STROOD BEARDIES

A bearded tit perched up into view in the reedbed by the Strood seawall for Andy Field to take this picture on Wednesday 9th - one of three birds seen. Earlier in the day the three bearded tits were seen flying over the reedbed for about thirty metres before dropping back inside the reeds. This is now the third day they've been present here.

Andy photographed this wheatear along the Strood seawall on Wednesday afternoon, also two Sandwich terns and a common tern. 

Charlie Coltman saw three oystercatchers, two brent geese and a pied wagtail in the afternoon.

A short-eared owl was seen by Steve Entwistle flying over Ray Island on Wednesday afternoon, also seen during his walk along the Strood seawall were stonechat, corn bunting, three house martins, swallow, common tern, two Sandwich terns, little grebe, 10 linnets, two kestrels, wheatear, two reed buntings, three meadow pipits, rock pipit, marsh harrier, also ten chaffinches near Feldy View.

Two wheatears were seen on Wednesday morning along the Strood seawall, also four stonechats. Forty swallows and fifteen house martins headed south-west.

A rock pipit was feeding along the edge of the Strood channel on Wednesday, twenty meadow pipits also noted by the seawall.

Two corn buntings and five reed buntings were seen on Wednesday along the Strood seawall - one of each pictured here together. Eighty linnets were in the field and two Cetti's warblers heard from the reedbed. A marsh harrier and two buzzards seen.

A flock of 300 golden plover was roosting along the Strood channel on Wednesday, other birds were ten avocets, thirty dunlin, twenty black-tailed godwits, bar-tailed godwit, five shelduck, fifty wigeon and 85 teal. A common tern was in the channel while in the Mersea Quarters were 27 brent geese and five Sandwich terns.

On Tuesday 8th a great white egret was one of the highlights for Charlie Coltman and I, as we walked the Strood seawall and Feldy View, logging an impressive 68 species in the morning.

At least one bearded tit could be heard pinging from the main reedbed but stayed down and out of view. Three stonechats, two wheatears, three rock pipits, ten meadow pipits, two Cetti's warblers and 150 linnets were noted in the fields. A marsh harrier, two buzzards, two sparrowhawks and two kestrels were also seen over the fields, as were most of the thirty Mediterranean gulls seen during the walk and twenty swallows.

Along the channel were 70 wigeon, 50 teal, 8 avocets, 600 golden plover, two greenshank, three bar-tailed godwits, 25 black-tailed godwits, 6 shelduck, three brent geese and a common tern.

A song thrush was seen in Feldy View while up to fifteen chiffchaffs were seen down the side of the Firs caravan park and also in bushes along the borrowdyke.

A red admiral was soaking up the sunshine on Wednesday in the Firs Chase garden. A speckled wood was seen in Feldy View.

A brown argus was seen on the Strood seawall on Monday 7th.

Birds noted along the Strood seawall on Monday included at least two bearded tits heard pinging from the reeds with a brief glimpse of a male being the only perched view. Also two wheatears, four stonechats, two rock pipits, fifty linnets, Cetti's warbler, while six chiffchaffs were by the side of the Firs caravan park.

Along the Strood channel on Monday were 300 golden plover, fifty ringed plover, greenshank, 13 knot, 46 dunlin, eight avocets, two bar-tailed godwits, 30 black-tailed godwits, three brent geese, 70 wigeon, forty teal, ten Mediterranean gulls and common tern.

A small copper was also seen on the Strood seawall on Monday.

Several Ivy Mining bees were feeding on the ivy flowers near the Firs Caravan park on Monday.

A redshank was feeding close to the Strood seawall on Sunday 6th, also along the channel were ten shelduck, 500 golden plover, 80 grey plover, 50 ringed plover, two bar-tailed godwits, 30 black-tailed godwits, two Sandwich terns and five Mediterranean gulls.

A wheatear was feeding on a recently reprofiled dried out pond in a Strood field on Sunday. A peregrine flew over the Strood channel scattering all the waders and after heading towards the Barrow Hill, then returned to fly over Bonners saltings where it began mobbing a fox by diving down after it several times. The fox hurriedly continued over the saltmarsh to Ray Island. A marsh harrier, two buzzards also seen, fifty linnets were in the weedy field and ten chiffchaffs were by the caravan park.

