ROOF-TOP BLACK RED

A black redstart was a nice find for Jon Ward in East Mersea on Thursday 17th, pictured here by Jon when it perched on a house roof near the bus-turning circle. The bird was quite mobile mid-afternoon and was later seen in a nearby horse paddock. 

A little owl was seen at Cudmore Grove on Thursday afternoon by Daniel Woollard.

An distant osprey was seen on Thursday perched in a hedge at the back of the Strood fields. After being mobbed by a few magpies, it flew over to the fishing lakes at the Strood, passing over the queuing cars that were waiting for the high tide to drop. The osprey perched briefly in a tree by the lakes for a few minutes before heading off to the north.

The high tide on Thursday covered all the saltmarshes, including the one below the Strood Hill. Birds noted in the channel were 100 wigeon, 15 avocets, 30 black-tailed godwits, two bar-tailed godwits, 20 Mediterranean gulls and 15 little egrets on Ray Island.

At least two bearded tits were heard pinging from the main reedbed along the Strood seawall but not seen on Thursday. A male yellowhammer was an unusual sight for the central ditch, also three stonechats, 50 linnets, 20 meadow pipits, 20 skylarks, three rock pipits, 20 swallows, three buzzards and two Cetti's warblers.

Early evening on Thursday a short-eared owl was seen by Steve Entwistle from the Strood layby, flying near the Strood seawall.

There was a good number of waders roosting at high tide near the East Mersea boating lake at Rewsalls on Wednesday 16th. The main flocks included this one of 85 ringed plovers on an island, 195 redshank, 190 turnstone, 145 curlew, ten dunlin and a common sandpiper, also 28 little egrets, 27 little grebes, grey heron and ten Mediterranean gulls. Also noted in the area were a buzzard, 15 skylarks, rock pipit, Cetti's warbler and also a stonechat in a field west of the Youth Camp.

A blackbird was stripping berries from a rowan tree in Feldy View on Tuesday 15th. Eleven redwing and two brambling were seen flying south-west, also three corn buntings and eight swallows over while 16 pied wagtails feeding in Feldy View was a notable count.

A pair of stonechat was along the Strood seawall on Tuesday, also a chiffchaff, Cetti's warbler, three corn buntings, 30 linnets, rock pipit, snipe and five Mediterranean gulls.

At Cudmore Grove a female stonechat by the dell near the car park was photographed by Andy Field on Tuesday. Also a firecrest was found near the park entrance by Andy, a second stonechat at the park, 12 meadow pipits, six redwings over and three Cetti's warblers.

Simon Patient visiting Cudmore reported a chiffchaff, several redwing over, ten chaffinches and a grey squirrel at the park entrance on Tuesday.

On Monday 14th birds noted along the Strood during a high tide walk were 36 Canada geese flying down Ray channel, five bar-tailed godwits, ten Mediterranean gulls, two sparrowhawks, marsh harrier, two stonechats, fifty linnets, rock pipit and a Cetti's warbler.

A red line of marsh samphire adds an interesting line in the saltmarsh by the Strood - the red line being along a regular path worn path. The bare mud subsequently being colonised by the samphire.

On Sunday along the Strood channel on Sunday there were 95 wigeon, 40 teal, 100 golden plover, 25 ringed plover, bar-tailed godwit, sparrowhawk, five buzzards, swallow, four stonechats, fifty linnets and two corn buntings. 

On Saturday 12th birds noted at Maydays included great white egret, great crested grebe, 35 avocets, forty grey plover, 20 dunlin, five Mediterranean gulls, two marsh harriers, five swallows, four stonechats, two rock pipits and ten meadow pipits.

Andy Field at Cudmore Grove on Saturday morning reported two goldcrests and a stonechat, while Charlie Coltman saw either the same goldcrests or two different ones by the play area.

At the side of Firs Chase caravan park, Steve Entwistle saw on Saturday, two chiffchaffs, ten chaffinches, three greenfinches, great spotted woodpecker and also 11 little grebes in the Strood channel.

On Friday 11th Simon Patient visited Cudmore Grove and reported two goldcrests, pale phase buzzard in off the sea from Colne Point heading west, 15 meadow pipits heading west, also 20 red admirals flying west, later six buzzards spiralling up and over the park having just arrived from Colne Point also two red kites too.

At Little Paddock in East Mersea Michael Thorley saw male sparrowhawk, three red admirals and a peacock in his garden on Friday, while earlier at the East Mersea Point were 42 wigeon and two avocets. 

On Thursday 10th the bearded tits were proving elusive along the Strood seawall to some of the local birders. There were fleeting glimpses in the morning of at least two birds but they didn't perch up for any views. A squealing water rail was heard from the main reedbed which was of note.

Along the Strood channel were 14 shelduck, 70 wigeon, 50 teal, 400 golden plover, bar-tailed godwit, four greenshank, two marsh harriers, two buzzards, 30 skylarks, four chiffchaffs, three stonechats, 100 linnets and ten meadow pipits.

A common seal was eating a fish in the Strood channel on Thursday - an unusual sight this far up the channel.

Steve Entwistle saw two Sandwich terns and four Mediterranean gulls offshore from the Esplanade on Thursday, also a distant peregrine perched on the Bradwell power station roof.

A wheatear was photographed by Michael Thorley at Coopers Beach on Thursday.

The wheatear allowed Michael to approach quite close to it with his camera.

A colourful Aurora borealis pictured by Jon Ward from East Mersea Point mid-evening on Thursday 10th.

A colourful night sky looking over Dawes Lane, photographed by Caroline White on Thursday mid-evening.

A rusty-dot pearl moth was noted at the Firs Chase garden moth trap on 15th.

This leaf beetle Chrysolina banksi with a dusty-looking back was also at the garden moth trap on the 15th.