SQUIRREL VISITORS

A couple of red squirrels have been visiting the Firs Chase garden in recent days, with this female photographed on Friday 19th.

The same female red squirrel had a rest for a couple of minutes on the cedar tree in the garden.

The red squirrel paused for a moment as it made its way down the tree trunk.

A swarm of wild honey bees were seen gathered on a bramble bush right beside the path in front of the Firs Chase caravan park on Friday.

An adult Mediterranean gull with the black hood and red bill was feeding on the saltmarsh in front of the Firs Chase caravan park on Friday. A marsh harrier was seen flying over the Feldy seawall.

A male common darter was photographed on Friday by Michael Thorley in his East Mersea garden.

A female ruddy darter also photographed by Michael in his garden.

A family of tufted ducks was feeding along the dyke at Cudmore Grove on Thursday 18th.

The six cygnets of the mute swans are growing fast, feeding along the Cudmore Grove dyke on Thursday.

Two turnstones were seen at East Mersea Point on Thursday, also a ringed plover, 3 black-tailed godwits, Sandwich tern and three common terns also a flock of 30 linnets feeding here. Twelve sand martins were seen, some still nesting in the cliff, four house martins were seen by the bus turning circle with ten swallows.

The top of the head of a barn owl chick was all that was visible on Thursday morning behind the park pond. Five little egrets and a grey heron were at the pond.

A couple of black-tailed skimmers were flying around the park dyke on Thursday, also a couple of Emperors too.

At least half a dozen Small red-eyed damselflies were seen along the park dyke on Thursday.

A female red squirrel was peering down from a maple tree over a path at the country park on Thursday.

Loads of fallen helicopter seed-wings scattered on the path near the bird hide, was a clue there was a red squirrel feeding in the tree above!

Steve Entwistle visited Shop Lane on Thursday late afternoon and saw two white-letter hairstreaks beside the Fishponds Wood path. Also seen during the walk to the Shop Lane seawall were a comma, 2 gatekeepers, 2 peacocks, 10 meadow browns, 11 small heaths, holly blue, female ruddy darter, four marsh harriers, 3 skylarks, 3 linnets and a common tern.

At Chapmans Lane a buzzard was seen by Steve following a combine harvesting the rape field, also three swifts in the air.

A white-letter hairstreak was photographed by Andy Field beside Fishponds Wood in Shop Lane on Wednesday 17th - the first sighting this summer on the island.

Later at Cudmore Grove Andy saw 22 common terns flying out of the river Colne, 2 Mediterranean gull, buzzard by the pond and two chiffchaffs. 

Martin Cock visiting Cudmore Grove on Wednesday morning saw two Sandwich terns, brief view of the barn owl in the box, tufted duck with six young in the dyke, several whitethroats, blackcaps and lesser whitethroat, also a ringlet butterfly.

Late Wednesday afternoon Steve Entwistle walked the Cudmore Grove circuit and saw 3 green woodpeckers on the Golfhouse paddock ( five had been seen previously by Mark Thomson), lesser whitethroat, Cetti's warbler, Sandwich tern, 22 common terns, 20 sand martins, 18 swallows, 2 reed warblers, 2 reed buntings, barn owl hunting the grazing fields, 2 shelduck, teal, while on the pond were the mute swan with four cygnets and a little grebe with one young.

A painted lady was feeding at lavender flowers in Feldy View on Wednesday 17th. A walk along the Strood seawall provided views of five whimbrel, two black-tailed godwits, two common terns, buzzard, sparrowhawk, three stonechats and four whitethroats along the central ditch, two yellow wagtails, also 50 swifts over the houses.

 

A painted lady was feeding along the Strood seawall on Tuesday 16th.

Birds noted during the walk along the seawall were avocet, 30 curlew, three black-tailed godwits, 160 redshank, 2 common terns, Mediterranean gull, 2 sparrowhawk, 2 buzzard, 2 kestrels, 3 reed warblers, whitethroat, two stonechats, 8 linnets, also 36 swifts over the houses.

A female ruddy darter was seen next to Feldy View on Tuesday.

