WEEDY FIELD WHINCHAT

A whinchat was photographed by Andy Field in the "weedy-field" inside the Strood seawall on Friday 29th. The weedy field is a wild flower grassland mix sown by the farmer last winter.

Other birds seen by Andy during his walk along the Strood seawall included two greenshank, 251 golden plover, 100 grey plover, two bar-tailed godwits, 100 black-tailed godwits by the Dabchicks, two Sandwich terns, three common terns, Mediterranean gull, dead mute swan under power lines in the field and two chiffchaffs beside the caravan park.

On Thursday 28th Martin Cock saw two yellow wagtails at the Reeveshall pools, while a marsh harrier, three Sandwich terns and ten meadow pipits were seen from the seawall.

A common tern perched on a marker post in the Strood Channel on Wednesday 27th.

Two Sandwich terns were seen in the Strood Channel on Wednesday, also 4 wigeon, two shelduck, teal, 5 Mediterranean gulls, while raptors seen were a hobby towards Bower Hall, 3 buzzards, 3 kestrels and a sparrowhawk. Twenty meadow pipits, two singing Cetti's warblers, and 20 swallows were noted, also chiffchaff and blackcap near the Firs Caravan park.

At East Mersea Martin Cock reported the first five brent geese of the winter in the Colne on Wednesday, also 15 Sandwich terns, two common terns, 13 wigeon and the leucistic redshank.

Twenty meadow pipits were seen on Tuesday 26th during a walk along the Strood seawall. In the channel were 18 wigeon,100 golden plover, 20 ringed plover, Mediterranean gulls, Sandwich tern and 200 black-tailed godwits near the Dabchicks. A buzzard, 15 linnets and 6 reed buntings also seen.

Along the path at the top of the Firs Caravan park, there were twenty red admirals nectaring at the ivy flowers on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Ivy bees were also seen at the ivy flowers by the Firs Caravan park.

A Fox moth caterpillar was crossing the Strood seawall on Tuesday.

Michael Thorley photographed two pairs of common darters ovipositing in his East Mersea garden pond on Monday 25th.

As well as the two pairs of common darter, an unattached male was also in Michael's garden.

A Lunar Yellow Underwing came to the Firs Chase garden moth trap on 22nd and 23rd September.

The only Delicate moth of the year so far was recorded on the 23rd.

A Clancy's Rustic was recorded on the 22nd September.

Feathered Ranunculus was seen on the 23rd.

A Black Rustic on the 23rd.

The immigrant moth - Gem on the 25th September.

Mallow on the 25th.

L-album Wainscot on the 25th.

Red-green Carpet on the 25th.

STROOD WADERS

A variety of waders was seen along the Strood Channel on Monday 25th, feeding on mud uncovered by the receding morning tide. A lapwing and black-tailed godwit were feeding close to the seawall.

Up to 150 golden plover were seen along the Strood Channel on Monday, also 11 ringed plovers, 8 Mediterranean gulls, common tern, three grey herons and five little grebes. Three hobbies were seen distantly circling high over the Peldon Rose seemingly hawking after insects at times. An hour later a noisy juvenile hobby was seen following an adult hobby flying low over the Strood fields. Unsure if these were the same hobbies that were seen earlier. 

Two sparrowhawks, three buzzards, 30 house martins, singing Cetti's warbler, 20 meadow pipits and twenty linnets were also noted from the Strood seawall.

A speckled wood was enjoying the sunshine on Monday morning in Feldy View. Along the nearby footpath at the top of the Firs Caravan park were over 20 red admirals around the flowering ivy clumps.

On Sunday 24th a lapwing was feeding along the Strood channel, as were 270 golden plover, 200 black-tailed godwits at the Dabchicks, five Mediterranean gulls, five little grebes while two mute swans flew past.

Flying over the Strood fields were 20 swallows, four sand martins, house martin, 50 meadow pipits and twenty linnets seen. A siskin was seen briefly in the trees in Feldy View and a chiffchaff was heard calling.

At Maydays on Sunday Martin Cock saw the locally rare sight of a spotted redshank seen with two greenshank, also there were four Sandwich terns, kingfisher, chiffchaff, Cetti's warbler, a few swallows and four house martins.

At Maydays on Saturday one of two greenshank that were seen briefly in the Maydays creek before it flew off. The highlight was a flock of seven cattle egrets with the herd of cows on Reeveshall before they got disturbed by the farmer as he checked his herd. The cattle egrets flew off northwards and appeared to fly up the Colne.

A small buzzard passage was seen on Saturday with at least ten buzzards flying north-west off the island at Maydays, also a marsh harrier and two sparrowhawks were seen heading in the same direction off the island. Five other buzzards and a second marsh harrier that were also seen appeared to be more resident.

