ON THE MEDS

There were lots of gulls along the Strood Channel because a tractor was cultivating a nearby field on a sunny Monday 6th. This pair of Mediterranean gulls looked particularly eye-catching with matching white eye-liners.

At least five pairs of Mediterranean gulls are pictured here resting on the Strood mud on Monday, having a short break from following the nearby tractor in the fields. At least thirty Mediterranean gulls were noted, although far more must've been mixed in with all the other gulls in the field.

As the tide came closer to the Strood seawall, so did this redshank on Monday. A flock of ninety curlew were flushed off Ray Island, nine shelduck, 16 brent geese and one black-tailed godwit were also noted.

The warm weather on Monday saw six buzzards at various times in the air along the Strood, while a red kite was circling over the Strood field being cultivated by the tractor. A sparrowhawk flew over the channel and another one flew through the Firs Chase garden later on.

The male stonechat was by the Strood dyke, a corn bunting was singing in a weedy field and a meadow pipit flew over calling. A chiffchaff was singing in Firs Chase and another in The Lane.

Two brimstone, two peacock and comma butterflies were seen on the walk.

Early evening on Monday a barn owl was seen hunting the fields by the Strood reservoirs by Carrie Horwood. At the beginning of the day a barn owl was seen by Rob Lee near Barrow Hill, so possibly the same bird or the other bird of the pair.

Carrie also noted by the fishing lakes plenty of Cetti's warblers calling, skylarks, eight brent geese, red-legged partridge, pheasants, wrens, blackcap, little egret as well as a swallow near the Strood.

In the afternoon in the Kingsland Road and Beach Road area, Carrie reported a chiffchaff and blackcap singing, 3 brimstone and 2 peacock butterflies.

In Meeting Lane on Monday morning a willow warbler was heard singing by Martin Cock, also there six blackcaps, 7 chiffchaffs, 5 Cetti's warblers, 2 buzzards, sparrowhawk, kestrel, also small white and several peacock butterflies. Michael Thorley saw a small tortoiseshell in Meeting Lane.

A swallow was seen coming ashore at Cudmore Grove on Monday morning by Jack Hoy.

On Sunday 5th the first swallow of the summer reported on the Island was by Rob Lee as it flew alongside the Strood. Later in the morning two other swallows were seen flying north over the Strood channel thirty minutes apart, continuing their journey to northern breeding grounds.

Clive Pickering also watched a swallow flying along the West Mersea beach near Kingsland Road on Monday morning.

Birds noted along the Strood seawall on Sunday included a marsh harrier, two great crested grebes, ten brent geese, seven shelduck, a pair of gadwall and the local pair of stonechats.

At the end of Sunday, a barn owl was watched by Carrie Horwood hunting behind the Strood fishing lakes, quartering the area for nearly twenty minutes. 

On Saturday 4th a nest full of mallard eggs was found on top of the Maydays seawall. Having momentarily stopped during my walk on the seawall, a female mallard was seen flying low across the mud away from the seawall. I noticed that she was waiting on the mud for me to walk on by, before she returned to the nest.

Birds noted during the walk along the Maydays seawall were 6 marsh harriers, 4 buzzards, 15+ lapwings in the grass fields, 25 golden plover, 15 stock doves in the fields, 30 shelduck, 8 teal, four great crested grebes, 3 dunlin, six little egrets, four Cetti's warblers singing, chiffchaff and blackcap also singing, while a yellowhammer was calling.

A whitethroat was reported via Birdguides on Saturday near the Dog and Pheasant pub.

A Tawny Mining Bee was photographed in the Firs Chase garden on Saturday.

On Friday 3rd a ring-tail hen harrier was seen by Martin Cock at Maydays farm flying over the fields heading roughly south-west. Also 2 marsh harriers, 2 buzzards, 20 golden plover, 40 stock doves in the fields, a water rail squealing, while blackcap, chiffchaff and Cetti's warbler were heard singing.

Six pairs of pochard were seen by Rob Lee on Friday on a pond at Bower Hall farm.

Birds of interest along the Strood seawall on Friday included a great crested grebe, black-tailed godwit, marsh harrier, two buzzards, four little egrets, while a song thrush and two chiffchaffs were near the Firs Caravan park. 

On Thursday 2nd the leucistic redshank was back on the Golfhouse saltmarsh pools, photographed here by Andy Field.

A seemingly poorly knot was photographed by Andy on Stone Point - presumably the same bird seen by Michael Thorley here a week earlier.

A grey heron photographed by Andy on the park pond on Thursday. Also noted by Andy at the park were four chiffchaffs, 2 blackcaps, 2 Cetti's warblers, ten lapwings in the fields, pair of swans in the central ditch and a pair of pochard on the dyke.

