CUDMORE YELLOW-BROWED

A flock of 500 brent geese was in the grazing fields at Cudmore Grove for the first time this winter on Tuesday 12th.

The yellow-browed warbler was still present by the park pond for the second day, having been found by Mollie Kirk the previous day, Monday. On Tuesday Mollie heard it again calling from the sallow bushes near the pond and it provided fleeting glimpses at times during the morning. At times it seemed to be with a long-tailed tit flock seen feeding in bushes beside the horse-ride path. This is only the second time yellow-browed warbler has been seen on the island after two birds were found at the park in October 2013.

Also by the park pond on Tuesday morning were three siskin flying over and a goldcrest with the tit flock. A grey squirrel was feeding in a rose-bush by the pond while a red squirrel seen by Mollie at the park was the first sighting for a while there. A common darter was enjoying the late autumn sunshine at the park.

A drake wigeon was seen in the park dyke on Tuesday with 100 birds seen in the dyke and nearby grazing field.

A flock of 41 avocets was seen in the Strood channel on Monday 11th, along with 200 brent geese, 100 wigeon, 100 teal, 120 black-tailed godwits, 100 golden plover and 30 Mediterranean gulls. Birds of prey were on the move in the morning sunshine with a group of five red kites seen crossing from the West Mersea Hard northwards to Feldy Marsh, also five buzzards crossing westwards from the Hard. A further ten buzzards were noted during the walk along the Strood channel. Two stonechats were by the dyke.

At Cudmore Grove on Monday a yellow-browed warbler was heard by Mollie Kirk calling near the park pond but proved elusive to see, eventually showing two hours later in mid afternoon. A few of the local birders manage to see the bird, the first island sighting for eleven years. Also at the park a firecrest was found by Simon Patient near the hide also a goldcrest and two chiffchaffs in the same area by the pond.

Forty fieldfares were seen at Bower Hall marshes on Monday by Martin Cock.

On Sunday 10th Martin Cock saw two ravens flying west at Maydays, two buzzards, two marsh harriers, stonechat and the large count for this area of the Pyefleet of 400 oystercatchers.

Birds of note along the Strood seawall on Sunday morning included 150 brent geese, 100 teal, 44 avocets, 15 Mediterranean gulls, two buzzards and two stonechats. Flying over Feldy View were five redwing, six fieldfares while a goldcrest was seen in the Firs Chase garden. 

A common seal was lazing on the mud in the Pyefleet Channel on Saturday 9th.

Also along the channel were 6 great crested grebes, 190 oystercatchers, 45 avocets, 200 black-tailed godwits, 200 dunlin, 1000 knot seen in flight as were three snipe. A peregrine stirred up the waders and wildfowl at the west end of the Pyefleet, while four marsh harriers, three buzzards were also noted. 

On Maydays a chiffchaff, redwing, six fieldfares, forty skylarks, three stonechats and fifty chaffinches were noted, as was a brown hare running across a field.

Two adult black brants were reported on Birdguides, seen on Saturday morning with dark-bellied brent geese opposite the West Mersea Yacht Club. An hour earlier in the morning a single bird had been seen first in this area.

Late on Saturday afternoon Andy Field and Martin Cock watched 17 marsh harriers flying into roost on the Langenhoe marshes, seen from the Shop Lane seawall.

On Friday 8th along the Strood, a peregrine was seen over the channel, also 50 Mediterranean gulls, 300 golden plover, 28 avocets, snipe flying, while in the fields were a buzzard, 20 linnets, 15 skylarks, 20 pied wagtails and a rock pipit.

A black brant was seen on Thursday 7th feeding opposite the Coast Inn car park. Late morning five pink-footed geese flew south-west over the Firs Chase caravan park calling as they headed towards Old Hall. Along the Strood seawall were seen 200 brent geese, 150 wigeon, 150 teal, 20 Mediterranean gulls, 22 avocets, 12 little grebes, four bar-tailed godwits, marsh harrier, buzzard, three stonechats and thirty goldfinches.

Michael Thorley visited the East Mersea boating lake on Thursday 7th and noted two greenshank, 12 little egrets, 28 little grebes, 18 teal, 60 redshank, two curlew, two oystercatchers, a few dunlin, turnstone and mallard.

On Wednesday 6th Martin Cock saw a greenshank at the East Mersea boating lake, a little owl heard calling at the Youth Camp and a buzzard seen.

Andy Field walked the Cudmore Grove circuit on Wednesday morning and reported 5 stonechats, two rock pipits, 8 meadow pipits, 300 brent geese in the Golfhouse paddock, three Cetti's warblers, peregrine and a goldcrest.

Birds of note along the Strood on Wednesday were 21 avocets, 150 golden plover, four bar-tailed godwits, two marsh harriers, buzzard, two stonechats, 70 linnets, 22 corn buntings and 20 goldfinches.

A curlew was seen on Tuesday 5th along the Strood channel, also two bearded tits flew out of central reedbed and headed north, 17 ringed plovers, two bar-tailed godwits, a snipe in flight, peregrine, stonechat, fifty linnets and 1000 wood pigeons feeding in the fields. There was no sign of the four pink-footed geese seen the previous day in the field near Feldy View.

