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.