In the Rewsalls marsh area, this group of turnstones was resting at high tide on the old concrete seawall. Seventy turnstones and forty redshank, two dunlin, two oystercatchers and a grey plover were the waders seen at high tide, while two Mediterranean gulls, 3 little egrets were also noted. 

Offshore was a great northern diver and also thirty great crested grebes.

Six linnets were seen in the area of the Youth Camp, also singing chiffchaff and blackcap.

A small white butterfly was along a field edge near the East Mersea boating lake on Thursday.

Two peacocks were also seen in the area of the Youth Camp on Thursday.

At West Mersea a sedge warbler was seen by Steve Entwistle in the Strood borrowdyke bramble bushes on Thursday afternoon, also a chiffchaff and 2 greenfinches seen in Feldy View cemetery.

A sedge warbler was back from Africa to sing in the bramble bushes in the Strood corner reedbed on Wednesday 1st. Only a faint burst was heard from the other sedge warbler in the dyke nearer the caravan park, the stonechat was noted. A great white egret was seen flying south-west over Ray Island, a marsh harrier and buzzard also noted.

Along the channel were two greylag geese flying, 20 brent geese, great crested grebe, 25 turnstones, five dunlin, black-tailed godwit, while song thrush was by the caravan park.

A little owl was seen by Steve Entwistle on Wednesday evening at Bromans Farm.

The regular wintering black brant was spotted again in the Strood channel opposite the Firs Caravan park on Tuesday 31st. Also along the channel were seventy brent geese, 12 shelduck, two great crested grebes and twenty black-tailed godwits. A marsh harrier and two buzzards were seen flying about.

The first sedge warbler of the spring back onto the island was in the Strood dyke on Tuesday. Also one stonechat, 15 linnets, four reed buntings, meadow pipit, while six chiffchaffs were noted on the Firs Chase / Firs Caravan park / Fedy View circuit.

The male stonechat photographed by Steve Entwistle along the Strood seawall, while watching the sedge warbler in the area early Tuesday afternoon.

An unexpected visitor to the bright moth light in the Firs Chase garden was this smooth newt found on the whitish-sheet. It was a bit chilly that Tuesday night for it to find any insects to feed on.

GARGANEY TWITCH!

Great excitement at Cudmore Grove Country Park on Monday 30th when a pair of garganey was found on the park pond in the morning. A number of birders/ twitchers, mostly local, came along during the day to admire and photograph this rare visitor to the island. Andy Field took this photo mid afternoon of the pair when the male wasn't actually asleep. Both birds spent most of the day asleep, maybe they'd just had an exhausting migration north and needed a good rest here.

This is the first island record of garganey since Shaun Bater found a pair on the park pond on 14th April 2022. Prior to that was 2013 on the grazing fields in October.

Mark Thomson took these three photos of the male garganey awake.

Another picture by Mark mid afternoon.

Picture by Mark.

Steve Entwistle took this picture in the morning of the garganey swimming about.

Michael Thorley managed to photograph the male garganey flapping its wings.

My photo of the sleeping male garganey in the early Monday evening with the female resting nearby too. They did jump into the water when a bossy coot barged past but soon returned back to sleep. The male was heard calling the distinctive croaking rattle on several occasions.

Also on the park pond that evening were pair of tufted ducks, pair of gadwall, male pochard and a water rail heard calling. A little owl was heard calling to the north of the pond, and a chiffchaff was singing. On the grazing fields were 8 lapwing, ten wigeon, 15 teal, 3 shelduck, 5 greylag geese, 2 Canada geese, black-tailed godwit, pair of kestrels in the box and also a buzzard flying over the field at the back.

On the nearby mud were a bar-tailed godwit, 20 golden plover, 3 pairs of Mediterranean gulls and an avocet, while 8 great crested grebes were at the mouth of the Colne.

On Monday morning along the Strood seawall, birds noted included buzzard, two pairs of Mediterranean gulls, great crested grebe, stonechat and ten linnets. A chiffchaff and song thrush were by the Firs caravan park and chiffchaff was singing in Firs Chase.

A female Hairy-footed Flower Bee feeding at a red deadnettle along the Strood seawall on Monday. Surprisingly this species has not been reported from the island before, although there are lots of mainland records nearby.

A song thrush hopped onto the field beside Feldy View on Sunday 29th. Two chiffchaffs and a goldcrest were noted in the area with a third chiffchaff singing in Firs Chase. A sparrowhawk perched in a tree over The Lane. A buzzard, great crested grebe, 20 brent geese and two shelduck were the birds of interest seen during a brief visit to the seawall.

