FELDY VIEW KITE

A red kite glided slowly east over Feldy View before turning north to the Strood channel on Thursday 24th. Also flying over Feldy View was the first swift this spring on the island, the bird flying north east.

Along the Strood dyke on Thursday were three singing sedge warblers, also two singing reed warblers, and a whitethroat. Eight swallows were seen flying about during the walk.

The male stonechat was also by the Strood dyke, as was the female nearby.

In the channel were a great crested grebe, three brent geese, two whimbrel and two common terns.

At Maydays farm on Thursday, a cuckoo, two buzzards, marsh harrier and two Chinese Water Deer together were seen by Martin Cock.

A kestrel perched high up on top of the tall crane in Firs Chase on Wednesday 23rd, where it would have got a great view looking down on the building site below!

A peregrine was seen flying low over the Dabchicks as it headed north-east over the Firs Chase caravan park. Two swallows were by the Dabchicks while among the boats were five common terns and three whimbrel in the Strood channel. Along the seawall were the pair of stonechat, whitethroat, three singing sedge warblers and two singing reed warblers.

A song thrush was seen in Firs Chase.

Martin Cock walked the Cudmore Grove circuit on Wednesday and reported three bar-tailed godwits at the Point, three sedge warblers, four reed warblers, lesser whitethroat, as well as whitethroats, blackcaps and chiffchaffs, while two sand martins seen by the cliff.

 

A male marsh harrier flew over the Strood fields as it headed south-west off the island on Tuesday 22nd. Five buzzards were also noted during a walk to the seawall. A pair of raven was seen circling by the Dabchicks sailing club as they drifted north-east early afternoon.

A summer plumaged bar-tailed godwit was feeding in the Strood channel on Tuesday, as was a summer plumaged black-tailed godwit.

Ten whimbrel were along the Strood on Tuesday, also 15 redshank, avocet, curlew, lapwing, two common terns, Canada goose flying down channel, ten brent geese, mute swan in the dyke and eight Mediterranean gulls flying over.

A linnet was in a bush by the Strood dyke on Tuesday, also a water rail heard calling, five singing sedge warblers, four singing reed warblers, three whitethroats, pair of stonechats and six reed buntings.

Four swallows and a house martin were seen by the Dabchicks, while two nightingales were heard singing on Ray Island.

A cuckoo was heard calling at Cudmore Grove Country Park by Daniel Woollard early on Tuesday morning while some house martins were seen by Jack Hoy at Maydays.

Six whimbrel were seen feeding on the mud in the Strood Channel on Sunday 20th. Other birds there were a greenshank, two black-tailed godwits, two curlew, two common terns, six Mediterranean gulls.

A whitethroat was singing on the bush beside the Strood seawall on Sunday, also singing were three Cetti's warblers, eight sedge warblers, five reed warblers. Five swallows were seen by the Dabchicks while a nightingale could be heard singing from Ray Island.

A red kite glided west over the garden in Firs Chase on Sunday early afternoon.

A red squirrel paused briefly in a tree in the Firs Chase garden, before heading to a neighbour's garden on Saturday 19th.

Along the Strood seawall on Saturday, the sandy-coloured leucistic merlin was seen perched on a bush at the back of the fields, before it flew away. Other birds of interest included two whimbrel, two black-tailed godwits, seven turnstones, two common terns, buzzard, sedge warbler, reed warbler and a stonechat.

From East Mersea the osprey was seen by Andy Field as it sat on a post on the Geedon saltmarsh eating a fish. Birds noted at Cudmore Grove were ten whitethroats, lesser whitethroat, whimbrel, three marsh harriers, buzzard and 4 - 5 Cetti's warblers.

At Maydays farm on Saturday evening, Steve Entwistle saw reed warbler, whitethroat, Cetti's warbler and a female marsh harrier.

On Friday 18th a garden warbler was found at Cudmore Grove by Mollie Kirk, near the pond initially before flying to Bromans Lane. Also noted there were reed warbler, lesser whitethroat towards the Oyster Fishery, yellow wagtail flew over the grazing fields.

Along the Strood seawall on Friday were two common terns, brent goose, four Mediterranean gulls, buzzard, two swallows, two Cetti's warblers and a sedge warbler. In the Firs Chase garden there were song thrush, blackcap and chiffchaff singing.

A Lime Hawkmoth was a nice surprise in the moth trap in Firs Chase on 22nd.

