PLOVER FAMILY

A pair of ringed plover was keeping a close eye on at least one chick on the beach near the East Mersea Point on Monday 11th. 

Crouching low on the beach was a tiny ringed plover chick with markings similar to the nearby pebbles. The chick didn't have much safe beach to use during the high tide period. I watched from the nearby seawall path so as not to disturb the birds.

A redshank was looking anxious on the saltmarsh by the Golfhouse pools suggesting there was a chick nearby. Two small chicks had last been spotted in this same area a month previously.

Two common terns were seeing flying in the Colne and a Mediterranean gull was in the small saltmarsh gull roost.

At the park pond seven little egrets perched on bushes, a sedge warbler was singing here and another one singing from the middle of the clubrush thicket in the first grazing field - a new location for one. The top of a barn owl head was glimpsed in the nestbox at the back of the park pond.

At least three bee-wolves were watched carrying their prey back into their burrows in the sand at the East Mersea Point on Monday.

Two kestrels perched on wires over a field on the north side of the country park on Monday.

Nine sand martins perched on wires to the north of the park - another bird was seen by the park cliff.

The sand martins lined up on the wires after having a fly around with 30+ swallows over some horse paddocks.

Pleased to see a female red squirrel at the garden feeder in Firs Chase on Monday. This is the first female seen here for about six months. The teats of the female's chest can usually be seen when the squirrel reaches up into the feeder.

A white-letter hairstreak was feeding on bramble flowers near the old decoy bunker in Shop Lane on Sunday 10th. This individual is missing a corner of its hindwing. Steve Entwistle watched a different individual later which was in better condition.

A couple of buzzards were seen during a walk on Sunday along the path to the west of Shop Lane. Also two green woodpeckers, great spotted woodpecker, singing yellowhammer, whitethroat and 20 swallows.

Two buzzards, marsh harrier on Langenhoe and a lapwing were seen by Steve during his walk to the Shop Lane seawall late Sunday morning.

Andy Field reported on Sunday coming back from his holiday to find a nestbox full of swifts on his High Street North house - at least a couple of chicks inside with parents.

A pair of corn buntings was near the Maydays seawall on Saturday 9th, the male singing from one of the bushes. Also singing along the dyke were a sedge warbler, four reed warblers, whitethroat and a reed bunting. Twenty shelduck, two great crested grebes, 25 curlew, common tern and Mediterranean gull were along the Pyefleet. A marsh harrier was hunting fields at the back of Reeveshall.

One common seal was resting on a pontoon in the Pyefleet and another one rested on the saltmarsh on Saturday.

Steve Entwistle reported two sparrowhawks, kestrel, little grebe, five redshank and a reed bunting during his walk on Saturday from Feldy View down to the Strood seawall.

A hummingbird hawkmoth was seen in the Firs Chase garden briefly on Saturday.

The juvenile cuckoo was seen for the second day running on Friday 8th, as it perched on wires beside the Firs Chase caravan park. It seemed to be watching its dunnock foster parent that was in the wheat crop below it.

After a few minutes the cuckoo flew into the nearby trees, before disappearing.

Along the Strood seawall on Friday were 15 curlew, 50 redshank, two common terns, marsh harrier, kestrel, little grebe, sedge warbler, reed warbler, ten swallows and two yellow wagtails.

Martin Cock reported from Maydays on Friday morning seeing 45 redshank, greenshank, three common terns, yellowhammer, yellow wagtail, buzzard and a grey seal.

A white-letter hairstreak was seen in Shop Lane on Friday by Steve Entwistle.