A flock of 200 golden plover was resting in a field at Maydays farm on a windy Saturday 28th, with some of the birds developing their black bellies of summer. Twelve lapwings were in the Reeveshall fields, two Cetti's warblers singing and a yellowhammer near the dyke. Three marsh harriers, four buzzards and a red kite were the birds of prey seen during the seawall walk.

Thirty redshank were feeding along the Maydays creek on Saturday. Five great crested grebes were feeding in the Pyefleet channel.

A common lizard was keeping out of the cold northerly wind on top of the Maydays seawall on Saturday. A common seal was resting on the Pyefleet saltmarsh during the high tide period.

Peter Marchington photographed this male kestrel on Friday 27th along the West Mersea beach near Shears Court. The bird turns up here from time to time on quiet days.

 

Another kestrel photo taken by Peter.

The kestrel on the ground, taken by Peter.

On Friday Rob Lee reported a chiffchaff in his garden at Barrow Hill, while Martin Cock reported five brown hares together at Maydays on Friday morning.

A pair of Mediterranean gulls was courting with lots of distinctive calling, along the Strood channel on Thursday 26th.

Three pairs of Mediterranean gulls in total were seen and heard calling as they flew along the Strood channel. The adults have the very white wings, almost translucent in the bright light.

Along the channel on Thursday at low tide were 30 wigeon, 15 shelduck, 8 teal, two great crested grebes and 11 black-tailed godwits.

A female reed bunting perched on a bush by the Strood seawall on Thursday. In the sunshine two pairs of buzzard on passage flew north high over Firs Chase and Feldy View, while two local buzzards circled over the fields calling. A stonechat, ten linnets, 30 jackdaws and two chiffchaffs were noted on the walk too. A sparrowhawk and two blackcaps were in the Firs Chase garden.

Michael Thorley photographed this knot on the mud near the East Mersea Point on Thursday.

Andy Field walked the Cudmore Grove circuit on Thursday and reported a blackcap, three chiffchaffs, goldcrest, three pochard on the borrowdyke, ten lapwings on the grazing fields, two greylag geese, 300 brent geese and two pairs of ringed plovers at Stone Point.

A male stonechat was feeding alongside the female down below the Strood seawall out of the strong wind that was blowing from the north-west on Wednesday 25th. Other birds seen battling in the wind were two marsh harriers, buzzard, 30 brent geese, 20 wigeon, eight teal, 3 greylag geese and a flock in the weedy fields of 20 linnets and four corn buntings.

A pair of avocets dropped into the Strood channel to feed on Tuesday 24th. The commonest wader seen that day were 150 redshank with just the one black-tailed godwit seen. One Canada goose flew past, a buzzard, two stonechats and a meadow pipit were also noted.  Five redwings briefly landed in Feldy View before flying off to the caravan site. A sparrowhawk and two blackcaps were in the Firs Chase garden.

A slow-worm was seen slowly sliding across the gravel driveway at the Firs Chase garden on Tuesday 

Andy Field's trail camera captured three hedgehogs at their feeder, although there was a lot of argy-bargy going on between them during the night of Monday 23rd.

Stealing the hedgehog food the next night was this badger captured by Andy's trail-cam in his High Street North garden during the night of Tuesday 24th.

KITE OVER STROOD

A red kite circled over the Strood channel on Monday 23rd, before drifting over to Ray Island. A buzzard was also seen over the Peldon side.

The regular great white egret flew out of the Strood borrowdyke on Monday and landed in the nearby weedy field where it stood for half an hour, before returning to the dyke. A water rail was heard squealing from the reedbed near the central ditch, also the resident stonechat pair was alongside the dyke. Along the Strood channel were 100 wigeon, 100 brent geese, 11 shelduck, great crested grebe, 150 redshank and 11 black-tailed godwits. 

Two great spotted woodpeckers were in Feldy View on Monday morning, with a goldcrest seen alongside the caravan park. Five chiffchaffs were heard singing in various locations -Firs Chase, Feldy View, the Caravan park south side and also two down the east side which were presumed to be the same seen along the dyke later. A song thrush was seen in the Firs Chase garden.

Two mute swans seen on Monday by Martin Cock at the Cudmore Grove borrowdyke unable to access the main section of water because of the new fence.

On Sunday 22nd, birds seen during the walk along the Strood seawall included 180 brent geese, 130 wigeon, 8 teal and thirty turnstone. A peregrine hurtled low along the channel scattering all the birds ahead of its path, also marsh harrier seen snatching a redshank off the saltmarsh as it flew along, and a buzzard seen too.

A chiffchaff was near the caravan park, two song thrushes flew through Feldy View, while in Firs Chase the ring-necked parakeet was heard and a blackcap seen.

A red kite was seen by Jack Hoy flying over Mersea Avenue on Sunday.

