POND VISITORS

A few birds were making the most of the Thorley's garden pond in East Mersea during a hot Thursday 29th with this chiffchaff photographed by Michael.

The chiffchaff was photographed by Michael at the edge of his garden pond.

A yellow wagtail was also photographed by Michael having a bathe at his garden pond on Thursday. A skylark was heard nearby too.

From the Shop Lane seawall on Thursday, Martin Cock saw two little stints and a curlew sandpiper briefly on the Pyefleet mud, also 12 avocets, 12 black-tailed godwits, two buzzards, marsh harrier and a sparrowhawk.

Along the Strood seawall on Thursday were two fresh looking painted lady butterflies, also a red admiral seen flying low and direct over the Strood fields on its autumn migration.

A greenshank was seen along the Strood channel on Thursday, also seen were 100 black-tailed godwits, golden plover, Sandwich tern, sparrowhawk, marsh harrier, six buzzards, three kestrels, 3 yellow wagtails, sand martin and twenty swallows.

A whinchat was in the weedy field by the Strood on Thursday, spending some of its time in the nearby hedgeline. Also reed warbler, lesser whitethroat, whitethroat and 12 linnets.

Andy Field and Martin Cock were along the Strood seawall on Wednesday 28th and reported five stonechats, corn bunting, whitethroats, lesser whitethroat, two yellow wagtails, 21 linnets and also 4 willow warblers by the side of the Firs Caravan park.

In East Mersea on Wednesday Steve Entwistle saw ten long-tailed tits and three lesser whitethroats in Meeting lane, while in West Mersea two willow warblers were in his Empress Drive garden.

Michael Thorley heard a yellow wagtail near his East Mersea garden by Meeting Lane on Wednesday.

At Cudmore Grove two wheatears were seen on the beach on Wednesday evening by Caroline White.

On Tuesday 27th a greenshank was feeding along the bottom of the Strood channel at low tide. Five avocets were in the channel, also 42 golden plover, 6 grey plover, 170 black-tailed godwits and two Sandwich terns. Two sparrowhawks and a marsh harrier were seen on the walk.

In the Strood fields on Tuesday were a whinchat, three stonechats, 12 linnets, three whitethroats and a sand martin, while three willow warblers were feeding in Feldy View.

A willow emerald was on an oak bush in the Feldy View cemetery on Thursday - the first sighting for here.

Andy Field reported that the last of his two swift chicks had fledged from the nestbox on the side of his High Street North house on Tuesday afternoon,

A pair of mute swans was on the dyke by the Strood on Monday 26th, the first sighting here since early spring. The pair of little grebes was still busy feeding their two chicks in the dyke.

In the Strood fields were a whinchat, two stonechats, five corn buntings, 12 linnets, two whitethroats, lesser whitethroat, also thee yellow wagtails and two house martins flying over.

In the Strood channel were 230 black-tailed godwits, three Sandwich terns, Mediterranean gull, five grey plover, while in flight were a hobby, two marsh harriers and buzzard. Five willow warblers were feeding in Feldy View.

Martin Cock visited Maydays on Monday and saw two stonechats and a yellow wagtail. 

Mollie Kirk saw a green sandpiper, wheatear, yellowhammer and two lesser whitethroats while walking the seawall near Maydays on Monday.

The first swift chick fledged from the nestbox on Andy Field's house in High Street North on Monday.

A hornet hoverfly was feeding on ivy, along with a second individual, near the Firs Chase caravan park on Monday.

Andy Field found a spotted flycatcher in Feldy View on Sunday 25th, taking these two photographs of it.

The spotted flycatcher didn't stay around for long and was only seen late morning - probably moving on after it had done this spot of preening. A willow warbler tried to get in on the show too, seen in this picture as it fed in the birch trees.

Martin Cock and Steve Entwistle saw a pipit in Feldy View on Sunday which was either meadow pipit or tree pipit but the views were brief, into the sun and the bird didn't call, so ID unconfirmed.

