MID JUNE HIGHLIGHTS

A chiffchaff was photographed by Andy Field in the Shop Lane area on Saturday 24th June. Also a yellow wagtail, a few whitethroats and a very distant osprey seen through the heat haze as it perched on a post on the Geedon Marshes.

Andy also photographed this meadow brown butterfly - one of hundreds seen in the Shop Lane area.

An Essex Skipper also photographed by Andy.

 Essex Skipper another shot by Andy.

A lesser stag beetle was seen by Caroline White in her West Mersea garden.

On Friday 23rd a barn owl was seen asleep in the kestrel nestbox at Cudmore Grove by Martin Cock.

A newly emerged Southern Migrant Hawker was photographed by Andy in his West Mersea garden on Tuesday 22nd.

A big Horsefly / Cleg was seen by Andy in his kitchen on Wednesday 23rd. 

A hobby was seen by Andy flying over the High St North and Whittaker Way area on Thursday 22nd.

A female broad-bodied chaser was photographed by Michael Thorley at his pond in his East Mersea garden on Thursday.

A blue-tailed damselfly made a brief appearance at Michael's East Mersea garden pond

A chiffchaff was heard singing in Michael's garden on Thursday.

A cinnabar moth caterpillar was seen by Caroline White at Cudmore Grove on Tuesday 20th.

A cuckoo was heard calling early on Tuesday morning in the Empress Drive area by Steve Entwistle and the previous day it was calling a lot in Empress Avenue.

A barn owl was seen having a rest in the kestrel nestbox at Cudmore Grove on Monday 19th, photographed by Andy Field.

A young ringed plover chick on the mud near the East Mersea Point photographed by Andy.

A nest with three oystercatcher eggs in it was found by Andy at East Mersea Point.

A Green-eyed Flower Bee along with a Parasitoid Wasp were also seen at the Point by Andy.

Two young swallows photographed by Andy on the seawall sluice at Cudmore Grove.

A red squirrel at Cudmore Grove photographed by Andy on Monday.

A weevil Liparus coronatus was photographed by Andy at Cudmore Grove.

A male sparrowhawk was photographed by Andy Field having its lunch in his West Mersea garden on Sunday 18th. A probable tawny owl flew over his High St North garden late on Friday night.

A little owl was seen by Steve Entwistle on Friday 16th sitting on a fence in the middle of the day, north-west of Dawes Lane.

On Wednesday 14th a red kite was seen by Steve flying over Seaview Avenue heading towards the Strood.

Near East Mersea Point on Tuesday 13th, a pair of ringed plovers and two chicks were on the beach near the seawall corner, seen by Caroline White.