Lunar Marbled Brown on 26th.

Bright-line Brown-eye was noted on the 20th.

HUNTER-HOVERER

The regular male kestrel was hunting along the Strood seawall on Thursday 17th.

Hovering low over the long grass by the seawall, the kestrel then dropped down but failed to catch anything. Other birds of prey seen during the walk included a peregrine and red kite over the fields, four buzzards and a sparrowhawk over the Firs Chase caravan park.

Two black-tailed godwits in summer plumage were feeding along the Strood channel on Thursday, also four whimbrel, two common terns, six Mediterranean gulls and five brent geese.

Alongside the seawall were four singing sedge warblers, three singing reed warblers, three singing whitethroats, pair of stonechats and two swallows.

The first small copper of the year was fluttering low over Feldy View, then rested low in the grass on Thursday. Later a second one was seen along the Strood seawall. Also an orange-tip, speckled wood and brimstone seen.

At Maydays farm a short-eared owl was seen by Steve Entwistle hunting over the saltings early Thursday evening and a Cetti's warbler sang three times by the Maydays dyke.

Adrian Amos was pleasantly surprised with the sight of a barn owl over the fields by the East Road allotments during the morning of Thursday 17th. Later a brimstone butterfly was seen in his East Road garden.

On Wednesday 16th an osprey was seen over the Pyefleet by Jonathan Norgate. Early afternoon it was seen through the heat haze perched on a post on the Geedons marsh by Martin Cock from Shop Lane and Steve Entwistle at Maydays, where a pair of marsh harriers and a buzzard were seen.

Martin walked the footpath between Shop Lane and Meeting Lane in East Mersea on Wednesday and noted lesser whitethroat, whitethroat, blackcap, barn owl hunting and two red-legged partridges. 

Four sedge warblers were heard singing noisily along the Strood dyke on Wednesday, also one reed warbler, two whitethroats and a corn bunting singing too. A stonechat was by the dyke and a lesser whitethroat was singing in Feldy View.

A water rail squealed from the Strood dyke on Wednesday, also seen were ten teal, four whimbrel, marsh harrier, three brent geese and three swallows.

A buck muntjac deer was strolling across the Firs Chase caravan park late morning on Tuesday 15th.

Along the Strood seawall on Tuesday, this female yellow wagtail was seen on the saltmarsh. A corn bunting was singing, also two sedge warblers, reed warbler and whitethroat were also singing. The pair of stonechat, six linnets and four swallows noted too.

A pair of shoveler was on the flight pond by the Strood seawall on Tuesday (male pictured with a black-headed gull), also noted were four brent geese, four shelduck, two whimbrel, common tern, two Mediterranean gulls, three marsh harriers and two buzzards.

The local male kestrel perched on one of the butts by the flight pond in the Strood fields on Tuesday.

At Maydays farm on Tuesday, two reed warblers were heard singing by Martin Cock on Tuesday.

A female redstart was photographed by Ed Bateman at Cudmore Grove on Monday 14th, after being first found in the morning by Andy Field.

The redstart was seen throughout the day mainly frequenting the birch plantation near the park workshop. Another of Ed's pictures of the bird.

The barn owl was photographed by Andy Field by the park pond perched in the sunshine on Monday morning. Other birds noted during his walk of the circuit were Cetti's warbler, water rail, 6 chiffchaffs, 6 blackcaps, two whitethroats, reed warbler, wheatear in grazing field, five whimbrel and two avocets.

A yellow wagtail was seen by Mollie Kirk in the Golfhouse paddock on Monday and also two singing whitethroats along the seawall towards the Oyster Fishery.

Michael Thorley also heard two whitethroats singing by Ivy Farm dyke and two avocets on the Golf House pools in the morning.

A cuckoo was heard by the Strood Hill on Monday morning by Rob Lee, later a buzzard with a slow-worm/snake seen in its talons as it flew over Barrow Hill.

Four sedge warblers were singing along the Strood dyke on Monday, also noted were two water rails squealing in duet to each other near the central ditch area. Other birds of interest were stonechat, swallow, two Mediterranean gulls, marsh harrier, three buzzards, sparrowhawk, brent goose and four turnstones by the Hard.

A common lizard was resting on a wooden memorial plaque in Feldy View on Monday.

A badger was caught on a trail camera at Cudmore Grove by Mollie Kirk in recent days (not the camera date!)

