DAYTIME BARN OWL

A barn owl was photographed by Andy Field as it flew in front of the bird hide at Cudmore Grove in the morning on Tuesday 30th. The barn owl had been seen leaving the owl box behind the pond and then hunting the grazing fields, then doing a couple of fly-pasts close to the bird hide.

Other birds seen by Andy at the park included three sedge warblers, three reed warblers, two chiffchaffs, lots of whitethroats, little tern, four common terns, ringed plover with four eggs on the Point, 12 avocets, kestrel taking a vole back to its box, two barnacle geese flying west, seven pochard and twenty swallows.

A fox was sitting in the sun beside the park pond and photographed by Andy Field on Tuesday.

A muntjac deer was photographed by Shaun Bater on Tuesday, as it fed in the Golfhouse paddock in East Mersea.

Birds seen by Shaun on a Cudmore circuit included whitethroat, swallow flock over dyke, sparrowhawk, three kestrels, seven pochard, Cetti's warbler, green woodpecker, reed warbler, blackcap, oystercatcher, skylark, shelduck, six linnets, two mute swans, little grebe, little egret, nine avocets, redshank, lapwing, five sand martins, barn owl hunting the Golfhouse end of the park late morning, two greylag geese, stock dove and a cuckoo.

A wheatear along the Strood seawall seemed a bit late in the month to see a bird stopping off here on Monday 29th.

The wheatear was seen feeding along the outer side of the Strood seawall as well as on the path on top.

A male yellow wagtail was singing from a small bush beside the Strood seawall on Monday, two other yellow wagtails were seen too.

A sedge warbler was singing from the borrowdyke reeds and bramble bushes on Monday. Also four reed warblers singing, a corn bunting, whitethroat and two cuckoos chasing each other along the dyke.

A buzzard, four common terns, two Mediterranean gulls, 14 curlew, grey plover were along the channel, while thirty swifts were over the houses and 16 house martins were hunting over Firs Chase.

On Saturday 28th Steve Entwistle was lucky enough to see a white stork and a great white egret fly over his Empress Drive garden. Thanks to Steve's wife, Kate, she alerted Steve to a big bird circling high south-west over the back garden which turned out to be a white stork. Some missing feathers in the feathers suggest this is same bird seen at Abberton reservoir recently. A few minutes later Kate spotted another large bird flying over which turned out to be a great white egret going low west to east.

Earlier on Saturday Steve visited the Strood seawall and saw a pair of gadwall, pair of shoveler, pair of reed buntings, two little egrets, common tern and eight swifts.

A little owl perched on posts alongside a paddock at Maydays farm on Saturday 27th.

A male yellowhammer was seen on a bush at Maydays on Saturday, also a sedge warbler, four reed warblers, four whitethroats, two yellow wagtails, two cuckoos on the Mersea side and another two calling on Langenhoe. A Cetti's warbler was singing at Haycocks farm and also one heard on Langenhoe - where a loud chorus of marsh frogs carried over on the northerly breeze.

A little egret and a grey heron stood on the Maydays seawall on Saturday.

Four marsh harriers and three buzzards were noted. A pair of greylag geese on Reeveshall had three goslings beside them.

A pair of gadwall on the Pyefleet channel was unusual for the spring season, another four birds were seen chasing each other earlier. Three great crested grebes, a common tern, four Mediterranean gulls and ten lapwings were seen mainly on Pewit Island. Three common seals were resting on a saltmarsh at the top end of the Pyefleet at high tide.

HIGH AS A KITE

Two red kites flew north-west over the Firs Chase garden on Friday 27th. The local carrion crows alerting me in time for me to see the kites passing over.

One of the red kites passed quite low before circling up high where it then followed another red kite already really high up and appearing just as a tiny speck in the sky.

 

The local carrion crows chased after the lower red kite, making it climb higher into the sky.

A hobby and a cuckoo were seen from Andy Field's house in High St North on Friday, while a sparrowhawk, buzzard and five swifts were seen over Steve Entwistle's Empress Drive garden.

A boat trip with Stacey Belbin on her Lady Grace boat with Steve Hunting helping the RSPB count breeding birds on the shingle islands revealed four pairs of lesser black-backed gulls nesting for the first time on Packing Marsh Island. Lots of herring gulls nesting on Cobmarsh and Packing Shed, as well as several oystercatchers and a three ringed plover pairs.