In the Pyefleet Channel at Maydays on Sunday a large flock of Mediterranean gulls were seen for the second day running. Having seen at least 100 on Saturday resting on the mud, there were at least 150 counted on Sunday. There were some black-headed gulls mixed in and as some of them were asleep and others roosting at angles that made ID difficult, the final count could've been higher.

Also noted here on Sunday were a peregrine flying low along the Langenhoe seawall, four buzzards, two marsh harriers, 2 sparrowhawks, six golden plover, stonechat, two house martins and a lesser whitethroat.

On Saturday 24th it began raining late morning and continued for most of the afternoon. Before the soaking whilst at Maydays farm, 100+ Mediterranean gulls were counted on the Pyefleet mud and some on the water too. On Langenhoe a flock of a dozen egrets were seen standing distantly on a line of fence-posts beside a herd of cattle. Presumably these were cattle egrets along the fence, having a break from feeding on the ground while it was drizzling.

Other birds noted at Maydays were 60 grey plover, whimbrel, 90 black-tailed godwits, greenshank, common tern, marsh harrier, willow warbler, stonechat and two reed warblers.

A mallard and her seven ducklings were seen in the Strood borrowdyke on Friday 23rd. A pair of little grebes continued to feed their two young chicks in the same dyke.

In the weedy field beside the central ditch-line were a whinchat, three stonechats, ten linnets, whitethroat and lesser whitethroat. In the Channel were 130 black-tailed godwits, 13 golden plover, seven grey plover, common tern, two Mediterranean gulls, also a buzzard seen while in Feldy View a willow warbler was seen. 

In Firs Chase a willow warbler and a goldcrest were feeding in a birch tree in the garden.

Martin Cock saw two two Sandwich terns along the Strood, also a swift over his house.
 

STROOD SEAWALL

Amongst the birds of interest seen from the Strood seawall on Wednesday were a few curlew feeding nearby as the tide came in. Waders noted were ten curlew, 30 black-tailed godwits, whimbrel, grey plover, 70 redshank and 20 turnstones.

There was a bit of small bird action taking place along the central hedgeline beside the main weedy field. A linnet perched up on one bush- one of a small flock of eight, while a whinchat and two stonechats were also seen feeding along this hedge. The whinchat stayed hidden out of sight for periods before flying onto the field to feed and then going back to the bush.

Whilst watching the birds along the hedgeline a hobby raced low along the hedge towards the back of the fields and headed towards West Mersea. Five minutes later a second hobby flew fast across the same hedge heading south-west in the same direction as the earlier hobby.

A chiffchaff was calling near the Firs Caravan park.

On Wednesday afternoon Steve Entwistle walked the Strood seawall and saw a curlew sandpiper flying along the outer edge of the seawall, flashing its white rump as it went away. In the Strood fields were 20 linnets, corn bunting, goldfinch, two whimbrel, ten black-tailed godwits, swallow, two lapwings, five curlews, 100+ starlings, sparrowhawk and 15 little egrets.

Martin Cock and Andrew Tilsley walked the seawall near Shop Lane on Wednesday and reported seeing a hobby, juvenile marsh harrier and six common terns.

There were half a dozen Migrant hawkers near the Firs Chase caravan park on Wednesday.

A dead little owl was found beside the East Mersea Road by Sarah Thorley, just west of her house on Tuesday 20th.

Along the Strood channel on Tuesday were seen 100 black-tailed godwits, some of them beside the seawall, others near the Dabchicks sailing club. A peregrine circled over the West Mersea Hard before flying over to Salcott Channel. A buzzard and three kestrels were noted from the Strood seawall, also a stonechat and four house martins.

This herring gull was tucking into a flat-fish, presumably a flounder, in the Strood Channel on Tuesday.

A gatekeeper was seen beside the Firs Chase caravan park on Tuesday.

A common blue was seen in Feldy View on Tuesday.

A pair of little grebes was busy feeding their two noisy chicks in the Strood borrowdyke on Monday 19th. Also in the dyke was a mallard with a brood of seven small ducklings. A mute swan was seen flying over Ray Channel.