A large number of starlings were seen by Jack Hoy on Sunday late afternoon heading to their roost at Windsor Road flats.

On Saturday 5th a red kite was seen from the Maydays seawall circling over Langenhoe marsh before it drifted westwards. Four buzzards and a couple of marsh harriers also noted, while in the Pyefleet were 50 avocets, five Sandwich terns, 30 shelduck, three great crested grebes, 30 black-tailed godwits and also a green sandpiper flying over then landing in Bower Hall marsh.

Six stonechats were seen at Maydays on Saturday, as well as four yellowhammers, two rock pipits, 15 meadow pipits, three singing Cetti's warblers, chiffchaff, four swallows, fifty linnets, a wheatear on Reeveshall and a red-legged partridge heard.

At Cudmore Grove on Saturday morning two stonechats were seen by Andy Field.

An osprey was seen by Andy over the river Colne, thanks to a heads-up by Jim Hume watching from Fingringhoe. A probable yellow-browed warbler was heard by Andy calling near the Golfhouse but not seen. Also noted were a calling water rail, marsh harrier, reed warbler, 100 dunlin, 150 grey plover, two Cetti's warbler.

Simon Patient saw buzzard, two Sandwich terns and three jays flying over whilst at Cudmore Grove on Saturday.

On Friday 4th an osprey flew over East Mersea Point spooking all the birds below before heading up river and then into the Pyefleet. The warm weather saw ten buzzards circling over Ivy Farm, while other birds seen were sparrowhawk, ten Sandwich terns, 88 little egrets including 66 by the Golfhouse pools, 70 brent geese, 30 shelduck, shoveler, forty wigeon, ten teal, great crested grebe, three avocets and 75 dunlin.

Five lapwings were feeding in the Golfhouse horse paddock on Friday, as were three black-tailed godwits. A rock pipit and ten meadow pipits were noted by the seawall, while two Cetti's warblers were heard.

Four red-legged partridges were seen in Dawes Lane on Friday by Steve Entwistle.

On Thursday 3rd an Arctic skua was watched by Martin Cock flying across the Blackwater between West Mersea and Bradwell, after first being seen by Colin Mackenzie-Grieve from Old Hall flying over Great Cob Island.

Earlier on Thursday at Maydays, Martin saw a great white egret, buzzard and 100 grey plovers, then later from the Esplanade saw 32 Sandwich terns heading west.

A Scarce Bordered Straw was in the garden moth trap in Firs Chase on 3rd.

One Black Rustic on 3rd.

Two Delicate moths on the 6th.

Dark Swordgrass on 6th.

CONFIDING KESTREL

A confiding male kestrel perched over the footpath near Feldy View on Wednesday 2nd. 

A handful of Mediterranean gulls were along the Strood channel on Wednesday.

At least fifteen Mediterranean gulls were also noted on Wednesday in the nearby grass field, although there were no doubt others present in the long grass among the feeding flock of black-headed gulls.

Ten brent geese, sparrowhawk and two teal were seen along the Strood channel, a rock pipit flew across calling, while 300 golden plover circled over Feldy Marsh. 

Earlier on Wednesday morning two flocks of redwing totalling 65 birds were seen flying west over the Firs Chase caravan park, while two flocks totalling about sixty siskins also flew west near the same caravan park.

Twelve Sandwich terns and several brent geese were seen off the Esplanade on Wednesday by Martin Cock.

At Cudmore Grove two distant gannets off Colne Point were seen on Wednesday by Andy Field, also 30 brent geese, 30 mallard, four teal and two Sandwich terns.

Along the Strood on Tuesday 1st, there were three Brent geese, four teal, two avocets, 200 golden plover, four ringed plover, 36 lapwing, 50 Mediterranean gulls, sparrowhawk, 15 swallows, five house martins, 15 meadow pipits, 20 linnets and also 20 goldfinches near Feldy View.

On Monday 30th two flocks of pintail totalling 70 birds flew south-west over the Firs Chase caravan park, also near the caravan park were 50 goldfinches, three chiffchaffs, blackcap and sparrowhawk here. A peregrine sat in the Strood Hill field for several minutes and then chased after some feral pigeons feeding in the fields. Two marsh harriers were also seen, one hunting over the maize field to Feldy View.