Steve Entwistle visited Feldy View on Tuesday and noted 42 pied wagtails, a fieldfare and lots of wood pigeons feeding in the recently cultivated maize field - but no sign of the pink-feet.

Martin Cock saw nine bearded tits showing well in the reedbed along the Strood dyke on Tuesday, also a marsh harrier seen.

A buzzard was photographed by Michael Thorley in Church Lane, East Mersea on Tuesday.

The moth trap in the Firs Chase garden operated on a few nights over the second week in November while the night conditions were cloudy and still. This Angle Shades was noted on the 6th.

A Satellite was seen on the 11th.

Third Feathered Thorn of the autumn on the 11th.

A few November sps moths were noted on several nights.

Cypress Carpet on the 11th.

PINK FEET BY FELDY VIEW

A family of four pink-footed geese was found resting in the recently cultivated maize field next to Feldy View on Monday 4th. A rare visitor to the Island.

The pink-footed geese seemed very settled in the field with most of the group sitting down in the field for the duration they were being watched. They were present for a few hours until a metal detector walked into the field which unfortunately flushed them mid afternoon. The last time pink-footed geese were seen on the island was in 2013, when 11 flew off Reeveshall.

A peregrine was seen disturbing the 500 wood pigeons feeding in the old maize field on Monday, while along the Strood seawall were five bar-tailed godwits, two Cetti's warblers and three stonechats.

Robin Burroughs saw a black-necked grebe below the Firs Chase caravan park, as well as the black brant there too on Monday. 

On Sunday 3rd a velvet scoter was seen offshore by Andy Field, as it was flying past Cudmore Grove and heading west, appearing to land opposite Coopers Beach. Other birds noted during the Cudmore circuit were a possible brambling with a chaffinch flock beside horse paddocks near the bus turning circle, also two goldcrests, 2 Cetti's warblers and a stonechat at the park, 300 brent geese at the Golfhouse.

Tawny owls were very vocal in West Mersea on Sunday night with one heard by Martin Cock near the Coverts, David Nicholls hearing probably the same one in Queen Ann Road, while another one was calling in Firs Chase.

On Saturday 2nd a great white egret was feeding along the Pyefleet channel opposite Maydays / Reeveshall. Also in the channel were three great crested grebes, five avocets, ten black-tailed godwits, 20 knot and 200 dunlin. A kingfisher was perched on the usual spot on the seawall sluice, three marsh harriers were noted. 

Small birds at Maydays included two stonechats, two rock pipits, two corn buntings and eight reed buntings, while fifty chaffinches were by the farm.

After a bit of light drizzle fell on Saturday, there was a colourful rainbow over the Pyefleet and Langenhoe.

There was a faint trace of a second rainbow over Langenhoe on Saturday.

At West Mersea a brambling was seen on the garden feeders of Martin Cock at the Coverts on Saturday, while in the Firs Chase garden a blackcap and goldcrest made appearances.

The regular black brant was back in its usual spot in front of the Firs Caravan park on Friday 1st. It has been returning to this part of the Strood channel for several years now. Also seen along the Strood seawall were a peregrine, eight corn buntings, six stonechats and six rock pipits.

On Thursday 31st it was high tide along the Strood channel late morning and the main bird of note was an osprey that passed overhead near the Firs Caravan park as it headed from the Hard to the Strood fishing lakes. It circled over the lakes a few times and dropped down three times to catch fish but wasn't seen taking anything away. Also seen were 40 Mediterranean gulls, bearded tit calling from the corner reedbed, three fieldfares flying north, two stonechats, two rock pipits and ten avocets.

Andy Field photographed some of the 60 Mediterranean gulls seen along the Strood channel on Wednesday 30th.

An immature Mediterranean gull photographed by Andy along the Strood channel on Wednesday. Also two possible yellow-legged gulls, a dark phase buzzard on Ray Island while a stonechat and two Cetti's warblers also noted along the Strood seawall.

At the East Mersea boating lake on Wednesday a kingfisher was seen on the flooded Rewsalls marsh, a grey wagtail flew over the car park calling and 25 great crested grebes were seen offshore. Roosting on the side-lake were 25 ringed plover, 30 dunlin, knot, black-tailed godwit, 26 little egrets and 25 little grebes.

A ringtail hen harrier was seen by Mark Thomson on Wednesday flying over the field below the Rewsalls farm at East Mersea.

The regular male kestrel perched beside the Strood seawall on Tuesday 29th, also a second bird noted too. A peregrine flew over the fields chasing wood-pigeons and six buzzards were also seen.

There were plenty of Mediterranean gulls along the Strood channel on Tuesday, many of them in the area because of the tractors working the fields on either side of the channel. At least 100 Mediterranean gulls were counted with presumed several more in the area. Along the channel were ten common gulls, 28 avocets, 9 bar-tailed godwits, 90 black-tailed godwits, 70 dunlin, while two stonechats, three corn buntings and 50 linnets were in the fields and a female blackcap was by Feldy View.