A male kestrel perched on a bush by the Strood seawall on Monday. Waders noted in the Strood Channel included 100 black-tailed godwits, ten turnstones, two grey plover and two golden plover. A willow warbler was seen in Feldy View.

Near Meeting Lane on Monday Martin Cock saw a willow warbler, chiffchaff and a lesser whitethroat.

On Sunday 18th at East Mersea boating lake there was a nice selection of waders roosting on the side-lake including 110 ringed plovers - some pictured here, also a little ringed plover flew around calling, 220 redshank, 120 turnstones, black-tailed godwit, dunlin, while a common sandpiper flew along the edge of the sea.

Also noted were 14 little egrets, four little grebes, grey heron, four Mediterranean gulls, 100 swallows and ten house martins flying west - as was a hobby passing the Youth Camp. A buzzard and lesser whitethroat were also noted.

At Cudmore Grove twenty little egrets, whitethroat and a calling water rail were reported by Daniel Woollard on Sunday. By the Golfhouse a little tern, two Sandwich terns and six Mediterranean gulls were reported by Ed.

Four willow warblers were seen in Feldy View on Sunday by Steve Entwistle and there was a willow warbler seen in the Firs Chase garden.

FELDY FLYCATCHERS

Jon Ward visited Feldy View cemetery in West Mersea on Saturday 17th and was rewarded with finding a pied flycatcher and a spotted flycatcher - his photographs shown here.

The pied flycatcher was found by Jon on Saturday morning and several local birders managed to see it over the next few hours as it fed in the birch and oak trees. It wasn't seen the following day.

Jon was fortunate to find a spotted flycatcher in Feldy View on Saturday but it soon disappeared after he found it, luckily photographing before it vanished.

Also seen feeding in the trees of Feldy View were up to ten willow warblers and a chiffchaff.

Two sand martins flew past Feldy View on Saturday, also 100 black-tailed godwits roosting by the Strood Channel.

A swift was seen over West Mersea on Saturday evening.

A herring gull on Packing Shed Island was seen with symptoms of bird flu - unable to fly while flapping its wings. Fortunately there haven't been many or any cases locally of bird flu this summer, compared with the previous couple of years. The bird was spotted while taking down the rope and signs from the island and Cobmarsh Island that were put up with the RSPB in the spring to protect nesting birds.

Birds seen in the Mersea Quarters on Friday were 20 ringed plover, 30 curlew, 20 turnstones, Sandwich tern, two little egrets and a buzzard - and lots of gulls too.

Near Meeting Lane in East Mersea on Friday, Martin Cock reported seeing three willow warblers, chiffchaff, lesser whitethroat and two blackcaps.

On Thursday 15th a kingfisher was seen near the East Mersea boating lake by Steve Entwistle. The bird flew over the side lake towards the reed-filled pond at the rear - the first kingfisher sighting on the island since the winter.

A buzzard flew past Feldy View on Thursday, also a 100 black-tailed godwits, mute swan, Mediterranean gull seen by the Strood during high tide.

A lapwing was feeding close to the Strood seawall on Wednesday 14th, also grey plover, 50 black-tailed godwits, grey heron, while by Feldy View were a sparrowhawk and willow warbler. A willow warbler was also in the Firs Chase garden.

Male ruddy darter near Feldy View on Wednesday.

Crab spider waiting to pounce on a passing pollinator on a knapweed flower in Feldy View.

At the East Mersea boating lake on Wednesday, Martin Cock reported 200 redshank, two greenshank, common sandpiper, ten turnstones, two whimbrel on beach and 20 little egrets.

Michael Thorley watched a juvenile green woodpecker in his East Mersea garden on Wednesday, while in West Mersea Steve Entwistle saw a willow warbler and six long-tailed tits in his garden.

Michael Thorley photographed a willow warbler at his garden pond in East Mersea near Meeting Lane on Tuesday 13th.