Along the Strood Channel on Monday were 14 teal, 7 avocets, while in the fields were 22 Mediterranean gulls, 30 skylarks, ten meadow pipits and thirty linnets with a Cetti's warbler calling from the dyke.

Two red squirrels were seen on Sunday 29th in the Firs Chase garden at the same time but this female  kept out of the way of the other red! The female was seen first in the garden, then shot up a nearby birch tree when a second red squirrel appeared which looked like a male. 

While the second red squirrel was hopping around the back garden for a minute or so, this female was out of the way, high up in the birch tree staring down. It stayed up there for several minutes well after the other red had disappeared into the neighbour's garden. Our other next door neighbours said they've seen three red squirrels in their garden at the same time in recent days, along with a grey squirrel too.

A red squirrel was seen running into a front garden in Firs Road on Saturday.

At East Mersea boating lake on Sunday 29th a brent goose was resting on the island in the side-lake, along with an oystercatcher. Seventeen little grebes were also seen in the side-lake.

Not many waders on the side lake during the high tide period on Sunday, although there was a sizeable roost of 170 ringed plovers with a dunlin. Seventy golden plovers were in a nearby field, six swallows, two house martins, Cetti's warbler, two chiffchaffs, 15 meadow pipits flying west, eight linnets and two kestrels.

Eighteen little egrets were at Rewsalls marsh on Sunday, ten Sandwich terns were feeding offshore, then later resting on the shingle island off Waldegraves. Ten Mediterranean gulls were seen too.

At Cudmore Grove an Arctic skua was seen by Simon Patient flying north up the river Colne past the Point early afternoon on Sunday.

A fresh looking peacock butterfly was feeding at Maydays farm on a sunny Saturday 28th. Three speckled woods and a small white were also seen, as were migrant hawker and common darter.

Birds at Maydays included a raven heard calling on Langenhoe marsh and then seen to land on top of one of the new shooting butts, a small passage of 15 buzzards seen over Langenhoehall marsh and a hobby chasing after some of the flock of 30 linnets, great crested grebe, nine golden plover. Also a wheatear, two stonechats, 60 meadow pipits heading north-west, ten swallows and five house martins. Three common seals were resting on saltmarsh in the Pyefleet. 

The weather has been too unsettled for much mothing, although this Feathered Ranunculus was seen among eight other species on a chilly and clear night on 28th.

GREEN STROOD CHANNEL

There were at least fifty Mediterranean gulls seen during a walk along the Strood seawall on Thursday 26th. A few were on the mudflats - such as this one, while the rest were feeding in a grass field, probably after craneflies. 

 

Since I've been away on a two week break, the mudflats along the Strood Channel have become carpeted in green algae.

The Strood mudflats have never had this amount of algae on them before, so it has been a striking transformation!

A small flock of nine teal was seen along the Strood channel, also 24 wigeon, 30 ringed plover, 70 golden plover, 60 lapwing, 30 black-tailed godwits and a Sandwich tern. Two marsh harriers circled high over the channel, four kestrels and a sparrowhawk were hunting by the Strood fields.

A pair of stonechat was by the Strood central ditch, while 20 meadow pipits, 50 swallows and five house martins flew south-west. Nine chiffchaffs were seen by the Firs Caravan park and along the dyke, also a whitethroat. A blackcap and chiffchaff were in the Firs Chase garden.

At East Mersea on Thursday morning, Martin Cock walked between the Golfhouse and Ivy Dock and saw a lesser whitethroat, 3 chiffchaff, Cetti's warbler, six Sandwich terns, 3 brent geese, nine bar-tailed godwits, two wigeon and a few swallows.

Andy Field visited Cudmore Grove on Thursday and reported 13 Sandwich terns and a calling water rail at the park pond. Two willow emerald damselflies were seen by the Golfhouse borrowdyke.

Jack Hoy saw a wheatear on the Cudmore Grove beach on Thursday.

A Dark-bush Cricket photographed by Andy Field at Cudmore Grove on Thursday.

At Bower Hall marsh on Wednesday 25th, three marsh harriers and a kingfisher sitting on a nearby post were seen by Rob Lee. 

A spotted flycatcher near the East Mersea Golfhouse was reported to Jack Hoy by a visiting birder on Wednesday.

