SANDWICH FLOCK

I teamed up with Lea Merclova from the Bird Aware Essex Coast team on Wednesday 4th and walked the Cudmore Grove circuit seeing a nice variety of birds including a flock of 30 Sandwich terns resting on the mud behind the Point. Also on the mud near the Point were 50 avocets, 50 dunlin, a knot and two Mediterranean gulls seen.

A wheatear was at the East Mersea Point on Wednesday, also rock pipit, 30 linnets, while a siskin flew over the Golfhouse and another distant flock flying low west over the fields looked like 30 siskins. Ten pied wagtails and 30 meadow pipits were in the Golfhouse paddock with two swallows flying about. Fifteen wigeon were on the Golfhouse pools.

One of two buzzards seen by the park pond on Wednesday. There was the unusual sight of a curlew sandpiper that circled low over the park pond a few times looking for somewhere to land before flying off, the white rump clearly visible as it flew around. Thirty teal were on the pond, blackcap on rowans and five chiffchaffs heard during the walk. A mistle thrush and a grey squirrel were seen to the north of the park.

Martin Cock walked the seawall between the Golfhouse and the Oyster Fishery on Wednesday morning and saw 29 Sandwich terns, a knot, spotted redshank heard calling, five Cetti's warblers, chiffchaff and a grey squirrel in the Oyster Fishery Lane.

Jon Ward enjoyed seeing the sun-rise over the mud near the East Mersea Point on Wednesday morning and noted during his walk from the Golfhouse -two marsh harriers, singing Cetti's warblers, blackcap, five meadow pipits with a flock of linnets at the Point, four wigeon and two Sandwich terns.

In the early hours of Wednesday a tawny owl was seen flying over the Firs Chase garden as the moth trap was being checked at 1am.

On Tuesday 3rd Andy Field walked the Cudmore Grove circuit and reported a wheatear at the Point, sparrowhawk, buzzard, 250 dunlin, four bar-tailed godwits, 20 knot, 40 grey plover, 20 avocets, ten Sandwich terns and a common tern.

Along the Strood channel on Tuesday were 50 grey plovers - one pictured, and 150 golden plover, bar-tailed godwit, while 100 black-tailed godwits were near the Dabchicks.

Also along the Strood channel on Tuesday were 100+ redshank, greenshank, two Mediterranean gulls, Sandwich tern, 20 teal, 12 wigeon, while two mute swans were on the dyke. Two Cetti's warblers were singing and 30 linnets were in the fields.

Steve Entwistle was at the Victoria Esplanade on Tuesday afternoon and reported seeing three Sandwich terns and ten curlews flying past.

On Monday 2nd Martin Cock walked the seawall near Ivy Dock and saw a lesser whitethroat, four Cetti's warblers singing, ten Sandwich terns and a marsh harrier.

Michael Thorley photographed this red admiral in Cross Lane on Sunday 1st - lots of other red admirals seen here too.

Hornet hoverfly photographed by Michael in Cross Lane.

A honey-bee at ivy flowers in Cross Lane - one honey bee paid its thanks to Michael after being disentangled from a spider's cobweb, by stinging him!

Hornet hoverfly photo by Michael.

Honeysuckle flower photographed by Michael in Cross Lane.

A peacock butterfly was photographed by Michael in his East Mersea garden on Saturday 30th.

A harlequin ladybird with 25 spots was photographed by Michael in his East Mersea garden.

The harlequin ladybird photographed on a wallflower leaf by Michael.

On Saturday afternoon Michael walked the Ivy Dock seawall and saw a common tern, Sandwich tern fishing and an oystercatcher.

At Feldy View on Saturday morning, two lesser redpolls were seen feeding in the birch trees by Steve Entwistle, also ten goldfinches there too.

Martin Cock visited Maydays on Friday 29th and saw a wheatear, two Sandwich terns and three Mediterranean gulls.