low over the Strood channel towards Ray Island, three marsh harriers and 6+ kestrels seen during the walk.

The tide was coming in at the saltmarsh near Bower Hall farm on Sunday, two Sandwich terns were fishing along the channel, four common seals were also seen in their usual place. Two whinchats were beside the seawall here, earlier a wheatear was in the Reeveshall seawall and on the Maydays section were three meadow pipits flying west and a yellowhammer seen on a bush.

On the Strood section were 12 Mediterranean gulls, fifty golden plover in a field, three yellow wagtails and three sand martins in a flock of fifty swallows.

A clouded yellow butterfly and 20+ small heaths were on the Reeveshall seawall and a painted lady on the Maydays section.

Earlier on Sunday near the Oyster Fishery, Martin Cock reported 16 wigeon, a few Sandwich terns, seven yellow wagtails, two blackcaps, lesser whitethroat and two Cetti's warblers.

At Maydays farm on Sunday evening a little owl, two kestrels, hobby, Sandwich tern and two common seals were seen by Steve Entwistle.

A wheatear was photographed by the Reeveshall seawall by Shaun Bater on Saturday 11th - one of three seen there. Also seen there were four marsh harriers, 200 redshank, two shelduck, great crested grebe, little egret, kestrel, common tern, turnstone, ringed plover, stock dove and green woodpecker. 

There was no sign of the osprey in the Pyefleet on Saturday.

Martin Cock had two green sandpipers flying over Reeveshall on Saturday and a male pintail flying over Langenhoe.

A walk along the Shop Lane seawall to East Mersea Point on Saturday provided views of waders as the tide came in in the middle of the day. There was a large flock of 220 black-tailed godwits, three knot and 12 avocets feeding near the Oyster Fishery while nearer Ivy Dock were three curlew sandpipers with 60 dunlin, bar-tailed godwit and 150+ redshank. Fourteen Sandwich terns were resting on the mud by the Golfhouse and ten common terns were on a raft. A hobby was flying about on Langenhoe.

A second hobby was seen chasing one of the birds from the 200+ mixed hirundine flock of sand martin, house martin and swallows by the Golfhouse. A swift was also seen flying with the hirundines. Eight yellow wagtails and 30 goldfinches were by the Golfhouse while six wheatears were reported at the Point, also 70 linnets here.

Andy Goodey reported from his walk round the Cudmore seawall to Shop Lane on Saturday a buzzard, two Sandwich tern, 7 turnstone, little grebe, Cetti's warbler, 3 yellow wagtail, leucistic starling with thirty starlings, also a grey squirrel seen in Shop Lane.

At least three clouded yellows were along the seawall between Shop Lane and Ivy Dock on Saturday. A red squirrel was seen crossing Shop Lane near Fishponds Wood.

At Coopers Beach on Saturday Andy Field reported 500 golden plover, 50 redshank, 20 dunlin, 30 turnstone, five curlew, 20 ringed plover and seven black-tailed godwits.

A wheatear was seen along the Strood seawall on Saturday by Jonathan Bustard.

The osprey spent most of Friday 10th morning perched on a post in the Pyefleet Channel near Pewit Island. 

The view from Reeveshall looking across to Pewit Island showing the distant osprey perched on top of the thin post in the middle of the picture. The osprey switched posts a couple of times, watching the tide coming in below its perch. At one point the osprey looked up to see two buzzards passing overhead. After mid-day it took off and went fishing behind the island before being lost to view.

A peregrine flew down channel, five marsh harriers were seen on Langenhoe, four buzzards in total, three Sandwich terns, ten common terns, 100 black-tailed godwits, 80 grey plover, 15 avocets and two knot were along the Pyefleet.

An obliging wheatear perched on a fence on the Shop Lane seawall on Friday. Also on Reeveshall were 15 stock doves and a snipe flying over. A clouded yellow butterfly was flying about.

At the Rewsalls Marshes on Friday, Steve Entwistle reported a few Mediterranean gulls, ten golden plover, 20 little egrets, 30 redshank, eight mallard and a common gull, while offshore were lots of gulls and terns by the shingle island.

Andy Field photographed the osprey on Thursday 9th perched beside Pewit Island in the Pyefleet Channel and then it was seen flying around the ranges and the Geedons.

Also in the area were a hobby, stonechat, four green sandpipers, marsh harrier, two Sandwich terns, two common terns. A kingfisher was along the borrowdyke near Shop Lane and a chiffchaff in Fishponds Wood.