A green sandpiper, bar-tailed godwit, two great crested grebes, two stonechats, three singing Cetti's warblers, 20 meadow pipits, twenty swallows and ten stock doves were also noted during the walk along the Maydays and Reeveshall seawalls on Saturday.

Martin Cock was also walking part of the Reeveshall seawall at the Shop Lane end on Saturday and also saw the cattle egrets before they flew off. Also noted were green sandpiper, sparrowhawk while at the wood were a chiffchaff, blackcap and goldcrest.

At the Rewsalls marshes on Saturday Andy Field reported two common sandpipers and 21 little grebes, also 3 Cetti's warblers, two house martins and a few swallows.

Later on Saturday between the Golfhouse and the Oyster Fishery, nine Sandwich terns, four common terns, forty dunlin, eight knot, bar-tailed godwit, two wheatears, chiffchaff and blackcap with a tit flock were also seen by Andy.

Jonathan Norgate had another successful search by torchlight for Fisher's Estuarine Moth at Cudmore Grove on Friday 22nd night and saw fifteen different individuals - nine of them pictured here. Other moths noted were Delicate, four L-album Wainscots, Lunar Underwing, Rush Veneer, Angle Shades and a Herald.

A Knotgrass caterpillar was photographed by Michael Thorley in his East Mersea garden, found on some thrift plants on Friday 22nd.

Along the Strood seawall on Friday, Martin Cock reported seeing 300 meadow pipits in the fields, whitethroat, lesser whitethroat, yellow wagtail, buzzard, marsh harrier, 14 knot and 150 golden plover.

Richard Allen reported seeing a honey buzzard on Friday morning flying down the Colne towards East Mersea.

Andy Field photographed this wheatear at East Mersea Point on Thursday 21st.

Two of the wheatears photographed by Andy were at the East Mersea Point and a third bird in the Golfhouse paddock. Also seen at Cudmore Grove were 61 avocets, 50 grey plover, 40 black-tailed godwits, 6 bar-tailed godwits, 6 knot, 12 dunlin, common tern, Sandwich tern, 2 Cetti's warblers, 6 blackcaps, lesser whitethroat, 6 meadow pipits and a flyover yellow wagtail.

Three wheatears were photographed with a fourth bird out of shot, by Michael Thorley at the pillbox at the East Mersea Point on Thursday. Two green woodpeckers, four pied wagtails, 8 goldfinches and two moorhens were in the Golfhouse paddock, two avocets, 20 little egrets and five wigeon were on the nearby saltmarsh.

A male common darter was photographed by Michael Thorley in his East Mersea garden on Thursday.

A lesser stag beetle was found by Caroline White as she cleaned out a bedroom cupboard in her West Mersea house on Tuesday 19th.

On Monday 18th at Maydays Martin Cock reported two whinchats, stonechat, six Sandwich terns, two Cetti's warblers and 12 house martins.

HAWKMOTH INFLUX

 

There's been a recent influx of convolvulus hawkmoths onto Mersea with at least five different individuals reported and photographed during the first two weeks of September.

 A large convolvulus hawkmoth was found by Sarah Thorley on Saturday 16th dead in her greenhouse in East Mersea near Meeting Lane.

The convolvulus hawkmoth is a scarce immigrant from the continent, usually in late summer - Sarah's individual here.

The convolvulus hawkmoth is one of the largest moths to occur in the UK with a wingspan of over 10cms. Sarah's one pictured again.

Sam Wilson in Brickhouse Close also had a convolvulus hawkmoth in his garden on 8th Sept, posted on Facebook.

Andy Oliver posted this photo on Facebook of the convolvulus hawkmoth he saw the previous week.

Julie Rolfe Clark photographed a convolvulus hawkmoth seen in her garden on the weekend 2nd / 3rd September, posted on Facebook. Another individual was photographed in Mersea Avenue the same weekend by Ian Black - pictured in the previous blog posting. 

A common carder bee was photographed by Michael Thorley in his East Mersea garden on Saturday 16th.

Later on the Saturday evening a tawny owl was heard calling near Meeting Lane by Michael.

In West Mersea a willow warbler was seen in Feldy View by Martin Cock on Saturday morning.

On Friday 15th Andy Field walked the Cudmore Grove circuit and reported it very quiet, noting a few blackcaps and a dozen house martins over the park pond, two Cetti's warblers and a water rail heard there. Also seen on the walk were four wigeon, three Mediterranean gulls, six Sandwich terns, eight common terns, 60 dunlin, 11 knot, 20 grey plover, 30 black-tailed godwits, 20 ringed plovers, greenshank flying to Brightlingsea, two little owls calling at the back of the grazing fields and a yellow wagtail flying over.

