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.

FIELDFARE FLOCK

Forty fieldfares were feeding in the East Mersea Vineyard on Wednesday 18th - this one perching high up in a poplar tree. At the nearby Rewsalls Marshes, a wisp of thirty snipe flew around as the high tide covered the marsh, other main wader flocks were 130 turnstones and 60 redshank. Four great crested grebes were offshore.

A peacock butterfly was resting beside the Vineyard on Wednesday. The sunny conditions saw about a thousand Early Colletes Bees buzzing low over the grassy area in front of Waldegraves.

A pair of red-legged partridge was in a field by Cross Lane on Wednesday, also a chiffchaff singing along there and a sparrowhawk overhead.

A colourful daffodil display beside Decoy Point at Waldegraves Holiday Park on Wednesday.

A great crested grebe was photographed by Chris Conway on the West Mersea Hard on Wednesday late afternoon. It appeared to be fairly lively but had a bit of a limp, hopefully it was able to get back to the water.

Martin Cock saw a Slavonian grebe off the Esplanade on Wednesday, also a female blackcap in his garden for the last few days.

Mark Thompson saw a great northern diver in Besom Fleet on Wednesday, also a red kite flying over Peony Chase near the Glebe.

The great white egret was back along the Strood on Tuesday 17th, here standing in the weedy field after flying away from the nearby dyke.

The great white egret stalking along the Strood dyke on Tuesday, before flying onto the nearby field. Three stonechats and 15 linnets were noted along the edge of the dyke, while a rock pipit was along the seawall and a buzzard seen too.

A black-headed gull in full breeding plumage perched on the Strood seawall sluice on Wednesday. Along the channel were 200 brent geese, 50 wigeon, four black-tailed godwits, two dunlin, two great crested grebes and a Mediterranean gull.

A pair of blue tits was tearing open the flowering heads of the reedmace in the Strood borrowdyke on Tuesday. Three great spotted woodpeckers were together in Feldy View and two green woodpeckers were feeding together in the paddock by the Nothe.

A brimstone butterfly was in Jack Hoy's garden in Mersea Avenue on Tuesday.

A buzzard flew over the Strood fields and headed west over the Strood channel on Monday 16th. A marsh harrier and a red kite were also seen flying, while along the channel were 100 brent geese, two greylag geese flying and a great crested grebe. In the weedy field was a flock of 30 skylarks, also a stonechat and 12 linnets. 

At Maydays farm on Monday Steve Entwistle reported a chiffchaff, Cetti's warbler and a lesser black-backed gull.

A great white egret was seen flying over the Strood channel on Sunday 15th. Other birds of note included a marsh harrier, 100 wigeon, two great crested grebes, 12 golden plover and ten shelduck.

Peter Hoy rescued a sparrowhawk that had got tangled up in his garden netting in West Mersea. The bird had a metal ring on its leg although no number was noted at the time.

The sparrowhawk before it was freed and allowed to fly away. Photos by Peter.

An early hummingbird hawkmoth was a surprise visitor to some hyacinths in the Firs Chase garden on Sunday afternoon.

On Saturday 13th Andy Field visited the East Mersea Youth Camp and saw a raven being chased by a crow as it flew east, also twenty fieldfares there. A great northern diver was offshore from Coopers Beach, while at Cudmore Grove a water rail called from the park pond, 1000 brent geese were in the grazing fields and six pochard were on the dyke.

At Maydays on Saturday Steve Entwistle reported two Canada geese, grey heron, Cetti's warbler, five little egrets and two shelduck. The great northern diver was seen off Coopers Beach, while from the Esplanade the peregrine could be seen in the distance on Bradwell power station.

Mark Thompson saw a chiffchaff by the Vineyard alders on Saturday, while at Cudmore Grove Daniel Woollard saw the first blackcap of the year in his garden. The previous evening Daniel saw a barn owl over his garden.

A chiffchaff was feeding over the path beside the Firs Chase caravan park on Friday 13th. A sparrowhawk, green woodpecker and great spotted woodpecker were also seen in the area.

Birds noted from the Strood seawall were great crested grebe, ten shelduck, three little egrets, stonechat and ten meadow pipits. 

Three blackcaps were in the Firs Chase garden on Friday morning. 

Michael Thorley saw two greylag geese and 30 teal at Cudmore Grove on Friday afternoon.

In Shop Lane a chiffchaff and two buzzards were noted by Martin Cock.

A grey partridge was seen running into Wellhouse Farm on Friday by Jack Hoy.

At Cudmore Grove a very obliging barn owl was photographed by Kim Rollison beside the park pond on Thursday morning.

Birds noted along the Strood seawall on Thursday included 20 golden plover, 40 wigeon, ten shelduck, great crested grebe, grey heron, three little egrets, sparrowhawk and three meadow pipits.