BEARDED ON SHOW

A male bearded tit perched up in full view for a change in the reedbed along the Strood seawall on Monday 21st.

At least two bearded tits were seen flying across the tops of the reeds, with the male perching long enough for a few pictures to be taken. There have been three birds present for two weeks in this reedbed, although most of the time, only their pinging calls have been heard without showing.

A view of the black moustache markings on the face - not quite a beard as the Bearded Tit name suggests!

Other birds seen along the Strood seawall on Monday included 16 corn buntings, lesser redpoll flying over, 5 stonechats, 25 skylarks, two rock pipits and a marsh harrier. Along the channel were 52 shelduck, 100 wigeon, 200 golden plover, 41 dunlin, 48 black-tailed godwits and a bar-tailed godwit.

Three goldcrests were along the top of the Firs Caravan park while overhead were 130 cormorants heading over to Abberton reservoir.

On Sunday 20th birds of note seen during a brief walk along the Strood seawall at high tide were a marsh harrier, two swallows, 20 skylarks, 25 goldfinches and five bar-tailed godwits.

The very high tide on Saturday 19th surrounded the fisherman's hut by the West Mersea Hard. 

A walk along the Strood seawall revealed 15 avocets, buzzard, 3 swallows, stonechat, 100 linnets and 100 turnstones perched on the boats.

On Friday 17th Andy Field and I carried out the monthly wetland bird survey along the north side of the island between Maydays and Cudmore Grove. The viewing conditions were perfect with plenty of sunshine and light wind, although numbers of birds were generally low. 

A flock of 12 Canada geese was in the Pyefleet, as were 100+ wigeon, great white egret, 55 avocets, 300+ redshank, 200+ lapwing flying over, ten Mediterranean gulls and five snipe. A kingfisher was heard by the Oyster Fishery, two marsh harriers, six buzzards were noted, three stonechats and six rock pipits along the north side of the island. A yellowhammer and two song thrushes were at Maydays, while at Reeveshall a yellow wagtail with a greyish back was only seen briefly to confirm the ID.

At the Cudmore Grove park pond 70 wigeon, gadwall, two shoveler, 12 little egrets and a calling water rail were noted. A pair of stonechat was on the grazing fields, while in the car park there was a siskin with 20 greenfinches, a few chaffinches and goldfinches.

The high tide on Friday covered most of the saltmarsh along the Pyefleet Channel.

A muntjac deer photographed by Andy beside the seawall near Shop Lane on Friday. Three common seals were on the saltmarsh at the top end of the Pyefleet.

Charlie Williams was also counting birds for the monthly WeBS survey on Friday, walking between Maydays, round to West Mersea seafront. Birds of note included a kingfisher, marsh harrier, 8 Mediterranean gulls, 158 turnstones roosting on boats, 36 little egrets, 28 avocets, 28 ringed plover and also two Sandwich terns offshore.

Martin Cock visited Maydays on Friday morning and noted 8 buzzards, 2 marsh harriers, 200 redshank, 60 grey plovers, 25 black-tailed godwits, 40 dunlin, snipe, two grey herons, 30 lapwing and a rock pipit.

A speckled wood butterfly was photographed in Shop Lane by Michael Thorley on Friday.

Always nice to find a Merveille du Jour moth in the garden moth trap in Firs Chase, on 21st.

Several Red-green Carpets have been noted this month.

A Mallow on the 21st.

A few Green-brindled Crescents during mid-month. Migrant moths have included Scarce Bordered Straw, Delicate and Silver Y on the 21st, and a couple of Rusty-dot Pearls on the 19th.