SPLASHING STARLINGS

This group of starlings were busy splashing about in a muddy puddle near Rewsalls farm on Tuesday 15th. They were part of a big gathering of about 2000 birds feeding in the nearby ploughed field, stripping berries from the hedges and perching on overhead wires.

Nearby Andy Field and Martin Cock were walking the Rewsalls marshes and heard a Cetti's warbler sing from one of the thick blackthorn ditchlines. Up to forty thrushes mainly blackbirds but also song thrush, mistle thrush and redwing were noted along one of the hedgelines. A little owl was seen in the grounds of the East Mersea church.
No sign of the ring ouzel seen the day before beside Coopers Beach.

At the country park during Tuesday, 40 swallows passed through along with a very pale leucistic-coloured house martin seen over the fields in the morning. Also a wheatear, red-breasted merganser, 3 chiffchaffs, 50 goldfinch, 15 linnet, rock pipit, 20 meadow pipits,20 redwing, 10 song thrush, sparrowhawk and marsh harrier.

On the pools and the pond 15 little egret, 300 redshank, 24 snipe, 40 greylag geese, 100 brent geese, 2 Canada geese, 15 shoveler, 2 tufted duck and 4 gadwall.

At West Mersea a lesser redpoll flew over the Queens Corner calling early on Tuesday morning.

Little Ben and I had an enjoyable walk around the Rewsalls marshes and Coopers Beach area on Monday 14th. A nice male ring ouzel was discovered near the entrance to the caravan site and was then seen flying across the football pitch a couple of times, calling as it flew. The full thrush set was collected during the walk with 4 mistle thrushes, one fieldfare, 40 redwing and several blackbirds and song thrushes seen. A brambling was heard amongst some chaffinches as was a yellowhammer near the church.

Two common buzzards flew over the fields as did a marsh harrier while a pair of kestrels were busy hunting over the various fields. A sparrowhawk had been seen earlier over the fields near Bocking Hall. Ten swallows were seen during the walk heading west.

There were plenty of waders out on the mudflats with ten sanderling catching the eye as did ten little egrets.

  This striking spindle bush with its bright red autumnal colours stood out along one of the Rewsall's hedgerows.

A late afternoon Strood-side walk on Monday was fairly quiet with 10 little egrets, 50 wigeon, 50 teal, 40 brent geese, 15 little grebes and 10 swallows of interest.
Brian Churches reported watching an Arctic skua from the Old Hall Point, as it flew past the West Mersea beach huts and headed west up Tollesbury Creek.

On Sunday 13th the two yellow-browed warblers were still at the country park for their second day although viewing conditions were terrible in the morning through the rain. One ring ouzel was also seen at the park.
Later that Sunday morning 200 redwings flew west over West Mersea.

YELLOW-BROWED EXCITEMENT

Big excitement for the Island's birdwatchers today when the first yellow-browed warbler for Mersea was found at the country park on Saturday 12th. Andy Field discovered it close to the car park at Cudmore Grove during the middle of the morning as it fed with a big mixed tit flock. The small size, paler underparts, the yellowy stripe above the eye and the two wing-bars helped distinguish this bird from its commoner cousin, the chiffchaff.
Dave Allen did well to take these two photos of the bird as it perched in a tall oak tree at the far end of the horseride path alongside the grazing meadow.

Although this bird has pale underparts, a second yellow-browed warbler was seen in the same small oak bush that was slightly duller underneath. The two birds were only seen together on the one occasion in the middle of the afternoon. Most of the sightings through the day seemed to be of the brighter bird and although they hardly called, the birds seemed to favour the same length of hedgerow.

Like all the members of the leaf warbler family, the yellow-browed warblers are always on the move amongst the foliage. Andy managed to snap this picture of the paler bird as it flitted through the leaves.

About ten birders arrived at the park during the day hoping to sneak a glimpse of this rare visitor from Siberia. Luckily the weather had stayed dry and calm during the day which helped provide ideal viewing conditions.


The yellow-browed warbler wasn't the only exciting autumn migrant brought in overnight. At least seven ring ouzels were seen in the middle of the afternoon, which may've been the same birds flying about the park earlier in the day - or maybe different birds. They were very wary and reluctant to give clear prolonged views. They were calling out loudly which helped to locate them as they hid in the trees, sometimes in the car park and also along the path from the hide. Some were seen flying to the nearby caravan site. It's nearly fifteen years since ring ouzels were last seen at the park.