Birds noted at Rewsalls Marshes by Martin Cock during the Thursday high tide included 210 redshank, 50 turnstone, 20 ringed plover, 20 black-tailed godwits, 3 dunlin, 3 little grebes and 14 little egrets. 

In Meeting Lane Steve Entwistle reported ten greenfinch, two lesser whitethroats, two whitethroats a pair of blackcaps and a linnet.

Along the Strood channel on Thursday morning were three greenshank, fifty golden plover, fifty grey plover, 100 black-tailed godwits, five teal, mute swan, two common terns and a little grebe. In the fields were 12 reed buntings, three yellow wagtails, buzzard and twenty linnets.

On Wednesday 8th a spotted flycatcher, garden warbler and two blackcaps were seen beside Meeting Lane by Martin Cock. Along the Reeveshall seawall Martin reported the osprey seen briefly, hobby, three marsh harriers, six green sandpipers, five teal, two Sandwich terns and also two clouded yellow butterflies.

Steve Entwistle reported on Wednesday 3 lesser whitethroats, whitethroat, five blackcaps, two kestrels, buzzard, marsh harrier and stock dove in Meeting Lane, while in Shop Lane two red-legged partridges and a stoat was seen chasing a baby rabbit.

Michael Thorley watched two yellow wagtails feeding on his floating pondweed in his garden near Meeting Lane.

Along the Strood seawall on Wednesday were seen five wheatears, three corn buntings, 20 linnets and a yellow wagtail in the fields. In the Strood channel were four greenshank, ten golden plover, 25 grey plover, two Mediterranean gulls, little grebe and two common terns. A willow warbler was heard calling from birch trees in Feldy View.

A hummingbird hawkmoth visited abelia flowers in Andy Field's West Mersea garden on Friday morning.

PYEFLEET OSPREY

The osprey that has been frequenting the Colne estuary in recent days, was photographed by Richard Brown when he visited the Langenhoe ranges on Monday 6th. The bird shows a pale blue ring on its leg which sadly couldn't be seen closely enough to read the number.

It turns out the same osprey had been photographed five days earlier by Simon Cox at Colne Point. The ring number of 677 reveals this is an osprey born this spring and was ringed by the Tweed Valley Project in the Scottish borders.

At Cudmore Grove on Monday 6th, there were 66 little egrets roosting in the trees behind the park pond with a further four birds standing on the saltmarsh near the Point. The first wigeon back for the winter were seen with three birds, also three teal on the pond. Three mistle thrushes were seen flying over the car park and a sparrowhawk was seen flying to the north of the park.

Four Sandwich terns were in the Colne and 20 common terns were resting on a buoy. A wheatear fed by the pillbox at the Point, 12 ringed plovers flew west along the foreshore and a green sandpiper was heard calling in flight. Butterflies of interest were two clouded yellows on the grazing fields, also a brown argus and common blues seen. A large number of sea aster mining bees were buzzing low amongst the sea purslane at the Point.

On Monday afternoon Steve Entwistle visited the park and also noted the wheatear, a pair of gadwall, 7 teal and 3 wigeon on the pond, singing Cetti's warbler, lesser whitethroats, whitethroats, reed bunting as well as chiffchaff, willow warbler and long-tailed tit to the north of the park.

A male redstart was found in Feldy View cemetery on Tuesday 7th, staying all day this picture was taken by John Ward in the early evening, when it gave good views. The bird was first glimpsed in the birches early morning and proved elusive at times, calling occasionally. When the redstart did show, it had a faded orange chest, greyish head and face and the distinctive orange tail. It seemed to spend most of the time in the same north-west corner of the cemetery where a male was seen back in the spring.

There seemed to be a small influx of warblers here with six willow warblers, chiffchaff, two blackcaps and a whitethroat feeding in the trees, while a yellow wagtail flew over.

Along the Strood seawall on Tuesday morning 70 black-tailed godwits were feeding, also 25 grey plover, five grey plover, common tern and also three mute swans were seen in the Ray Channel. Three wheatears were feeding in a stubble field along with two yellow wagtails.

Martin Cock visited Maydays on Tuesday morning and noted sedge warbler, yellowhammer, greenshank, two knot and a brown argus. Later on in the evening at the Oyster Fishery he noted a kingfisher and three marsh harriers.

At least twenty red admirals were feeding on a flowering ivy bush along a footpath near Feldy View on Tuesday.

A brimstone butterfly was photographed by Rusty Marshall in his Firs Chase garden on Sunday 5th.

A speckled bush cricket was photographed inside Michael Thorley's house near Meeting Lane.