On Monday 28th a peregrine flew over the Strood channel, bar-tailed godwit, 100 brent geese, three stonechats, two rock pipits, corn bunting and 50 linnets were seen, while six redwing flew north-west past the caravan park.

Martin Cock saw a common scoter and a red-throated diver offshore from the bottom of Kingsland Road on Monday morning.

GOLFHOUSE GODWITS

A black-tailed godwit photographed by Andy Field, as it fed in the Golfhouse horse paddock in East Mersea on Sunday 27th. 

Andy also photographed this skulking Cetti's warbler during his walk at Cudmore Grove on Sunday - one of four birds heard. Also noted were two stonechats, a water rail crossing a path at the start of the park seawall, buzzard, 800 dunlin, 120 curlew and a Mediterranean gull.

A black-tailed godwit at the Golfhouse paddock was also photographed by Michael Thorley on Sunday.

Two black-tailed godwits were photographed by Michael, also a Cetti's warbler heard at the Golfhouse, while at his Little Paddock garden near Meeting Lane a male sparrowhawk was seen.

A male tufted duck was an unusual visitor to the Strood channel on Sunday, keeping company with some wigeon. 

Along the Strood channel on Sunday there were 130 wigeon, 150 teal, 17 little grebes, four avocets, three bar-tailed godwits, 80 black-tailed godwits, 80 dunlin and ten Mediterranean gulls. The sunny weather saw a movement of buzzards with 15 noted mainly heading north-west off the island, also a marsh harrier, while a red kite circled over Peldon fields. 

Three bearded tits were seen in the corner reedbed flying about and calling, then two birds flew up high, circled round a bit then headed high west to the Feldy Marsh, leaving one bearded tit still pinging and flying about as if trying to locate where the other two birds went to! Three stonechats, three rock pipits and a Cetti's warbler were noted too.

Nine buzzards were seen flying west over Martin Cock's West Mersea house in The Coverts during the middle of Sunday.

On Saturday 26th at Maydays, a peregrine was seen standing in the middle of a ploughed field surveying the surroundings. Three marsh harriers were seen during the seawall walk, while in the Pyefleet were 70 avocets, 15 knot, 15 black-tailed godwits and 3 great crested grebes. Along the dyke were three stonechats, thirteen corn buntings, three Cetti's warblers, three rock pipits and a goldcrest in a copse near the seawall.

 

Jon Ward spent a couple of hours along the Strood seawall on Friday 25th and photographed this corn bunting. 

A male stonechat photographed by Jon along the Strood on Friday - one of five birds noted, but no sign of the bearded tits.

Earlier on Friday three bar-tailed godwits were seen along the Strood channel, one pictured, also 45 black-tailed godwits, 100 golden plover, ten ringed plover, 15 Mediterranean gulls, four avocets, three marsh harriers, two Cetti's warblers, four stonechats, 100 linnets and five corn buntings.

Two Sandwich terns were seen offshore from the Victoria Esplanade by Andy Field on Friday, while at Bocking Hall six red-legged partridges were seen in a field by Steve Entwistle.

Along the Strood channel on Thursday was this small flock of wigeon, also 100 brent geese, 12 little grebes, 22 avocets, 200 golden plover, two bar-tailed godwits, a knot, 30 dunlin, 12 Mediterranean gulls, five mute swans, marsh harrier, two buzzards, sparrowhawk, two bearded tits in the main reedbed, six stonechats, fifty linnets and five corn buntings.

Andy Field also walked the Strood seawall on Thursday and saw a kingfisher. In addition to most of the birds listed above, also seen were 50 wigeon and 50 teal.

An osprey was reported at the Strood fishing lakes by the water bailiff there, seen catching a fish there on Thursday.

On Wednesday 23rd at least five bearded tits were seen flying about the main central reedbed by the Strood seawall. Four bearded tits were later seen flying up high from the corner reedbed, circling round a few times before flying west over to Feldy Marsh. Also along the channel were 52 shelduck, 28 avocets, ten black-tailed godwits, a snipe flying, 100 brent geese and twelve little grebes. Inside the seawall were two stonechats, 50 linnets, sparrowhawk, lesser redpoll flying south-west and also six redwing flying south-west over the caravan park.

A large white butterfly was enjoying the morning sunshine in Feldy View on Tuesday 22nd. 

At least one bearded tit was heard calling from the Strood dyke reedbed, also two stonechats, 50 linnets, six corn buntings and two swallows flying south-west over the seawall. A peregrine hunted over the Strood channel, scattering some of the 200 golden plover, 22 avocets, 15 ringed plover and 70 black-tailed godwits.

A Feathered Thorn came to the garden moth trap in Firs Chase on the 25th.

The first Marbled Fern micro-moth on the 25th, is the first record for the Island, a species native to Australia and New Zealand, it is rapidly colonising southern England after first been found in 2009.

A Red-line Quaker on the 25th.

Barred Sallow on the 23rd.

A Gem seen on the 23rd.

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.