Also on Friday Caroline White saw the kingfisher near the Golfhouse, Cetti's warbler showed nicely in reeds along the dyke, two wigeon on the dyke eight meadow pipits and a few moorhens eating blackberries in the bushes by the park dyke.

Martin Cock on Friday watched the osprey fishing in front of the Oyster Fishery then flying up the Pyefleet channel, also two buzzards, five Sandwich terns, eight common terns and a painted lady butterfly.

This large privet hawkmoth caterpillar was photographed by Caroline Irvine beside Firs Road on Thursday 14th.

At Maydays on Wednesday 13th Martin Cock saw a hobby, red kite passing within ten yards overhead, whitethroat, chiffchaff, Cetti's warbler, yellowhammer in a mixed finch flock and a few meadow pipits too.

On Tuesday 12th Martin Cock walked the seawall near Ivy Farm and reported kingfisher, five bar-tailed godwits, 45 turnstones, 15 golden plover, 20 grey plover, 250 redshank, 12 dunlin, common tern and 80 curlew.

A noisy Cetti's warbler showed well at Maydays to Steve Entwistle on Tuesday.

Jonathan Norgate visited Cudmore Grove just after dark on Sunday 10th armed with his torch and managed to successfully track down three Fisher's Estuarine Moths that were resting on the Hogs Fennel plants. I believe these are the first adult moths seen at the park, although feeding signs of the caterpillars have been seen a few times over the last four or five years since the moth eggs were introduced to the park in 2018 and 2019.

Jonathan also managed to photograph this great green bush cricket at the country park on Sunday, the first record for the island for over 60 years! Hopefully they will recolonise the island.

A possible young tawny owl was seen by Steve Entwistle, as it dropped down onto the road at the north end of Dawes Lane on Sunday night. Possibly its first flight, Steve stopped to check the owl was safe.

On Saturday 9th Andy Field walked the Reeveshall and Shop Lane seawall and saw 100 house martins, 30 Mediterranean gulls, 20 avocets, one Sandwich tern and two common terns in the Pyefleet. Later five Mediterranean gulls were seen in the Strood channel, including a ringed bird.

At Feldy View on Friday 8th, Andy Field reported there was no sign of the redstart - it was last seen on Tuesday 5th. There was a chiffchaff in Feldy View while along the Strood seawall were 200 black-tailed godwits, 20 golden plover, 20 grey plover, three ringed plover, wheatear, five whitethroats, blackcap, two buzzards, sparrowhawk and a clouded yellow butterfly.

A buzzard was seen over Feldy View by Steve Entwistle on Friday.

Martin Cock walked the seawall near Ivy Dock on Friday and reported 150 house martins, Sandwich tern, six common terns, whitethroat, 6 lesser whitethroats, 3 bar-tailed godwits and a very pale clouded yellow.

In Feldy View on Thursday 7th a willow warbler and three chiffchaffs were seen by Martin Cock while Michael Thorley saw a spotted flycatcher in the south-west corner of Feldy View.

A curlew was photographed by Michael Thorley on Wednesday 6th as it fed in the East Mersea Golfhouse paddock.

As well as seeing the curlew, Michael also saw six yellow wagtails around the horses in the Golfhouse paddock, six pied wagtails, green woodpecker, 17 goldfinches, while by the dyke were 20 house martins and swallows.

On Wednesday along the Strood seawall, Martin Cock saw 2 whinchat, 8 knot, sedge warbler, willow warbler, Cetti's warbler, whitethroat, and a grey squirrel covered in mud that had come over the channel from the Ray Island direction.

A grey squirrel was also seen by Martin in his garden in The Coverts, also a male blackcap there.

A Giant House Spider Eratigena atrica was photographed by Michael Thorley in his East Mersea  house on Wednesday night.

REDSTART CONTINUES TO DELIGHT

The redstart continued to delight several viewers in Feldy View on Tuesday 5th, with Jon Ward taking this picture. This immature male has now been present in the area for its fourteenth day.

Another picture by Jon Ward of the redstart in Feldy View on Tuesday.

The redstart seemed to favour the north-west corner of the Feldy View cemetery on Tuesday morning.

Andy Field photographed it as it perched on top of a memorial cross.

Shaun Bater also captured the redstart on top of the wooden cross on Tuesday.

The redstart also perched on a low branches of a rowan tree in Feldy View on Tuesday, another picture by Shaun.

A willow warbler was heard singing in Feldy View.