The willow warbler enjoyed visiting Michael's pond.

The willow warbler enjoying a cool bathe in the hot weather.

The willow warbler having a bathe and preen in Michael's pond. An immature yellow wagtail was also seen in his garden.

Male ruddy darter photographed by Michael in his garden.

Pair of common darters ovipositing in Michael's pond.

Also in East Mersea Steve Entwistle saw three willow warblers in Meeting Lane and another in Shop Lane. Jack Hoy saw two wheatears near the East Mersea Youth Camp on Tuesday.

More willow warblers were seen on Tuesday at West Mersea with four seen in Feldy View by Andy Field and there were also three in the Firs Chase garden too.

Along the Strood seawall Andy noted two willow warblers, two sedge warblers, two reed warblers, whitethroat, lesser whitethroat, two stonechats, reed buntings, 20 linnets, 60 golden plover and 50 black-tailed godwits.

Later on Tuesday morning two swifts were seen over the houses, yellow wagtail flew over the Strood seawall, 100 black-tailed godwits, Mediterranean gull and two kestrels were noted.

Andy Field photographed this young sparrowhawk chasing another young sparrowhawk around his West Mersea garden on Monday 12th.

Two willow warblers were in Feldy View and another in the Firs Chase garden on Monday. In a brief visit to the Strood a swift, house martin, grey plover, 100 black-tailed godwits, common tern and a whitethroat were seen.

On Sunday 11th there were five willow warblers and a whitethroat in Feldy View, while by the Strood were a grey plover, 100 black-tailed godwits, 100 redshank, sparrowhawk, buzzard and 30 swallows.

On Saturday 10th Andy Field photographed this southern migrant hawker, one of ten seen near Shop Lane in East Mersea.

Male ruddy darter photographed in East Mersea by Andy on Saturday.

Common blue butterfly photographed in East Mersea by Andy on Saturday.

Birds noted by Andy near the Golfhouse on Saturday were 100 common terns, Sandwich tern, 16 Mediterranean gulls, 200 black-tailed godwits and a willow emerald damselfly.

Martin Cock walked the Golfhouse to Ivy Dock seawall on Saturday and saw willow warbler, sedge warbler, 2 yellow wagtails, 400 black-tailed godwits, knot, grey plover, 12 common terns, buzzard and two marsh harriers.

Daniel Woollard near Cudmore Grove on Saturday evening saw 100 turnstones, 10 golden plover, 32 grey plover, 20 dunlin, 119 curlew, whimbrel, 28 common terns and a great crested grebe.

At Maydays farm on Saturday ten little egrets were noted, this one feeding in Maydays creek. Also noted along the Pyefleet were 42 grey plover, greenshank, 15 Mediterranean gulls, common tern, two golden plover and ringed plover. A marsh harrier, buzzard, four sand martins, willow warbler and four yellow wagtails were also noted.

An emperor dragonfly rested by the Maydays seawall on Saturday.

WARBLER AND TIT FLOCK

Four willow warblers were feeding in a tit flock beside the path near the East Mersea Golfhouse on Friday 9th. Also in the bushes by the path were two lesser whitethroats, two whitethroats and a flock of 20 goldfinches.

There was an impressive roost of terns on the mud behind the East Mersea Point on Friday with 200 common terns, three little terns and two Sandwich terns noted. Half of the common tern flock had already gathered on the mud when three little terns dropped in. Two of the birds are just about visible in the middle of this picture, snapped through the heat haze and at a distance. These are the first little terns seen at East Mersea this year. Another flock of common terns arrived with two Sandwich terns and ten Mediterranean gulls and dropped down onto the mud.

Waders were being pushed closer to the shore as the tide came in with 210 black-tailed godwits, four bar-tailed godwits, 100 redshank including the leucistic bird, eight ringed plover, two grey plover, and two dunlin. 

Two little grebe chicks were in the Golfhouse dyke, a sparrowhawk flew over the nearby saltmarsh, ten little egrets, two sand martins, 20 swallows and ten linnets were also noted.