Two fox cubs also caught on a trail camera at the country park in recent days by Mollie.

A muntjac deer also caught on the trail camera at the park in recent days set by Mollie.

A fresh-looking speckled wood butterfly seen at Maydays farm on Sunday 13th.

Birds noted from the Maydays seawall included three common terns flying along the Pyefleet with two bar-tailed godwits, six golden plover, six Mediterranean gulls, four marsh harriers, six buzzards, two singing sedge warblers, lesser whitethroat singing, stonechat, yellowhammer, three Cetti's warblers, also an adder on the seawall and two common seals up channel on the saltmarsh.

In addition Martin Cock saw a yellow wagtail and two whitethroats at Maydays.

On Saturday 12th at Maydays farm, Steve Entwistle photographed one of the three singing sedge warblers along the dyke. A short-eared owl was seen by Steve at Maydays being mobbed by a merlin, then a barn owl flew close by him on the seawall. A cuckoo was heard calling from the Reeveshall marshes area.

A male yellowhammer photographed by Steve at Maydays on Saturday - two were seen in total, also two corn buntings there as well.

Earlier on Saturday morning Martin Cock reported hearing the cuckoo, six lapwing, two marsh harriers, three sedge warblers, two whitethroats, six Cetti's warblers and two stonechats.

Daniel Woollard at the country park reported a great white egret flying over the cliff meadow on Saturday and then the barn owl flew out of its box by the park pond mid evening.

A song thrush was seen in the Firs Chase garden on Saturday 12th.

The song thrush has been a frequent visitor to the Firs Chase garden this spring and has been heard singing regularly from various gardens nearby.

SWALLOW SUMMER

Swallows have been trickling slowly back to the Island with this one seen perched on the Dabchicks Sailing Club on Friday 11th. Four had been seen flying around this area a couple of days before.

Birds of note seen during a visit to the Strood seawall on Friday included marsh harrier, buzzard, two kestrels and two sparrowhawks, also the pair of stonechats.

Shaun Bater walked the Cudmore Grove circuit on Friday and noted four swallows on the back fields, Cetti's warbler, chiffchaff, blackcap, water rail heard, two greylag geese, two whitethroat near seawall, six lapwing, 20 curlew, 4 shelduck, 30 brent geese, linnet, stonechat, 2 reed buntings, 2 distant marsh harriers, 2 red-breasted mergansers, 2 avocets on the Golfhouse pools, several Mediterranean gulls heard, mute swan pair on the dyke.

Late Friday afternoon at Cudmore Grove Steve Entwistle reported a whimbrel, whitethroat, sand martin, swallow, 558 black-tailed godwits on the nearby mud, also a barn owl flew into the nestbox and a second bird came from the play area direction.

Michael Thorley reported a blackcap singing at Ivy Farm.

Martin Cock walked the path between Shop Lane and Meeting Lane on Friday morning and noted 10 chiffchaffs, 6 singing male blackcaps, two Cetti's warblers, buzzard, swallow and three brimstone butterflies.

An avocet was one of the few waders of note along the Strood channel on Thursday 10th. Two black-tailed godwits were also of note among the redshank, oystercatchers and a few curlew.

Wildfowl interest were 2 Canada geese, 2 greylag geese, 20 brent geese and 23 teal, also a coot in the dyke. 

The distinctive song of the nightingale carried in the breeze across the Strood channel from the bushes on Ray Island, helped by the northerly wind. A swallow flew over the saltmarsh, also a marsh harrier, buzzard, sparrowhawk, two Mediterranean gulls, stonechat, three singing Cetti's warblers and a song thrush in Firs Chase.

At Cudmore Grove on Thursday, Andy Field saw a ringtail hen harrier fly over the grazing fields, also whitethroat, sedge warbler along the dyke and 2 sand martins.

In the morning at the park Steve Entwistle saw three swallows, 2 blackcaps, four chiffchaffs and two singing Cetti's warblers. Off the park were 300 black-tailed godwits early evening. In the evening a woodcock flew behind the car park along the play area, also a barn owl flying near the play area, then both barn owls sitting in a tree close to the box, before both disappeared inside the box just before 8pm.

Martin Cock visited the Youth Camp and saw 2 blackcaps, 2 chiffchaffs, 4 Cetti's warblers, 2 song thrushes, grey plover with 2 whimbrel on the boating lake. At Maydays farm there was whitethroat, blackcap, chiffchaff, yellowhammer, buzzard, marsh harrier, also Chinese Water Deer and a small tortoiseshell butterfly.