Cuttlebones are often seen washed up on the beach but it's not often the actual cuttlefish is seen intact. This one was on the mud next to the Fishermans Hut by the Hard, so was probably discarded by the fishermen.

FRESH PEACOCK

A fresh looking peacock butterfly was resting on a bench in Feldy View on sunny Monday 15th.

A brown argus was also in Feldy View on Monday - the first one of the summer here. Other butterflies seen were meadow browns, gatekeepers, Essex/ Small skippers, red admiral, small white and a small heath.

A skylark perched on a bush by the Strood seawall on Monday. A stonechat was at the back of the weedy fields, a corn bunting was singing and three yellow wagtails were seen flying. Two buzzards, two kestrels, marsh harrier and a sparrowhawk were noted. There was a big feeding flock of swifts seen over the houses with 110 counted.

Two whitethroats were singing near each other beside the Strood seawall on Monday, also three sedge warblers and a reed warbler heard too. In the dyke was a mallard with six ducklings, also a little grebe here too. Along the channel were 50 curlew, four lapwing, 200 redshank, two common terns, whimbrel, two Mediterranean gulls and also 13 black-tailed godwits near the Dabchicks sailing club.

On Sunday 14th a male yellowhammer was seen on bushes by the Maydays seawall.

Two male yellowhammers were singing their distinctive song - "little bit of bread and no cheese". A Cetti's warbler, two reed warblers were along the dyke, ten stock doves flew over, five swifts and five sand martins were seen and a house martin by the farmhouse. A hobby was seen chasing a sand martin for short while before giving up.

A male stonechat seen against the bright sunshine at Maydays on Sunday with two others noted too. In the Pyefleet were a family of ten shelduck, three common terns, four Mediterranean gulls, four little egrets and two marsh harriers over Langenhoe.

A pair of six-spot burnets was mating beside the Maydays seawall on Sunday.

Three brown hares were in a field while in the Pyefleet were two mum common seals each with a pup.

On Saturday 13th at Cudmore Grove Country Park, Andy Field photographed these two barn owl chicks standing on the ledge and nearly ready to leave their nest-box. A third chick was also seen while a fourth chick stayed inside.

At West Mersea on Saturday there were sixteen black-tailed godwits on the mud near the Dabchicks sailing club.

On Friday 12th Martin Cock visited Maydays and reported a greenshank, fifty redshank, two stonechats, nine young shelduck, marsh harrier, five common seals and a Chinese Water deer.

At Cudmore Grove on Friday 15 common terns and a Sandwich tern were seen by Mollie Kirk. Later in the day a marsh harrier and a barn owl were seen over the grazing fields, and a badger was seen on the park horseride by Caroline White.

An immature male southern migrant hawker was seen beside the path down the side of the Firs Chase caravan park on Friday 12th.

Birds noted along the Strood seawall were marsh harrier, two common terns, 100 redshank, 16 black-tailed godwits, two shelduck, Cetti's warbler singing, three sedge warblers, reed warbler, lesser whitethroat, also 30 swifts over the houses.

A common sandpiper was feeding on the edge of the mud near the sluice on the Strood seawall on Thursday 11th. Other waders noted were a greenshank, 90 redshank, 14 black-tailed godwits, ten curlew and a lapwing, also three common terns, Mediterranean gull and four shelduck.

A skylark was trying to hide on the path on the Strood seawall on Thursday. A corn bunting was singing, 4 yellow wagtails over, two marsh harriers, four buzzards and 43 carrion crows were noted. A nightingale was heard calling loudly from the scrub on Ray Island - the loud wheet call carrying across in the breeze. Forty swifts were seen over the houses.

Andy Field visited Reeveshall on Thursday and photographed this immature Southern Migrant Hawker dragonfly in its teneral stage. Also noted were four black-tailed godwits, a very pale bar-tailed godwit, two whimbrel, two turnstone, six marsh harriers, two common terns and two singing corn buntings.

On Wednesday 10th a very white black-headed gull caught the eye as it fed on the mud along the Strood Channel. There was still a greyish patch on the head but not the full black like other black-headed gulls also feeding in the Strood.

This leucistic black-headed gull is the first time one of these variants has been seen on the Island. It should be easy to spot in future as it lacks the grey wings, so appearing very white.