 

A Fisher's Estuarine moth was photographed at Cudmore Grove by Daniel Blyton. One of ten seen during an evening survey on Sunday 22nd.

A Fisher's Estuarine moth on a snail at Cudmore Grove on Sunday evening photographed by Jonathan Norgate.

Michael Thorley saw 22 little egrets and 11 curlew near the East Mersea Golfhouse on Sunday.

Shaun Bater walked the Cudmore circuit on Saturday 21st and saw 8 pied wagtails, 2 brent geese, Cetti's warbler and chiffchaff near the park pond, 4 swallows, mute swan and cygnet, buzzard, waders on the mud included redshank, oystercatcher, curlew and grey plover, 100 little egrets including 70 at the pond and four linnets. At West Mersea two Sandwich terns were seen off Seaview Avenue.

On Friday 20th Steve Entwistle at Coopers Beach counted 20 Mediterranean gulls, 6 Sandwich terns, great crested grebe and two sand martins.

Later on Friday at Coopers Beach Michael Thorley reported 250 golden plover, 65 turnstone, 28 curlew, 4 black-tailed godwits, 15 little egrets, 12 common gulls, 2 redshank, 9 oystercatchers as well as herring gulls and black-headed gulls.

Andy Field on Friday visited Feldy View and saw a mixed flock of 40 swallows / house martins. Later at Cudmore Grove, there were 4 chiffchaffs, 45 little egrets at the pond, 25 common scoter flew in then out of the Colne, 125 grey plover, 18 dunlin, 3 bar-tailed godwits, 92 curlew, knot and three Sandwich terns.

A hobby was seen flying over Martin Cock's West Mersea garden on Thursday 19th.

A young song thrush was photographed by Michael Thorley in his East Mersea garden pond on Wednesday 18th.

Michael says the song thrush is a one-off for his East Mersea garden. It has been seen feeding on small ripe fallen plums. A yellow wagtail was also seen there.

On Tuesday 17th Andy Field visited Feldy View and saw six chiffchaffs and a few goldfinches. Later along the Strood channel there were four stonechats, whinchat, 30 linnets, 24 teal, 12 wigeon, 20 lapwing, 30 grey plover, 40 golden plover, 12 ringed plover, 32 curlew, 50 redshank and 3 black-tailed godwits.

Martin Cock visited Shop Lane on Tuesday and saw 3 chiffchaffs, wheatear, 36 avocets and a sparrowhawk. 

A wheatear was photographed by Shaun Bater during his visit to Cudmore Grove on Monday 16th - one of two seen. Also six linnets, two reed buntings at the Point, mute swan cygnet and 3 little grebes in the dyke.

Martin Cock on Monday morning saw 10 chiffchaffs, green woodpecker and 20 goldfinches at Feldy View, while later in Meeting Lane there were seven red-legged partridge, six house martins and two chiffchaffs.

On Saturday 14th Andy Field saw two spotted flycatchers, willow warbler and a few chiffchaffs at Feldy View. Later at Reeveshall two ravens were seen by Andy circling towards Gyants Marsh before flying east, two wheatears, marsh harrier, red kite also spotted flycatcher in Shop Lane.

At Maydays on Saturday Martin Cock saw four buzzards, red kite (later seen by Andy), 3 marsh harriers, hobby, two Egyptian geese, 9 wigeon, 100 grey plover, greenshank, four stonechat and a Cetti's warbler.

Shaun Bater at Feldy View saw a spotted flycatcher, kestrel and a mixed flock of swallows and house martins.

Four buzzards were seen by Andy Field on Friday 13th drifting north over Whittaker Way.

On Thursday 12th at Feldy View a spotted flycatcher, six chiffchaffs, willow warbler and a yellow wagtail were seen by Martin Cock. Later at Shop Lane a spotted flycatcher, two chiffchaffs, Sandwich tern and a marsh harrier were seen by Martin.

One of the two spotted flycatchers in Feldy View on Wednesday 11th was photographed here by Andy Field, also six chiffchaffs seen - but no sign of the tree pipit. Later at Maydays with Martin Cock a greenshank, common sandpiper, wheatear, two marsh harriers and a buzzard were seen.

An osprey was seen by Rob Lee hunting over the Pyefleet near Maydays then headed inland to Bocking Hall on Wednesday.

