WARDY'S WHEATEAR

Three wheatears were found by John Ward on the seawall near the East Mersea boating lake on Tuesday 3rd - one pictured here by John. Two were also seen in a field near the Bower Hall seawall sluice by Rob Lee on Tuesday, and there was also a wheatear seen along the Strood seawall on Tuesday too.

A flock of 120 black-tailed godwits was in the Strood channel near the Dabchicks sailing club on Tuesday, also in the channel were  21 ringed plovers, greenshank, 150 golden plovers, two Sandwich terns and 32 Mediterranean gulls. 

A curlew was feeding on the mud near the Strood seawall on Tuesday. A marsh harrier was also seen, while near the weedy field were three lesser whitethroats, two whitethroats, two stonechats and 12 linnets.

A peregrine, sparrowhawk and two swifts flew over Martin Cock's West Mersea garden on Tuesday.

Rob Lee reported a possible osprey heading east near Bower Hall on Tuesday morning.

Michael Thorley saw a chiffchaff, willow warbler, two house martins and 30 barn swallows from his East Mersea garden on Tuesday. Later at the Strood 70 black-tailed godwits and a bar-tailed godwit were noted.

On Monday 2nd along the Strood there were two Mediterranean gulls - one yawning here.

Four Sandwich terns were hunting up and down the Strood channel on Monday, also a common tern resting on a pontoon. A little stint flew along the borrowdyke calling as it continued south west, two greenshank and 70 black-tailed godwits were seen. Along the seawall were a whinchat, three stonechats, 15 linnets, two yellow wagtails, lesser whitethroat, two reed warblers, 30 carrion crows, buzzard and fifty swallows.

James Taylor walked the Strood seawall on Monday and reported a hobby, buzzard, redshank, curlew, black-tailed godwit, turnstone, sparrowhawk, kestrel, stonechat, reed warbler and whitethroat.

At Maydays on Monday a kingfisher was seen at the seawall sluice by Jack Hoy.

A swift flew over Martin Cock's house on Monday.

A badger was found dead by the side of the East Mersea road near Blue Row on Monday.

On Sunday 1st along the Strood channel there was a red kite flying slowly north-east over the fields, Sandwich tern, sparrowhawk, 100 black-tailed godwits, two stonechats and ten linnets.

Jack Hoy also saw a red kite that seemed to have come from Mersea, passing over Langenhoe ranges, also a buzzard.

A kingfisher was on its usual perch on the seawall sluice at Maydays farm on Saturday 31st.

The kingfisher remained at the sluice for over an hour watching the water flowing through the sluice for any fish.

Also seen at Maydays were three Sandwich terns, Mediterranean gull, 8 Canada geese, four teal, 30 grey plovers, one knot, two marsh harriers, three house martins and a chiffchaff. Three common seals were on the saltmarsh at the top end of the Pyefleet.

A buck muntjac deer was captured on a trail camera in Michael Thorley's East Mersea garden near Meeting Lane on Saturday. This male showing antlers in velvet.

A different buck muntjac deer seen on Michael's trail camera with its bare antlers. 

On Friday 30th a spotted redshank was found roosting with other waders next to the East Mersea boating lake on Friday 30th. This has become a rare bird on Mersea in recent years - and this is the first time one has been seen on the Rewsalls marshes area.

Other birds seen on the side lake were 230 redshank, 120 turnstones, 21 ringed plovers, 3 common sandpipers, whimbrel, 24 Mediterranean gulls, 8 little grebes, 20 little egrets and two grey herons. Also seen in the area were marsh harrier and four buzzards soaring high, two kestrels, 20 swallows, four house martins, two yellow wagtails, lesser whitethroat, whitethroat and willow warbler.

Earlier on Friday morning a kingfisher was seen by Sarah Thorley at the Rewsalls sluice near the boating lake.

Martin Cock walked the Golfhouse to East Mersea Stone on Friday and reported a Sandwich tern and two common terns, blackcap, willow warbler, Cetti's warbler and three lesser whitethroats.