Also along the Strood were a greenshank, 30 redshank, 11 black-tailed godwits, whimbrel, two shelduck, three turnstones, two common terns, sparrowhawk, five sand martins, singing corn bunting, three sedge warblers and a little grebe. Thirty swifts were flying over the houses.

In East Mersea on Wednesday, Martin Cock walked the Shop Lane seawall and reported four marsh harriers including a juvenile, brent goose and a probably cattle egret with the cows on Reeveshall. The previous night a barn owl was seen on the Strood railings by Martin.

At Cudmore Grove Daniel Woollard saw 200 starlings on Wednesday evening also reed warbler and whimbrel.

On Tuesday 9th two green sandpipers appeared to fly off the saltmarsh by the Firs Caravan park calling as they circled over the Strood channel before disappearing over to Feldy. Also noted were three shelduck, lapwing, 8 curlew, 12 black-tailed godwits, 50 redshank, six common terns, marsh harrier and 400 starlings feeding in the fields.

BOAT SURVEY

I joined the RSPB on Monday 8th to help with one of their breeding bird survey sessions on-board Stacey Belbin's Lady Grace boat. Along with Kieren Alexander, Steve Hunting and Adam Nixon, we counted any nesting birds and chicks on Cobmarsh and Packing Shed Islands, Old Hall Point and Shingle-head Point at Tollesbury Wick.

There were plenty of herring gulls nesting on the islands with this family on Packing Shed. Hopefully we can track where this adult has been ringed as the number Y6PT can be clearly seen on the red ring on the leg. Ringed plovers, lesser black-backed gulls and oystercatchers were the other birds nesting on some of the beaches - final numbers still to be confirmed.

 

One herring gull was happy to ignore the sign instructions on Packing Shed island!

Other birds seen during the boat trip included a peregrine sitting on the Old Hall Point beach, ten common terns, two whimbrel, Mediterranean gull, great crested grebe, ten sand martins and a yellow wagtail.

Earlier on Monday morning a kestrel was seen perched in a tree in Feldy View surveying the grasslands below it. Two buzzards were later seen during the walk along the Strood seawall. Thirty swifts were flying over the nearby houses.

Three sedge warblers were singing along the Strood dyke on Monday, also two reed warblers heard.

A little egret was feeding near the Strood sluice outflow on Monday, also two others along the channel and a common tern feeding.

Two black-tailed godwits fed along the water's edge on Monday, also a whimbrel, 45 curlew, three shelduck, two lapwings and 44 redshank.

A comma butterfly rested beside the path near Feldy View on Monday.

Andy Field photographed this sand martin looking out of its nest-hole in the cliff at Cudmore Grove on Monday, two others noted too. Also seen on Cudmore circuit were six common terns, 14 Mediterranean gulls, two juvenile ringed plovers and a barn owl at the box.

A Beewolf at Cudmore Grove photographed by Andy.

A Mason Wasp at Cudmore Grove photographed by Andy on Monday.

A Small Skipper photographed at Cudmore Grove by Andy on Monday.

An Essex Skipper photographed by Andy at Cudmore Grove on Monday.

At Maydays on Monday, Martin Cock reported a peregrine, buzzard, marsh harrier, yellowhammer, pair of stonechat and a sedge warbler. Later a Painted Lady and a song thrush were seen by Martin in his West Mersea garden.

On Sunday 7th Martin Cock visited Maydays and saw a red kite, three marsh harriers, probable cattle egret with the cows on Reeveshall, stonechat, yellowhammer, two sedge warblers singing, reed warbler, two blackcaps, whitethroat and three common seals.

Two red kites were seen over Barrow Hill on Sunday by Rob Lee.

A six-spot burnet moth was seen at Cudmore Grove by Caroline White on Sunday.

Several clumps of Sea Holly were in flower on the beach just west of Waldegraves Holiday Park on Saturday 6th. There was a steady westward flow of seventy swifts during a half-hour period near midday. Four Mediterranean gulls and two linnets were noted by the beach. Two tufted ducks, moorhen and a mallard with five ducklings were on the pond by the new estate beside Cross Lane. 