A peregrine was seen by Jack Hoy on Wednesday flying west over Cudmore Grove 

TREE PIPIT TREAT

The Feldy View tree pipit was seen again in Feldy View Cemetery on Tuesday 10th. It has been present here for three days which has been a real treat - this picture taken on Monday after it flew off the ground to perch in a low branch for a couple of minutes. This is the seventeenth record of a tree pipit on the island and none of them previously have stayed more than a morning. A tree pipit was also seen in Feldy View on the 25th August by Steve Entwistle and Martin Cock.

On Tuesday the tree pipit was seen again flying off the ground where it had been feeding in the grass, it perched for a couple of minutes and then dropped back down where it seemed quite confiding walking among the long grass and small memorial crosses at the back of the cemetery. 

Also in the cemetery on Tuesday were the two spotted flycatchers also present for their third day - one has been present for four days. A chiffchaff, five yellow wagtails, great spotted woodpecker and a flyover buzzard were also noted there, while forty goldfinches were feeding beside the Firs Chase caravan park.

Earlier on Tuesday a pair of ravens was seen swooping low and calling loudly as they flew south-west over the Firs Chase gardens, passing just under tree-height and providing close views. They had come from the direction of the caravan site and maybe Feldy View. A sparrowhawk also passed over Firs Chase.

A kingfisher was photographed by Michael Thorley on Tuesday by the East Mersea Golfhouse borrowdyke. Also seen in the area were a dabchick with two young, tufted duck, two pochard and mallard, while at the Point were three wheatears, eight linnets and two Sandwich terns.

Jon Ward also visited East Mersea Stone Point on Tuesday morning and noted five wheatears, two Mediterranean gulls, two Sandwich terns and 25- 30 linnets.

On Monday 9th the tree pipit was unexpectedly still present for its second day in Feldy View, seen flying off the ground and then perching in a tree. After flying off to the nearby hedge, it was seen back ten minutes later on a grassy path feeding, pictured here.

Also in Feldy View were the two spotted flycatchers for at least their second day, one was seen on Saturday too. The flycatchers were busy feeding in and around the trees that were sheltered from the fresh north-westerly wind. A flock of fifty sand martins passed quickly east over Feldy View.

Along the Strood channel on Monday was a common sandpiper, greenshank, 30 golden plover, 90 black-tailed godwits, Sandwich tern, ten Mediterranean gulls, also wheatear, two yellow wagtails and thirty linnets.

Martin Cock did a short walk at Maydays on Monday and saw two whinchats, two stonechats, greenshank and a sparrowhawk.

Michael Thorley photographed a chiffchaff on Monday in his East Mersea garden near Meeting Lane.

The chiffchaff was visiting the pond in Michael's garden.

Another picture of a chiffchaff by Michael in his East Mersea garden on Monday.

On Sunday 8th, this tree pipit was found and photographed by Andy Field in the Feldy View Cemetery.

The bird was first seen flying off the path to land in a low branch where it stayed long enough for Andy to take this picture of it. It was seen by several other local birders during the morning, although I don't believe it was seen in the afternoon, although it reappeared the following morning.

Two spotted flycatchers were busy feeding in the birches and oak trees of Feldy View - first found here by Andy, and they were also at the nearby aptly named "flycatcher-corner." Daniel and Mollie Kirk thought there may've been four birds present in the area on Sunday morning. A willow warbler, reed warbler and chiffchaff were also seen in Feldy View.

Andy saw a stoat briefly at flycatcher-corner on Sunday morning.

A sand martin perched on wires beside the Firs Chase caravan park on Sunday.

Among the flock of fifty swallows beside the Firs Caravan park on Sunday was this juvenile swallow.

Some of the fifty swallows perched on wires over the path beside the Firs Chase caravan park on Sunday. A hobby was seen flying fast as it headed east, passing close to this flock of swallows. Three yellow wagtails were heard flying over.

A wheatear was feeding along the bottom of the Strood seawall on Sunday, while in the fields two whinchats and four stonechats were along the central ditch with forty linnets.

Daniel Woollard saw five corn buntings along the central ditch earlier on Sunday.

A redshank fed near the Strood seawall on Sunday, with other waders of note in the channel being 20 black-tailed godwits and seven grey plover. Two Sandwich terns were in the channel with a common tern near Packing Shed island.

