FLEDY VIEW FLYCATCHERS

Feldy View played host to a few flycatchers over several days. This pied flycatcher found feeding in the shade of the oaks and birches on Thursday 14th, was the second pied flycatcher in three days here. Feldy View seems to be a favourite spot for flycatchers in the early autumn.

A comparison of the amount of white in the wing-bars with the pied flycatcher seen here, with an earlier bird two days beforehand (photo further below here), indicated this was a different bird. The bird was elusive at times and quite mobile across the back area of trees. Both birds only stayed the one day. 

A spotted flycatcher was also in Feldy View on Thursday perching in the birch and oak trees.

Several birdwatchers came to enjoy the sight of the flycatchers in Feldy View, including Paul Everett who photographed this spotted flycatcher on Thursday.

Paul also photographed this spotted flycatcher and managed to see the pied flycatcher in the afternoon. Also in Feldy View during the day were three willow warblers, great spotted woodpecker, green woodpecker, while a peregrine was seen over the nearby caravan park being mobbed by a common tern.

A wall brown butterfly was seen in Feldy View by Martin Cock.

Along the Strood seawall on Thursday were seen a marsh harrier, buzzard, whimbrel and two common terns.

Early evening a hobby flew south-west over the Firs Chase garden, while earlier six swifts had flown west over the garden.

On Wednesday 13th there was no sign of the pied flycatcher seen in Feldy View the day before, but two spotted flycatchers were found instead. This individual was photographed by Andy Field.

The two spotted flycatchers perched in the same tree photographed by Andy on Wednesday. Three willow warblers and a lesser whitethroat were also in Feldy View. Two hobbies were seen chasing a swift low over the West Mersea Hard car park, with the pursuit outcome not looking favourable for the swift as they disappeared from view. Twenty swallows were flying around the Firs Chase caravan area.

 

A colourful painted lady was feeding along the Strood seawall on Wednesday, also a clouded yellow seen over the fields. Birds noted were a stonechat, 20 goldfinches, 20 linnets, yellow wagtail flying over, 28 black-tailed godwits, 20 turnstones and two common terns.

The first flycatcher of the autumn was this pied flycatcher in Feldy View on Tuesday 12th, photographed here by Jon Ward. The bird was elusive at times but was present for most of the day - but not the following day.

The pied flycatcher fed in the birch and oak trees in Feldy View, photo by Jon.

Another photograph of the pied flycatcher in Feldy View by Jon Ward on Tuesday.

A willow warbler and lesser whitethroat were also in Feldy View. Butterflies enjoying the sunshine here were five common blues and five brown argus.

Nearby to Feldy View were two kestrels, ten swallows and two common terns in the Strood channel.

Two spoonbills were seen flying over the Yacht Club very early on Tuesday morning by Rob Lee.

A song thrush was enjoying a spot of sunbathing in the Firs Chase garden on a very hot Monday 11th.

In between sunbathes, the song thrush enjoyed eating some of the fallen cherry plums lying on the driveway of the Firs Chase garden. 

A willow warbler was feeding in the birch tree in the Firs Chase garden on Monday.

The sunshine on the Monday also saw this hummingbird hawkmoth feeding on the buddleia flowers in the Firs Chase garden. Butterflies seen here included comma, peacock, two red admirals, holly blue, small white, large white and gatekeeper.

The flock of twenty black-tailed godwits was resting on the mud behind the Dabchicks sailing club on Monday. In Feldy View a hobby flew over, buzzard and two willow warblers in the trees, while nearby were a sparrowhawk, two kestrels and 20 swallows.

At Ivy Dock, East Mersea on Monday, Martin Cock reported 200 black-tailed godwits, six grey plover and a green sandpiper that was only heard.

A fox was on the prowl near the bird feeders in the Firs Chase garden early evening on Sunday 10th. A hummingbird hawkmoth was also a visitor to the garden

Four willow warblers were seen in Feldy View on Sunday, while a brief visit to the Strood seawall provided views of 30 black-tailed godwits, 20 turnstones, two common terns, ten great black-backed gulls, two buzzards, sparrowhawk, two reed warblers, whitethroat and a reed bunting.

On Saturday 9th at Reeveshall, a flock of nine cattle egrets was seen feeding with the cattle.

Fortunately the herd of cows grazed their way across the large field towards the seawall, where I had my camera to hand.

Two of the cattle egrets were still in breeding plumage with their dark yellow bills and fading orange on their crown and chest. Thirteen little egrets were also seen but along the Pyefleet channel.

Also on Saturday on the Reeveshall seawall was this family of Canada geese that had been resting on the seawall until I appeared. Other birds in the Pyefleet included three common sandpipers, 32 grey plovers, knot, six black-tailed godwits, Mediterranean gull, while flying about were two marsh harriers, and a buzzard. Near the Maydays dyke were three stonechats, yellowhammer, three whitethroats, two reed warblers, 12 stock doves in the fields and three house martins over the farmhouse.

Three common seals were resting on saltmarsh up the Pyefleet Channel.

A willow emerald was alongside a hedgerow at Maydays farm on Saturday - a regular spot for it.

The No Landing signs were taken down from Cobmarsh Island and Packing Shed Island, now the breeding season has finished, by RSPB site manager Old Hall Marshes, Kieren Alexander on Friday 8th, with the kind help of Jim Pullen taking us there. Birds noted were a common sandpiper, 13 ringed plovers, four common terns and a flock of twenty linnets.

Andy Field found a wheatear and whinchat in the fields along the Strood seawall on Friday.

In the Firs Chase garden five willow warbler stopped off to feed briefly along with a large mixed tit flock on Friday. Later a hobby was seen chasing a hirundine over Firs Chase.

A hummingbird hawkmoth was seen in the Firs Chase garden and also one seen in Jack Hoy's Mersea Avenue garden, while Martin Cock reported one was visiting his Coverts garden most days at the moment.

A common lizard was basking on a wooden plaque in Feldy View on Thursday 7th.

Ten willow warblers were feeding in the birch and oak trees in Feldy, also a lesser whitethroat nearby.

Along the Strood seawall were eight Mediterranean gulls, ten little egrets, grey heron, two kestrels, ten swallows, five sand martins flying north-west, two stonechats and fifty linnets.

A willow warbler was in the Firs Chase garden on Thursday and one was also in Steve Entwistle's Empress Drive garden for most of the day

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Two wall browns were seen together in Feldy View on Wednesday 6th - the first time for nearly 25 years that two have been seen together on the island. Several have been seen this year both in East and West Mersea. Also in Feldy View were five common blues, five brown argus and a small copper butterfly.

Ten willow warblers were in the Feldy View birches and oak trees on Wednesday, also three chiffchaffs, while a lesser whitethroat in the nearby hedgeline. Birds noted from the Strood seawall included whimbrel, 30 black-tailed godwits, ten turnstones, two common terns, 12 little egrets, buzzard, three kestrels, three stonechats, two corn buntings, 30 linnets, whitethroat and two swifts.

Two clouded yellow butterflies were seen tussling with each other over the Strood channel before returning to the seawall. Five southern migrant hawkers were flying up and down beside the dyke reedbeds.

Five crossbills were seen flying west by Martin Cock over his garden in The Coverts on Wednesday morning. A willow warbler was in Steve Entwistle's Empress Drive garden.