At West Mersea three swifts were seen by Martin Cock flying over his garden - the first for a few days.

The flock of black-tailed godwits near the Dabchicks sailing club continues to build up with 200 birds noted on Thursday 8th. Also on the mud were three grey plover, three golden plover, five turnstone and ten Mediterranean gulls, while from the Strood seawall were a stonechat, two whitethroats and a buzzard. Four willow warblers were in the trees at Feldy View and another two in the Firs Chase garden.

Andy Field also visited Feldy View earlier on Thursday and saw a hobby and 4 willow warblers, while two reed warblers, two willow warblers and a chiffchaff were at the nearby Flycatcher corner. From the Strood seawall were 130 black-tailed godwits, four grey plovers, four golden plover, 2-3 stonechats and three brown hares in the grass field.

Jon Ward photographed this wasp spider on the Strood seawall on Thursday.

A brown argus along the Strood seawall photographed by Jon on Thursday.

Common Blue butterfly along the Strood seawall on Thursday photographed by Jon Ward.

At Maydays farm on Wednesday 7th, Martin Cock reported five common sandpipers, seven grey plover, whimbrel, 80+ redshank, buzzard and ten Mediterranean gulls.

Steve Entwistle visited Feldy View on Wednesday morning and noted nine goldfinches, green woodpecker, great spotted woodpecker, eight swallows and at least two willow warblers.

Daniel Woollard had a productive scan of the mud from the cliff meadow beside Cudmore Grove on Wednesday evening, reporting a great white egret, six little egrets, nine grey plover, 201 golden plover, 42 dunlin, 90 oystercatchers, 149 curlew, two whimbrel, 200 redshank, 52 turnstones, two ringed plover, four sanderling, two black-tailed godwit, 37 Mediterranean gulls, 140 common terns and a great crested grebe.

A willow warbler was in the Firs Chase garden on Wednesday afternoon.

A skylark was feeding on the Strood seawall path on Tuesday 6th. Also noted in the area were two stonechats, two whitethroats, yellow wagtail, ten linnets, three kestrels and a Cetti's warbler. In the channel were 30 black-tailed godwits, common tern, grey plover and two shelduck. Two willow warblers, blackcap, lesser whitethroat and two whitethroats were down the side of the Firs Caravan park and a swift was over Feldy View.

A male kestrel perched on this pole by the Strood seawall on Monday 5th, while a peregrine was watched a short while earlier flying low along the edge of the Ray saltings flushing any waders and gulls roosting there. Along the Strood were 60 black-tailed godwits, greenshank, grey plover, while in the reedbed were two sedge warblers, three reed warblers and a willow warbler. Two willow warblers were by the Firs Caravan park and another one in the Firs Chase garden.

This Jersey Tiger moth was photographed by Rob Lee in his Barrow Hill garden on Monday - only the second record of the island so far after the first one last summer.

On Sunday 4th Andy Field visited Cudmore Grove and reported 80 common terns, 30 Mediterranean gulls, common gull, 80 black-tailed godwits, four golden plovers, two grey plovers, whimbrel, two Egyptian geese, 30 swallows and twenty sand martins.

In East Mersea Martin Cock visited Shop Lane on Sunday and saw two willow warblers, two marsh harriers, buzzard and the lone brent goose now dead on the saltmarsh.

In a brief circuit of Feldy View and Dabchicks on Sunday six swifts were over the houses, fifty black-tailed godwits, common tern, sedge warbler, reed warbler lesser whitethroat and two whitethroats were noted.

Steve Entwistle saw a party of five whitethroats, greenfinch and lesser whitethroat in Feldy View on Sunday morning, later at Cudmore Grove the mute swan with two cygnets and a green woodpecker.

Michael Thorley on Sunday afternoon saw two whitethroats, goldfinch, 18 black-tailed godwits and two curlew along the Strood. Michael has had a badger visiting his East Mersea garden to feed on windfall plums.