Other birds noted included a pair of Egyptian geese and two brent geese on Cobmarsh, three great crested grebes, 10+ common terns fishing, dunlin and 9 ringed plover on Packing Marsh. No little terns seen anywhere.

A barn owl perched nicely for Andy Field to photograph beside the Cudmore Grove pond on Thursday 26th in the morning. It had been hunting the pond meadow before perching on the post to eat something. It's probably nesting in the nearby nest-box in the tree behind the pond - viewable from the bird-hide.

Also seen by Andy at the country park were the female kestrel in its nestbox, lots of whitethroats, six reed warblers, sedge warbler and lesser whitethroat.

The knot was seen again at the Point on Thursday and photographed by Andy Field.

Steve Entwistle visited the Point on Thursday and saw a little tern, sanderling, common tern and also three Sandwich terns passing close to the Point as they flew up-river. A female marsh harrier hunted the Golfhouse dyke, five sand martins also, while a red-legged partridge was in Bromans Lane.

Shaun Bater also visited Cudmore Grove on Thursday morning and noted cuckoo, three pochard and coot with a chick on the park pond, on the dyke were a pair of mute swans, three sand martins, six swallows, mallard and four ducklings and a coot with two chicks, also six avocets on the Golfhouse pools and a large flock of swallows.

A common blue butterfly was feeding beside the East Mersea boating lake car park on Thursday 26th.

On the Rewsalls marshes and side lake were a pair of avocets, three little egrets, whimbrel, pair of shelduck, also a cuckoo heard, buzzard, three whitethroats and eight common terns offshore.

A Cetti's warbler was singing on the north side of Waldegraves, from Cross Lane were three sparrowhawks, six swifts, five house martins along with two blackcaps and two whitethroats singing in the area on Thursday morning.

On Wednesday 25th at Cudmore Grove a lapwing was watching anxiously over a young chick in the long grass in the grazing fields. Another lapwing chick from another pair was being watched over on the saltmarsh pools by the Golfhouse, a slightly older and bigger chick than the one in the fields.

Eight avocets were on the Golfhouse pools including a pair watching going through the prolonged mating ritual, also two redshank present. On the nearby mud by the Point were five sanderling, a knot, 12 ringed plover, ten dunlin, four turnstone, while in the Colne a little tern flew up river and two common terns seen.

A pair of pochard was on the park pond and a pair of tufted duck too but no sign of the greylag goose that had been sitting on a nest. A pair of greylag geese flew east over the park. The kestrel was perched in the tree at the back of the fields, a reed warbler, sedge warbler, two Cetti's warbler were heard but only six sand martins seen.

At Coopers Beach Steve Entwistle on Wednesday watched a mistle thrush taking beak-fulls of worms to a nest in a tree among the caravans. Three avocets flew over Rewsalls marshes and two linnets seen.

Steve Entwistle photographed some of the green-winged orchids still in flower in the Chadwicks garden on the Esplanade on Tuesday 24th. Several common spotted orchids were also in flower too.

A painted lady was seen along the Strood seawall on Tuesday 24th.

Birds noted were cuckoo, five whimbrel, three curlew, house martin, sedge warbler, three reed warblers, four yellow wagtails, buzzard, a sparrowhawk and ten swifts over the houses, also a nightingale heard singing in the distance from the bushes on Ray Island.

Andy Field reported his pair of swifts nesting in the box on the side of his house in High Street North had laid their second egg on Tuesday morning.

A maiden's blush moth was in the Firs Chase moth trap on 25th May.

WARBLERS IN THE REEDS

A reed warbler perched in the reeds beside the Strood seawall on Monday 23rd.

Three reed warblers were heard singing in the reeds, also four sedge warblers in the same area of the dyke beside the Strood seawall. Three yellow wagtails and a corn bunting were seen along the seawall while a whitethroat and lesser whitethroat were heard by the Strood reservoirs. Fifteen swifts and a sparrowhawk were seen over the houses while two cuckoos were heard calling.

Along the Strood channel on Monday morning were three avocets, five whimbrel, two curlew, two common terns and a ringed plover.

A little egret was feeding along a section of the borrowdyke by the Strood seawall on Monday.