The influx of ring ouzels from Scandinavia were part of the ongoing big thrush invasion. There were lots of different kinds of thrushes around the park and they were very obvious too. Fifty redwings, 20 song thrushes, 30 blackbirds and six fieldfares were dotted about the park. Also seen were a male blackcap, chiffchaff and 20 swallows.

Offshore an immature gannet landed for a few minutes on the outer part of the Colne, even attracting the attention of a passing marsh harrier which had just flown south-east over the park's grazing fields. A sub-adult little gull was seen resting on the sea as the tide came in late afternoon. Also a female red-breasted merganser and a great crested grebe and common seal offshore from the park.

A common buzzard flew over the park in the morning and another bird in the afternoon. A greenshank flew off the pools calling loudly, while 300+ redshank gathered for the roost, as did 30+ little egrets.

At West Mersea the redwings were also in evidence with 100 birds noted passing over and also feeding along hedges. A brambling was heard calling from a bush near the Firs Chase caravan site but not seen. A kingfisher was a surprise when it flashed up the footpath beside the caravan site in the morning. A tern flew amongst the boat moorings which may've been a common tern.

The passage of redwings was also noted on Friday too especially over West Mersea where 200 birds in a number of small flocks passed over Firs Chase in the afternoon up until dark.
A walk along the Strood seawall on Friday morning was quiet with 4 knot, 12 little grebes, rock pipit, 50 teal and 50 wigeon the main birds of note.

REDWING INVASION

Wave after wave of redwings were streaming over the country park during the morning of Thursday 10th. Over a thousand birds were watched passing fast and low in the strong northerly winds, making their way westwards towards West Mersea. Each wave consisted of about fifty birds, sometimes less, sometimes bigger groups and coming along at times every five or ten minutes. Most flocks appeared to be coming from the direction of Colne Point.

This was autumn migration in full swing and gathering from other local observers in north-east Essex this must have been part of a huge invasion on Thursday morning. Richard Allen at Wivenhoe counted over 800 in an hour early on Thursday, while Clive Atkins saw over 200 and Richard Jacobs saw 1400 pass over St Osyth while 1100 flew past Frinton.

The last time this type of redwing influx was witnessed here on the Island was about fifteen years ago when a similar number streamed over the Island in waves during that early October morning. This time it was probably nice and clear over Scandinavia when they departed on Wednesday night but then hit the windy and wet weather over the North Sea, forcing them lower down and more visible to us by morning. On Thursday morning flocks passing over the car park were often below the height of the tree-tops with one or two calling out to each other as they sped past.

There was hardly any other migration noted except for a couple of swallows in the morning but also three house martins that were suddenly attacked over the car park by a juvenile hobby. One of the house martins had to be particularly alert and agile as the hobby made an unsuccessful snatch at it.

The strong winds blew all day but during the late afternoon high tide three immature gannets flew towards the mouth of the river Colne, before turning round and heading back out to sea. Other than a few other big gulls out at sea, a common seal swimming close into the park cliff was of interest.

Not as many little egrets were roosting today in the windy trees by the park pond with only fifteen counted. On the water were 50 mallard and 10 shoveler and some teal. On the pools was the usual big gathering of waders and wildfowl with an impressive number of about 1500 birds rising into the air when a marsh harrier passed overhead. Main birds were teal, redshank, black-tailed godwit, snipe and wigeon. In the far field 500 wigeon and 100 brent geese were grazing, as were 20 greylag geese.

The beach in front of the park cliff was sheltered from the strong winds on Thursday morning and this small copper was able to enjoy nectaring on this sea may-weed flower. A small tortoiseshell was also seen resting along the cliff bottom while migrant hawker and common darter were also on the wing.

BITS AND BOBS

Andy Field took these two photos of the spotted flycatcher that was seen at the country park on the 11th September.

This bird was one of four spotted flycatchers this autumn at the park. The only other autumn sighting elsewhere was at Coopers Beach.

David Nicholls passed these two photos he took on Sunday 6th of a barn owl on Ray Island late morning.

Always nice to watch a barn owl in the daytime - and even better if there's a camera handy to capture the moment!