High tide at Maydays marsh on Saturday 21st on a bright and sunny but chilly morning.

Eighteen lapwings were in the Reeveshall fields with many displaying, eight golden plover flew over. Six marsh harriers and four buzzards were seen Langenhoe and also over East Mersea. A great white egret landed on Langenhoe Point while 12 pintail were near Pewit Island. A gadwall flew down the Pyefleet channel and two great crested grebes present too.

Three common seals basked on the saltmarsh until it got submerged by the high tide.

On Maydays two red-legged partridge were in a field, male yellowhammer and two Cetti's warbler were along the dyke, ten linnets seen and two singing chiffchaffs heard.

An interesting parasitic wasp with a red and black-banded abdomen feeding on Alexanders on the Maydays seawall - a female Ichneumon sarcitorius.

In Firs Chase the two overwintering blackcaps were seen again, also the first holly blue butterfly of the spring.

Peter Marchington took these next three photographs near the Monkey Steps on Saturday morning. Long-tailed tit here.

Blue tit taken by Peter.

Wren taken by Peter.

Andy Field and I walked the north side of the island from Maydays to Cudmore Grove carrying out the monthly wetland bird count on Friday 20th. The highlight were two distant ruff on Pewit Island at high tide. One of the birds had a chestnut head and neck pictured here wading beside some shelduck and a pintail. The other ruff was very noticeable with its white head and neck amongst a group of redshank, which was seen briefly before it flew off. Sixteen black-tailed godwits flew down channel.

There was a good number of 38 pintail on Pewit Island at high tide along with a nice variety of waders and wildfowl. Four red-breasted mergansers were seen during the walk to Cudmore, also 16 great crested grebes. At Maydays 250 golden plovers were in a field, also three yellowhammers and a chiffchaff were noted, while on Reeveshall were 18 lapwings, five Canada geese, four greylag geese and a corn bunting. A whimbrel was heard whistling beside the Pyefleet but not seen.

 

A female marsh harrier passed overhead at Reeveshall on Friday, one of about six seen during the walk including males displaying, a red kite was seen over Langenhoe Hall marsh and four buzzards seen too. 

At least four common lizards were basking on top of the Maydays seawall on Friday.

A caterpillar of the cream-spot tiger moth was on the Maydays seawall on Friday.

Fifteen shoveler were on the Golfhouse pools on Friday, other wildfowl noted at Cudmore Grove included 360+ wigeon on the fields, 30+ teal, six greylag geese also there, while on the park pond were 5 pochard, 2 tufted ducks and 2 gadwall. A chiffchaff was singing by the park pond.

An avocet looked like it was sitting on the island on the Golfhouse pools with another bird feeding in the water nearby. Not sure if the avocet was sitting on a nest or just resting. Twelve lapwings were seen in the eastern grazing field, while eight ringed plovers were near the Point and 250 oystercatchers on the mudflats.

Carrie Horwood visited Rewsalls Marsh on Friday as part of the WEBS count and saw offshore a great northern diver, two Slavonian grebes and also 28 sanderling. In addition Steve Entwistle reported 91 golden plovers from Coopers Beach.

A red-necked grebe was seen in the Mersea Quarters near Packing Shed Island by Colin Mackenzie-Grieve looking from Old Hall on Friday.

Peter Marchington took several pictures on Friday - including this oystercatcher, seen close to his home beside the seafront at Shears Court. 

Pair of oystercatchers seen flying by Peter.

Little egret by Peter.

Curlews flying by Peter.

House sparrow by Peter.

House sparrow by Peter.

On a sunny Thursday 19th, I was joined for my Strood seawall walk by Charlie Coltman. Three black-tailed godwits were seen in the channel - two of them getting into summer plumage. As well as the usual redshank, curlew and oystercatchers, the only other waders seen were 7 golden plover overhead and 20 turnstones on a pontoon. A Mediterranean gull in summer plumage was seen in the channel.

Five red kites were circling over the field on the Peldon side on Thursday, while four buzzards, marsh harrier, two kestrels and a sparrowhawk were seen during the walk. A great white egret was seen flying, also four little egrets, while smaller birds included the pair of stonechat, 12 linnets, two reed buntings and a meadow pipit.

The ring-necked parakeet called in Firs Chase and two blackcaps were on the garden bird feeders on Thursday.

A small tortoiseshell was pictured along the Strood seawall on the sunny Thursday. Also during the walk five brimstone butterflies were seen, also the first small white butterfly of the spring fluttering along Firs Chase.

Mark Thomson saw three brimstones down Cross Lane and two peacocks by Dabchicks / Feldy View area on Thursday.

A Dark-edged Bee-fly was photographed by Andy Field in his West Mersea garden on Thursday.