A flock of at least ninety Mediterranean gulls was counted on Sunday, first on the Strood mud and then again on the nearby field as the tide came in. There were more to be confirmed as Mediterranean gulls but either they were too distant on the mud, or were asleep at an angle that made their ID difficult.

A peregrine scattered all the gulls when it headed across the channel towards the Strood causeway.

In the ploughed field a murder of 65 carrion crows was counted.

A painted lady was seen nectaring on flowers on the seawall.

On Sunday late afternoon 15 wigeon flew south over the Firs Chase garden, also fifteen sand martins with a flock of fifty swallows passed over south-west.

At East Mersea a common scoter was seen by Mollie Kirk and Daniel Woollard flying towards Stone Point before turning back out to sea again. Also two wheatears on the path to the Point.

An osprey flew slowly down the Pyefleet Channel on Saturday 6th, every so often circling high over the water before continuing down channel passing Maydays where it was pictured here. Earlier on Saturday it had been seen perched on a post on the Geedons saltings, then came for a fly-around in the Pyefleet before returning to the post on the Geedons later in the afternoon.

A whinchat, three stonechats and a wheatear were seen at Maydays on Saturday. A hobby and five kestrels hunted over Langenhoe, a greenshank, bar-tailed godwit, eight black-tailed godwits and 130 grey plover were the main waders of note in the Pyefleet. Three Cetti's warblers sang, four house martins were by the farmhouse and five Mediterranean gulls noted too.

Ten small heaths and a common blue butterfly were inside the Maydays seawall on Saturday.

Four common seals were on the saltmarsh up the Pyefleet and a brown hare was at Maydays.

At Feldy View a spotted flycatcher was found by Steve Entwistle in Feldy View on Saturday morning. Also in Feldy were six willow warblers, two chiffchaffs, eight goldfinches, ten blue tits, two long-tailed tits and five chaffinches.

At Rewsalls marsh on Friday 6th four Sandwich terns, lots of waders roosting on the side lake, also a dead guillemot washed up on the beach, were seen by Martin Cock.

At Coopers Beach on Friday afternoon, Michael Thorley reported 20 little egrets, nine common gulls, two herring gulls, a few black-backed gulls, 30 golden plover, 15 oystercatchers, 13 turnstones, five ringed plovers, female common scoter, pied wagtail and wood pigeons. In the morning a great spotted woodpecker was seen near Blue Row.

Late on Friday night a tawny owl was heard calling in Firs Chase. 

A great tit was photographed by Michael Thorley in his East Mersea garden feeding on sunflower seeds.

On Thursday along the Strood there was a big flock of 80+ Mediterranean gulls on the mud, also eight Sandwich terns hunting the channel, 15 golden plover, 50 black-tailed godwits, hobby, wheatear, four stonechats and a "murder" of 58 carrion crows feeding in a field.

At East Mersea there was a spotted redshank reported on Birdguides, that was seen at the end of Ivy Lane on Thursday afternoon.

Andy Field walked the Cudmore circuit on Wednesday 4th and found five wheatears on the East Mersea Point - pictured here by Andy.

Two of the wheatears photographed by Andy on the sign at the East Mersea Point on Wednesday. Also seen were the leucistic redshank among 200 redshank, 20 grey plover, six ringed plover, dozens of terns flying into the estuary mainly common terns with some Sandwich terns. Also eight common terns were on the mud with a Sandwich tern. Four sand martins and thirty swallows seen flying about. A brief view of a barn owl at the park early in the morning and a little owl calling from the Golfhouse.

Five common seals were reported at Langenhoe Marsh Point on Wednesday by Rob Lee.

A grey squirrel was seen at the barn owl box by Daniel Woollard early on Wednesday.

By the Dabchicks on Wednesday 30 ringed plovers, ten black-tailed godwits, two grey plovers and two turnstones were seen. 

A Feathered Gothic was in the garden moth trap in Firs Chase on 7th September.

A Brindled Green seen on 7th.

Two Dark Sword-grass on 6th.

Two Silver Y's were on the 6th.

A smart looking Gold Spot is the first record for the garden.

An Olive-tree Pearl was seen on four nights between the 2nd and the 7th and may've been the same individual.

A Dusky Thorn was seen on both 2nd and 7th September.