There's been a nice run of sunny days recently providing clear views across the Colne estuary. There was a good variety of waders on the mud as the tide went out late on Tuesday 8th with a handful of knot amongst the 300 dunlin, 200 redshank, 50 black-tailed godwits, 50 ringed plover along with turnstones, grey plovers, curlews, oystercatchers and golden plovers.

A marsh harrier crossed over the park on Tuesday and two swallows were noted flying over the car park that day too. A kingfisher was seen at the Oyster Fishery in East Mersea by Martin Cock earlier that morning along with 3 chiffchaffs, blackcap and whitethroat.

Two blackcaps, chiffchaff and swallow were at the park on Monday 7th along with 10 meadow pipits, while greenshank called from the mudflats. A sandwich tern was seen off West Mersea on Monday by Martin.

A sandwich tern flew past the country park calling out loudly as it headed back into the Colne on a bright sunny Sunday morning. A distant common buzzard soared on the east side of the river while four marsh harriers circled high over Langenhoe Point. Also noted were a rock pipit, 63 little egrets roosting in the trees and the ruff was still on the pools along with 200 redshank, 15 snipe, 250 teal, 500 wigeon with 100 brent geese in the fields.

The wind had calmed down on Saturday morning after a very blustery Friday. There was a lot of small bird activity around the car park with 12 chiffchaffs, goldcrest, whitethroat and three blackcaps foraging with a big tit flock. Two yellowhammers and 6 mistle thushes and 10 blackbirds were seen by the park entrance. A ruff was on the grazing fields and a Mediterranean gull flew over in the morning.

The sunshine has kept a few butterflies on the wing with this comma photographed by Andy at the park on the 6th. One late flowering buddleia bush at the park on Tuesday  had two red admirals, two commas and a small white on it. On the sunny Tuesday a clouded yellow flew low across the car park at the park. Two clouded yellows were also seen on the Shop Lane seawall earlier in the day by Martin. A red admiral was seen flying fast westwards over the park on its autumn migration on Wednesday morning.

This green shield bug posed nicely for Andy in his West Mersea garden.

Other creatures seen recently included a common seal swimming past the park on Saturday morning and also a road-kill badger on the East Mersea road near Fen Farm.

There's the unusual autumnal sight of a hawthorn bush at the park currently producing blossom following the recent warm weather. The bush still has a good crop of berries from the spring flush of blossom.

RECENT MOTHS

The moth trap has been running at the country park over the last few nights, making the most of the settled night-time weather, before the cooler and windier weather sets in for the autumn. Over eighty moths of about 24 species have been turning up at the trap most nights.

A few migrant moths have continued to be noted such as this diminutive gem moth pictured above, which has not been recorded here before. Several have been noted in small numbers across southern England over the last week or so.

Other migrant moths noted over the last five or so nights  have included dark swordgrass, silver- Y as well as the micro migrants rush veneer and the diamond-backed moth.

This figure of eight moth pictured above, is a surprising first record for the park. It's a common moth across Essex whose foodplant is hawthorn, blackthorn and apple which all occur here at the park, so it's probably resident here but just not made it to the trap before at this time of year.

It's always nice to note the increasingly scarce dusky lemon sallow each autumn, as their foodplant the elm has suffered in recent decades.

Several mallow moths have been in the trap most nights, some with very pronounced markings.

There have been some autumns when the red-line quaker has not been recorded, so it was nice to see a couple in the trap one night this week. The first yellow-line quakers of the autumn have also been noted this week.

One of the commonest autumn moths has been the lunar underwing. This one pictured above is one of the paler forms, whilst many have been the darker grey colouring.

The beaded chestnut has also had a good season with up to a dozen in the trap over several nights since the start of October.

Other moths noted recently have been November moth, common marbled carpet, willow beauty, red-green carpet, white-pont, L-album wainscot, flounced chestnut, sallow, angle shades, snout, brindled green, feathered ranunculus, brick, rosy rustic, black rustic, dark-brown dart and frosted orange.

PEREGRINE PANIC

Up to 500 wigeon are feeding in the park's grazing fields with this group pictured above on the pools, along with 300 teal, 38 greylag geese and 100 brent geese also in the area. Fifteen shoveler were present on Thursday 3rd on the pools and pond along with a pair of gadwall and 50 mallard.