A visit by Steve Entwistle to the East Mersea boating lake on Thursday produced 8 curlew, 14 turnstones, 8 shelduck, 28 redshank, while at the bottom of the vineyard were a linnet, green woodpecker and goldfinch.

On Wednesday 9th a yellow-legged gull was seen on Packing Marsh Island, seen here in the middle beside some herring gulls with their slightly paler-grey wings and back. The three herring gulls are showing the pale-pink coloured legs.

The yellow-legged gull in the centre between a herring gull on the left and a pair of lesser black-backed gulls on the ground.

No Landing signs were put up on Cobmarsh Island and Packing Marsh Island on Wednesday with Kieren Alexander of the RSPB and Jim Pullen with his boat carrying the posts and signs. The shingle beaches have become important nesting sites for ringed plovers and oystercatchers.

Birds noted included ten brent geese, four shelduck, red-breasted merganser, thirty oystercatchers, four ringed plovers and four linnets.

At Maydays farm on Wednesday, Martin Cock reported 3 Cetti's warblers, 2 chiffchaffs, blackcap, yellowhammer and several Mediterranean gulls flying overhead.

Four Mediterranean gulls flew over Andy Field's garden in High Street North on Wednesday.

Late at night on Tuesday 8th a badger came to the porch of the Firs Chase house, to raid the tubs of bird-seed. The noise of the tubs falling on the ground made me go and see what was happening outside!

The badger got spooked and soon ran off.

Earlier on Tuesday evening a spoonbill was seen flying over Old Hall Marshes by Andy Field and Steve Entwistle viewing from the West Mersea Hard, also at least one barn owl, maybe two.

Birds seen on Tuesday morning along the Strood seawall included this male kestrel perched on a bush, also sparrowhawk over the caravan park and three buzzards. Along the channel were 2 Canada geese, two wigeon, 8 teal, black-tailed godwit, two Mediterranean gulls, grey heron and a pair of stonechat.

A smart male wheatear was photographed by Andy Field on Monday 7th, after he found it in the grazing fields of the country park.

A bar-tailed godwit was photographed by Andy beside East Mersea Stone Point, second bird also seen. Other birds seen on the Cudmore circuit were 3 blackcaps, 5 chiffchaffs, 6 swallows, sand martin, Cetti's warbler, water rail heard, snipe, 3 pairs of lapwing, two possible pairs of redshank, 24 curlew, pochard on the dyke.

Later in the evening a barn owl was seen hunting the Golfhouse grazing fields by Steve Entwistle, also 20 summer plumaged black-tailed godwits.

On Sunday 6th along the Strood were five teal, two Mediterranean gulls, pair of stonechat and a sparrowhawk over the caravan park.

A brimstone and holly blue butterflies were seen in the Firs Chase garden on Sunday.

Three red-legged partridges were seen in the fields near the Barrow Hill area on Sunday by Steve Entwistle.

At Maydays on Saturday 5th, two swallows were flying about over the seawall and a house martin flew north over the Pyefleet, while two yellow wagtails flew east. A green sandpiper was heard calling over the saltmarsh but not seen, 30 golden plover flew over, while in the Pyefleet were 2 red-breasted mergansers and four great crested grebes. A red kite flew over Langenhoe, 3 marsh harriers, buzzard, yellowhammer and the pair of stonechat were seen from the seawall. 

A brimstone moth was the only moth at the garden trap on another chilly night of the spring on the 10th.

BRIMSTONE IN THE SUNSHINE

A brimstone butterfly was feeding on flowers in Feldy View on Friday 4th. There was also one in the Firs Chase garden along with the first holly blue of the spring, two peacocks and a small white here.

A brimstone was also seen in Shop Lane on Friday by Steve Entwistle and an orange-tip near the Strood causeway.

A couple of buzzards were seen on Friday during the morning walk along the Strood seawall, also a marsh harrier over Feldy and a sparrowhawk near the Firs caravan park. A swallow was seen over Strood Hill and a second bird flying low north over the seawall. Four corn buntings perched on a bush by the seawall with one of the birds singing, also a stonechat.

Two little egrets were along the Strood dyke on Friday, other birds noted were 35 teal, 4 wigeon, a calling water rail in the corner reedbed, two avocets, two black-tailed godwits and two pairs of Mediterranean gulls. By Packing Marsh Island were 100 brent geese resting on the mud.