A second little egret was feeding on the mud in the Strood channel.

At East Mersea on Monday morning Martin Cock reported seeing at Cudmore Grove a knot, three grey plover, four turnstones, four ringed plover, eight curlew, whimbrel, three Cetti's warblers and two sedge warblers.

On Sunday 22nd a buzzard was mobbed by carrion crows as it flew over the Firs Chase garden, also a cuckoo was heard calling, a Mediterranean gull flew over as did two swifts. A green hairstreak, four holly blues, orange tip and a red admiral were seen in the garden.

A brown hare was photographed by Andy Field near Shop Lane on Saturday, while waiting for the nightingale which didn't sing or show itself. A spotted flycatcher was seen by Andy perched briefly beside Fishponds Wood, a hobby flew over, also a large long-tailed tit flock with lots of youngsters. 

On the seawall from Reeveshall to East Mersea Point Andy noted two or three largish lapwing chicks were on the Reeveshall pool, two buzzards, two male marsh harriers, ten whitethroats, lesser whitethroat, six pochard, three reed warblers, four common terns and a little tern.

The covey of released helmeted guineafowl which used to reside at Bower Hall, has now taken up residence recently beside Haycock Lane at Maydays. These eight were seen on Saturday 21st.

A pair of grey partridge was flushed off the Maydays saltmarsh whilst walking the nearby seawall. 

Also seen along the Maydays and Reeveshall seawalls on Saturday morning were a gadwall, pochard, two cuckoos, three great crested grebes, three lapwings, two grey plover, four whimbrel, two curlew, two common terns, three marsh harriers including a pair doing a food pass to each other over the Pyefleet, four buzzards, two sparrowhawks, two Cetti's warblers, four reed warblers, six whitethroats and nine house martins over the farmhouse.

Four painted ladies were seen on Saturday morning along the Maydays and Reeveshall seawalls.

A painted lady was photographed on Saturday by Michael Thorley in his East Mersea garden near Meeting Lane.

A Cetti's warbler was heard singing at St Peters meadow in West Mersea on Saturday by Steve Entwistle.

On a drizzly Friday 20th a sanderling was watched feeding on the beach at East Mersea Point.

It was a bit of a surprise to see the flock of twenty sanderling feeding high up on the beach at the Point during the low tide. One ringed plover was seen on the nearby mud, six common terns and three great crested grebes were in the Colne.

Seven avocets were on the saltmarsh pools near the East Mersea Golfhouse on Friday. A lapwing, pochard, cuckoo calling, and three little egrets were noted, while a sedge warbler, reed warbler, Cetti's warbler and two whitethroats were heard singing from the park seawall.

Four shelduck were seen from the park seawall on Friday, this bird seen on the Golfhouse pools.

A cream-spot tiger moth was a colourful visitor to the moth trap in the Firs Chase garden on Sunday 22nd.

The first peppered moth of the season also made an appearance.

A couple of light emeralds were noted, other moths included grey pine carpet, garden carpet, brimstone, willow beauty, common swift, sharp-angled peacock, shuttle-shaped dart, mottled pug, common pug, orange footman, coronet, common wainscot, marbled minor and a spectacle.

HUNTING HARRIER

 

A male marsh harrier was seen hunting along the Strood seawall on Thursday 19th.

The marsh harrier appeared to fly in from the south-west direction, then spent a few minutes hunting over the grass field and nearby dyke, before heading off to Ray Island. Earlier a buzzard flew over the fields being mobbed by crows as it passed and a sparrowhawk circled high over the town.

Three cuckoos were noted on Ray Island and another two birds together by the Firs caravan park. Thirty six swifts were flying over the houses and the Strood fields, two yellow wagtails, a singing corn bunting, three sedge warblers, three reed warblers and three reed buntings were also singing along the dyke. 

Along the Strood channel were two avocets, eight curlew, whimbrel, five ringed plovers, four little egrets, three Mediterranean gulls, four common terns, while 30 brent geese were still in the Mersea Quarters. 

A cuckoo was calling in Firs Chase on Thursday afternoon, a red squirrel scuttled through the bushes along the top of the Firs Caravan park.

At East Mersea eight little terns were seen off the Point on Thursday afternoon by Martin Cock, also two Sandwich terns seen flying into the Colne.