At Cudmore Grove on Saturday afternoon Daniel Woollard saw 75 curlew, 14 Mediterranean gulls, 50 swifts, 20 sand martins with at least two chicks seen in the cliff, grey heron with four little egrets at the park pond.

Michael Thorley saw six tufted ducks and a dabchick with two young at Cudmore Grove on Saturday.

Steve Entwistle reported a song thrush and little egret from his West Mersea garden on Saturday.

STROOD SANDPIPER

A common sandpiper was seen briefly alongside the Strood seawall on Friday 5th during the high tide. It stopped off a couple of times to feed beside the edge of the water. This is the first returning bird of the autumn. A great white egret flew down channel towards Salcott, two common terns and 15 black-tailed godwits were also noted.

A large feeding flock of 400+ swifts was circling over the fields on the Peldon side with many birds crossing over from the island to join the flock. Other birds noted during the seawall walk were two buzzards, two yellow wagtails, eight linnets and a singing reed warbler.

A red admiral rested on the path beside the Firs Caravan park on Friday.

An Essex Skipper was feeding on a scabious flower in Feldy View on Friday.

Along the Strood seawall an emperor dragonfly fed on a small white butterfly it had just caught.

Forty swifts were seen over Willougby car park on Friday morning by Martin Cock.

Six mute swan cygnets with a parent photographed by Caroline White at the Cudmore Grove pond on Thursday 4th.

The family of oystercatchers behind the Dabchicks sailing club continue to grow with these three chicks resting on the saltmarsh with a parent during the high tide on Thursday 4th.

Along the Strood seawall were 80 swifts, 15 redshank, Mediterranean gull, marsh harrier, sparrowhawk, two common terns, two kestrels, sedge warbler, reed warbler, yellow wagtail and a whitethroat in Feldy View.

Two gatekeepers were seen on the bramble bushes near Feldy View on Thursday.

A spotted longhorn beetle was also on a bramble bush near Feldy View on Thursday.

At Cudmore Grove five stoats were seen by Mollie Kirk playing in the back garden of her bungalow on Thursday morning.

An oystercatcher nest was found on the beach at East Mersea Point with one egg in it.

On Wednesday 3rd the family of oystercatchers with chicks was feeding close to the path behind the Dabchicks during the high tide period.

During the walk along the Strood seawall on Wednesday three common terns were seen, ten lapwings, 15 curlew, three redshank, Mediterranean gull, pochard flying down channel, two marsh harriers, four buzzards, two reed warblers, sedge warbler, yellow wagtail and 30 swifts over the houses.

On Wednesday evening Steve Entwistle reported noting at Cudmore Grove whitethroat, three green woodpeckers, two sand martins, 43 swifts flying south west over the pond and a barn owl over the grazing fields. A little owl was seen later near Bocking Hall perched by the East Mersea roadside.

A summer chafer was photographed at Cudmore Grove by Caroline White.

A young pipistrelle bat was found looking a bit lost inside the house of Rusty and Michelle Marshall in Firs Chase on Tuesday 2nd. A call to the Essex Bat Rescue allowed the bat to be collected and cared for overnight.

The following evening the young pipistrelle bat was later returned to the Rusty and Michelle's house on Wednesday - thanks to Martin Pugh climbing a ladder onto the roof and placing the bat back in the bat roost up behind the soffits. Thirty common pipistrelle bats were watched emerging from their roost going out to forage. Hopefully the young bat will be found back inside the roost by its mother.

A fledged ringed plover chick was photographed by Lea Merclova at East Mersea Point on Wednesday. 

A barn owl was seen hunting the fields at Cudmore by Lea.

Martin Cock saw a pair of presumed stonechats at the back of the Golfhouse pools on Wednesday. Earlier a shelduck along with her five ducklings were seen by Martin walking along the East Mersea road down towards the Golfhouse.

On Tuesday 2nd a lapwing was feeding on mud near the path behind the Dabchicks sailing club just after the high tide. The only other birds seen during a brief visit to the Strood were five curlew, five redshank, two common terns, yellow wagtail and a sedge warbler, while 60 swifts were noted flying west.