Along the Strood Channel on Tuesday, Shaun Bater, Jon Ward and I found two juvenile curlew sandpipers feeding on the opposite side. Thanks to Jon and his long lense for these two pictures.

The two curlew sandpipers were present for over an hour before the incoming tide pushed them further up-channel towards the Strood causeway.
Also along the channel were a knot, 2 bar-tailed godwits, whimbrel, 70 golden plover, 30 grey plover, ten Mediterranean gulls, common tern, four little grebes, also 200 black-tailed godwits and a Sandwich tern near the Dabchicks. Three whinchats, two buzzards, three kestrels and a yellow wagtail were over or on the fields.

Earlier on Tuesday morning Andy Field saw the distant osprey perched on a post on the Geedons, seen during his walk along the seawall near Ivy Dock. Also from the seawall near the Point 50 grey plovers, 40 black-tailed godwits, 200 oystercatchers, 30 curlew, 8 dunlin, 6 avocets, ten common terns offshore and a Cetti's warbler by the Golfhouse. At West Mersea as well as the redstart in Feldy View, there was a singing chiffchaff there, also a yellow wagtail over the path near Whittaker Way

The nationally scarce White-spotted Pinion moth was an unexpected find in the garden moth trap in Firs Chase late night on Monday 4th. The only other Island record was in 2015 at Cudmore Grove.

A hummingbird hawkmoth was in the Firs Chase garden on Tuesday morning feeding at the flowers of everlasting peas

On Monday 4th Shaun Bater and I walked the Cudmore Grove circuit in the morning with Caroline White joining us for part of the walk. Two little owls perched along a hedge to the north of the country park entrance, one pictured here. Earlier a single swift was flying about near the East Mersea bus turning circle with 100+ house martins and also 20+ swallows. With all the hirundines about, it wasn't surprising to see a hobby later fly over the park pond, there was a sparrowhawk and a willow warbler north of the park too.

On the park pond a gadwall, six teal and three shoveler were seen while a water rail and Cetti's warbler were heard. A hummingbird hawkmoth was feeding at buddleia near the bird hide.

On the mud behind East Mersea Point seven Sandwich terns were resting - five of them seen here with a snoozing Mediterranean gull. Also from the Point 24 common terns, 4 Mediterranean gulls in total, 8 avocets, 40 linnets, 3 meadow pipits were of interest.

One of the 200 redshank seen from the East Mersea Point on Monday.

A kingfisher flashed low along the Golfhouse dyke and two wigeon were on the Golfhouse pools. Up to eight yellow wagtails were heard during the morning's walk.

Also walking the East Mersea seawall on Monday morning was Martin Cock who reported 17 Sandwich terns off Ivy Dock, kingfisher in the Golfhouse dyke, sand martin, two wigeon and a few lesser whitethroats.

Steve Entwistle and Caroline White visited Rewsalls marshes and side-lake on Monday and noted common sandpiper, ten little grebes and 25 Mediterranean gulls. Later at Reeveshall a green sandpiper and snipe were at the pool, while in the Pyefleet were 14 avocets, five black-tailed godwits and a possible osprey distantly near Fingringhoe.

On Sunday 3rd along the Strood seawall, three whinchats and two buzzards were perched along the hedgerow between the fields, also three yellow wagtails, whitethroat and a sedge warbler seen. Along the channel were three Sandwich terns flying up and down, 26 Mediterranean gulls roosting on the water, four bar-tailed godwits and 120 golden plover on the mud. Three grey herons were circling high over the Strood causeway. Thirty swallows were flying over the fields and nearby caravan park.

At East Mersea on Saturday 2nd, Andy Field found a little stint on the mudflats briefly behind the Golfhouse pools, feeding with a small flock of ringed plovers. It was lost to view and not re-found. Other birds seen were 7 Sandwich terns, little tern, 12 common terns, four bar-tailed godwits, six knot, 20 avocets, 30 black-tailed godwits, 15 yellow wagtails in the paddocks north of the park, 6 lesser whitethroats and 100 swallows at the bus turning circle.

Martin Cock saw two wigeon on the Golfhouse pools on Saturday morning.

On Friday there was a report on eBird of three Artic terns seen by Nigel Arthur at East Mersea, also 6 shoveler, gadwall, 20 ringed plovers, four bar-tailed godwits, 19 black-tailed godwits, 56 dunlin, 8 turnstones, 40 redshank and 18 little egrets.

A Centre-barred sallow was in the moth trap on the night of Sunday 3rd.

A large Convolvulus hawkmoth was found dead sadly by Ian Black in his Mersea Avenue house on Sunday 3rd.