This group of redshank were on high alert after surviving a couple of menacing swoops by a peregrine on Thursday. The peregrine circled casually over the fields, along the middle ditch before launching itself into the waders and wildfowl around the pools. Amazingly all the birds flew into the middle of the water for safety, rather than fly off and risk being caught in the air. A quick count of the redshank revealed 350 birds still present.
 The birds were also nervous about a female sparrowhawk perched on a nearby fencepost while later in the day a male sparrowhawk flew low over the fields.
 
Also on the pools were 20 black-tailed godwit and at least 10 snipe, while on the fields were 120 curlew.
On Friday 4th a ruff was present all day feeding around the muddy margins of the pools.

This little egret roost during the morning high tide on Thursday totalled 56 birds - a fair proportion of them pictured above beside the park pond. In the evenings the little egrets head north from East Mersea to roost somewhere up the Colne.
Five song thrushes have been enjoying the rowan berries in the hedge near the park pond over the last few days.

Passage migration has been thin on the ground in recent days with ten swallows noted on Friday 4th, six on Thursday and eight on Wednesday. Blackcap was seen on both Wednesday and Thursday while a wheatear was on the seawall on Wednesday. In the estuary two common terns were seen from the Point on Wednesday and a rock pipit flew along the beach.

Andy Field and Martin Cock watched an immature little gull feeding in the mouth of the Colne on Tuesday 1st, before it drifted slowly out of the estuary. Also noted were 1000 golden plover on the nearby mud.
A peregrine was seen early on Tuesday morning in a field at Bocking Hall feeding on a wood pigeon.

On Tuesday evening a badger was seen in the car headlights trotting along Bromans Lane before it dived into the verge.

AUTUMN MOTHS

Having been away for the second half of September, I've been eager to get the moth trap going again at the country park for some late season moth species. There are some attractive resident autumn moths to be noted and the possibility of some continental immigrants turning up too if the weather is right. The moth lamp was on for Tuesday 1st when 85 moths of 20 species were noted followed by 110 of 26 species on the evening of Wednesday 2nd.

The most interesting moth on the 1st was this neatly marked male four-spotted footman pictured above - the first record for the park. It's a scarce immigrant and over recent nights there have been several reported from mainly coastal sites on the south and east coasts of England brought in with the southerly winds. The species is named after the female which shows the four spots on the wings.

Another first record for the park on the 1st was this feathered brindle which is also a rare immigrant on the Essex coast. There's a small resident population in the north-east of the county and the species is listed as an Essex Red Data species. I noticed that fellow moth-trapper Clive Atkins also trapped this species the previous night not too far away on the opposite side of the Colne estuary.

This dainty and delicate olive tree pearl ( Palpita vitrealis), was another interesting migrant in the trap on the 1st. The white wings of this micro-moth are so thin they're almost transparent but a strong flyer when it took to the air. This is the first record for the park. Quite a few have been reported in southern England over the last few nights, so a bit of an influx.

This pine carpet was another rare visitor to the trap, although it has been noted here a few years ago. It appears to be a scarce moth in Essex with only a few other records. There are some Scots pine trees here at the park so there could be the potential for breeding here.

Two or three nicely patterned flounced chestnuts have been in the trap this week, one pictured above.

This sallow moth is a common moth and one of the few "sallow species" whose caterpillars actually feed on sallow.

The striking black rustic pictured above has become a commoner moth in recent years. Half a dozen were in the trap on Tuesday night's session.

This red-green carpet is a pretty addition to the assemblage of moths, although this one was discovered resting underneath the wooden light base across the Skinner trap.

One or two autumnal rustics have been noted but this one caught the eye with the unusual pink tinge to the wings. Normally they're just a pale grey colour.

Another member of the sallow family, this barred sallow is a common moth in the autumn with its caterpillars here at the park probably feeding on field maple.

Other moths that were noted over the two nights included light emerald, brimstone, willow beauty, mallow, large yellow underwing, lesser yellow underwing, broad-bordered yellow underwing, square-spot rustic, setaceous hebrew character, white-point, L-album wainscot, beaded chestnut, rosy rustic, frosted orange, feathered gothic, lunar underwing, satellite, silver-Y, copper underwing, angle shades, feathered ranunculus and dark-brown dart.