In Firs Chase song thrush, chiffchaff were singing, blackcap at the feeders and ten curlew calling high overhead on their migration north.

At Cudmore Grove on Friday, Steve Entwistle saw two barn owls come out of the nest box behind the park pond with one bird then sitting on a nearby birch tree while the other bird went back inside the box. A pair of stock doves was nearby, also a Cetti's warbler calling and two chiffchaffs to west of the hide and an adder at the park.

Two sand martins were seen at Cudmore Grove on Friday by Mollie Kirk. Two swallows were seen just off the island by Bonners Barn by Rob Lee.

A pair of oystercatchers in the Strood channel on Thursday 3rd. Other than redshank and a few curlews, the only other waders in the channel were two avocets and a black-tailed godwit. Also noted were 15 teal, 5 wigeon, two red kites over the Feldy seawall, red-legged partridge, pair of stonechats and two reed buntings.

A chiffchaff was singing in Feldy View and the female blackcap still in Firs Chase.

A swallow was seen by Mark Farthing over Mersea Avenue on Thursday, also a swallow seen along Chapmans Lane by Steve Entwistle.

An interesting mix of what looks like mallard and pheasant eggs in a nest at Rob Lee's at Barrow Hill.

A curlew was on the mud behind the Dabchicks sailing club on Wednesday 2nd. Only birds noted on the nearby mud were ten brent geese, 60 redshank and five turnstone. A chiffchaff was singing in Firs Chase and female blackcap still there.

At the East Mersea Golfhouse area, Steve Entwistle reported on Wednesday 3 avocets, 2 pairs of black-headed gulls on pools, 54 brent geese. 2 linnets, 6 moorhens, a Canada goose along with a barnacle hybrid, 5 lapwings, 4 skylarks and 3 curlew on the grazing fields.

On Monday 31st Martin Cock walked the Cudmore Grove circuit and noted 6 chiffchaffs, blackcap, 3 Cetti's warblers, fieldfare, water rail calling, kestrel at its box, and two stock doves by the barn owl box.

Three hedgehogs have been seen on Andy Field's trail camera over the last couple of nights, in his High street North garden.

A treecreeper was found and photographed by Shaun Bater in Feldy View on Saturday 29th - a very rare visitor to the island and a great find. It was found in the afternoon and at one point sat on the same tree for ten minutes.

Shaun managed to take several pictures of the treecreeper. It was in Feldy View for just under an hour but couldn't be relocated late afternoon. The very rare migrant Short-toed treecreeper was ruled out because the underparts on this bird here look too white, there is a longish eyestripe, a shortish bill and a long hind claw.

There have been four previous records of treecreeper on the island - one in the mid 1980's, December 1990 Shop Lane, July 2016 Cross Lane and September 2019 Shop Lane.

A willow warbler and chiffchaff were seen in the trees at the back of Feldy View by Steve Entwistle on Saturday.

A water rail was photographed as it showed well at the pond at Cudmore Grove Country Park by Andy Field on Saturday. 

 As well as the water rail at Cudmore Grove, Andy saw two summer plumaged Slavonian grebes off the meadow to the west of the park.

Shaun Bater walked the Cudmore Grove circuit on Saturday and reported a red kite and three buzzards over the car park, while at the park pond were 2 Canada geese, 2 greylag geese, 6 gadwall, 2 pochard, little grebe, 5 little egrets, ten teal, a water rail heard and a greenfinch.

On the grazing fields were 20 wigeon, 8 lapwing, 2 mute swans, several curlew and six shelduck. At the Point were 2 ringed plover, oystercatcher and a Mediterranean gull heard. On the Golfhouse Pools were 4 avocets, 40 redshank, 15 turnstones, 2 shoveler, while 4 pied wagtails and several moorhens were in the nearby paddock. Five chiffchaffs and two Cetti's warblers heard during the circuit.

A fieldfare was feeding with starlings at the East Mersea vineyard.

A sparrowhawk flew through Shaun's West Mersea garden on Saturday.

A corn bunting was seen in a bush beside the East Mersea road on Saturday morning by Andy Field.

The red-necked grebe was seen off Kingsland Road on Saturday morning by Steve Grimwade, also two red-breasted mergansers.

On Friday 28th a red kite flew over Steve Entwistle's house in Empress Drive.