On Wednesday 18th Steve Entwistle visited Cudmore Grove and saw a painted lady butterfly, ten azure damselflies, pair of sparrowhawks displaying over the park pond, cuckoo, Cetti's warbler and two blackcaps singing from the hide.

A cuckoo was singing in Martin Cock's garden in The Coverts on Wednesday - the first occurrence for the garden. A cuckoo was also singing as it passed over Firs Chase on Wednesday, where two green hairstreaks, four holly blues, red admiral and an orange-tip were seen in the garden.

A garden warbler spent most of Tuesday 17th being elusive but singing high up in birch trees in Feldy View. It didn't move around much but remained obscured by the foliage. The wind picked up in the afternoon which made it even harder to find. There was no sign of it the next day as expected. 

A pair of yellow wagtails perched in a bush beside the Strood seawall on Tuesday.

Another yellow wagtail was feeding on algae covered mud near the Dabchicks on Tuesday.

A male gadwall is already moulting out of its breeding plumage, seen on the Strood dyke on Tuesday. Other birds noted from the Strood seawall were a pochard, two sedge warblers, four reed warblers, two whitethroats, cuckoo, buzzard, three whimbrel, two common terns and 38 swifts over the houses. Fifteen brent geese were still in the Mersea Quarters and ten turnstone on a boat at high tide.

At East Mersea on Tuesday Steve Entwistle on the seawall near the Point, saw four distant little terns off Colne Point, also closer were three Canada geese, two avocets, greylag goose and a pair of pochard in the dyke. Two cuckoos, great spotted woodpecker and a mistle thrush were seen near the Golfhouse.

Michael Thorley reported seeing in his East Mersea garden broad-bodied chaser egg-laying, speckled wood, holly blue, red admirals and orange-tip butterflies.

An avocet was feeding along the Strood channel with two others on Monday 16th, also six whimbrel, dunlin, redshank, two common terns and two Mediterranean gulls. Two Canada geese flew north-east, gadwall, grey heron, two cuckoos, three reed warblers, three yellow wagtails were also noted while 32 swifts were over the houses.

Four sedge warblers were singing along the Strood borrowdyke, some perched in the open whilst singing.

A pair of yellow wagtails graced Michael Thorley's East Mersea garden near Meeting Lane on Monday.

The yellow wagtails were photographed by Michael, also a red admiral butterfly seen in the garden.

Also in East Mersea on Monday, the nightingale was seen and heard singing by Steve Entwistle in Shop Lane. Others of note included four blackcaps, two chiffchaffs, six swallows, four holly blues, brimstone, orange-tips and a red admiral.

An oystercatcher was seen sitting on a presumed nest in a field below Bower Hall farm on Sunday 15th. Along the Bower Hall seawall were also six whimbrel, four redshank, two shoveler, four yellowhammer, two yellow wagtail and a red-legged partridge.

On Sunday along the Strood seawall a red-legged partridge was near the Strood Hill, 26 swifts over the houses, also ten whimbrel, five ringed plover, cuckoo, four pochard, mute swan pair, lesser whitethroat and two sedge warblers singing.

A brown hare was crouched down with another brown hare near to it, in a field at Maydays farm on Sunday 15th. At Maydays a common sandpiper, two great crested grebes, four redshank, yellow wagtail and five house martins were seen. Along the Reeveshall seawall five marsh harriers, three buzzards and a hobby were noted, also a brent goose, Canada goose, two shoveler, seven little egrets, whimbrel, three lapwing, pair of corn buntings, cuckoo and two common terns.  Four pochard and a Cetti's warbler were near the Oyster Fishery.

A muntjac deer was trying to be discreet as it munched away while tucked into a hedge in the Golfhouse horse paddock on Sunday 15th. A Cetti's warbler and three whitethroats were heard singing towards Ivy Dock.

An eyed hawkmoth was photographed by Michael Thorley after it emerged from its chrysalis in his East Mersea garden near Meeting Lane on Sunday.

A few more moths are gracing the garden moth trap in Firs Chase such as this Silver Y moth on Monday 16th.

A couple of white ermines were noted on 18th.

Broken-barred carpet.

Shears moth.

The Scarce Forest Tubic has been been increasing in recent years.

A second cockchafer was seen in the trap on 18th.