STROOD DARTFORD WARBLER

A Dartford warbler was an unexpected discovery along the Strood seawall late morning on Monday 5th, feeding in the company of a pair of stonechats. This is a picture of the bird by Ed Bateman - who managed to snap the bird as it briefly perched on a bush. The bird appeared to be a female as it didn't show the extensive dark red on the face and underparts of a male bird. There was some dark red along the flanks and upper chest suggesting a female.

The Dartford warbler covered quite a long area of bushes, brambles and tall plants alongside the Strood borrowdyke as it kept up with the stonechats. It was seen several times flying from one bush to the next and briefly showing for a few seconds before disappearing again. It even flew out into the middle of the saltmarsh for a minute or so, before returning to the seawall. It was heard to call latterly a few times.

This is only the second record of Dartford Warbler on the island after the first one at East Mersea Point was nearly twenty years ago, in February 2007.

Also seen along the Strood on Monday were four buzzards, red kite, marsh harrier and a sparrowhawk.

As well as the pair of stonechats with the Dartford warbler at the north-eastern end of the seawall, another pair was at the south-west end, with a single bird in the middle. Also ten corn buntings, 5 reed buntings, 25 linnets, 20 meadow pipits and 30 skylarks in the fields.

Two wigeon were along the Strood channel on Monday, as well as 30 teal, greenshank, 35 golden plovers, bar-tailed godwit, 15 dunlin, 30 grey plover and 15 ringed plover.

Two great spotted woodpeckers were by Feldy View, also a blackcap, 2 chiffchaffs and 20 goldfinches.

Four brent geese were seen off the Monkey Beach at West Mersea by Mark Thomson on Monday.

A grey squirrel was seen at Cudmore Grove on Monday by Jodie.

Andy Field photographed this stonechat on Sunday 4th, in the flycatcher-corner area beside the Firs Chase caravan park, with another two along the Strood seawall. Three or four chiffchaffs were in the Feldy View-flycatcher corner area .

Peter Marchington visited Cudmore Grove on Sunday and photographed this meadow pipit there.

Another picture by Peter of meadow pipit.

A mallard photographed at Cudmore by Peter.

Clouded Yellow at Cudmore Grove pictured by Peter on Sunday.

Michael Thorley photographed this Grey Dagger moth caterpillar in his East Mersea garden on Friday 2nd. He also saw a Wall Brown butterfly in his garden on Friday.

Steve Entwistle on Friday saw 2 Sandwich terns, a common gull and 12 great black-backed gulls following a fishing boat, from the West Mersea Esplanade late afternoon.

An unexpected visitor to the moth trap in the Firs Chase garden on the night of the 6th was this smooth newt, found resting on the white sheet. One was also found beside the moth trap back on the 1st April.

Black Rustic.

Figure of Eight.

Feathered Ranunculus.

Olive-tree Pearl

Yellow-line Quaker.

Large Wainscot.

Box Moth.

Least Carpet.

FLYCATCHER FEST CONTINUES

A fifth pied flycatcher for Feldy View this autumn first found on the 28th September by Martin Cock, was still present on the 1st October when Oli Cottis photographed the bird shown here.

The pied flycatcher photographed by Oli Cottis on the 1st, spent most of the time in the trees at the northern end of the woodland cemetery, sometimes elusive and mobile.

It has been the best autumn for pied flycatchers seen on the Island with eight different birds being found - at two locations in East Mersea and two locations in West Mersea. Spotted Flycatchers have also had a good autumn on the island with at least a dozen individuals from five locations.

Also seen by Oli in Feldy View on Thursday were a possible tree pipit which flew from trees at the northern end but unfortunately didn't call, also a redwing, Mediterranean gull and a Clouded Yellow.

The pied flycatcher was seen on Wednesday 30th in Feldy View by Martin Cock and others, with a redwing also seen there by Ed Bateman.

Andy Field watched the pied flycatcher in Feldy View on Tuesday 29th, also seeing during his walk onto the seawall 3 chiffchaffs, pair of stonechats, 6 meadow pipits, 5 greenshank and 40 black-tailed godwits.

Mark Thomson saw male and female blackcaps and a chiffchaff beside the Firs Chase caravan park on Tuesday.

At Cudmore Grove on Tuesday morning Daniel Woollard saw 30 meadow pipits flying over, 5 reed buntings, 4 stonechats, 2 chiffchaffs and a blackcap.

On Monday 28th the pied flycatcher was first found at Feldy View by Martin Cock, which subsequently stayed for four days. 

Two buzzards were seen by Mark Thomson soaring over East Road on Monday.

Peter Marchington photographed this little egret on Sunday 27th in front of the Firs Chase caravan park.

The little egret was photographed during the high tide on Sunday afternoon.

Little egret pictured by Peter.

Black-headed gull pictured by Peter.

Speckled Wood butterfly pictured by Caroline Horwood.

Michael Thorley visited Cudmore Grove Country Park on Sunday 27th and saw four wigeon in the borrowdyke, also four Clouded Yellows feeding on the yellow flowers of the Bristly Ox-tongue.

The spotted flycatcher was present at Cudmore Grove on Saturday 26th for its third day. Pictured here by Daniel Woollard on the bird-bath in his back garden at the park.

It has been a good autumn for spotted flycatchers on the island with at least twelve birds being found.

During an afternoon loop walk at Cudmore Grove and the Golfhouse by Daniel on Saturday, he reported seeing 100 golden plover, 175 oystercatchers, 5 black-tailed godwits and two bar-tailed godwits, as well as the leucistic redshank among lots of the other usual waders.

Also seen by Daniel were a peregrine harassing all the waders, 15 Sandwich terns seen, a few meadow pipits calling as the flew over, reed bunting, Cetti's warbler, six stonechats on the grazing marsh, six blackcaps, 3 chiffchaffs and a lesser whitethroat along the Golfhouse track.

Paul Rowe saw a Wall Brown butterfly along the Cudmore Grove shore on Saturday afternoon.

ANOTHER FELDY VIEW FLYCATCHER

 

Feldy View delivered yet another flycatcher on Friday 25th with a spotted flycatcher being found by Steve Entwistle in the morning. Photo by Steve as it fed from the top of the silver birches.

Steve also saw 3 goldfinches, chaffinch and a Wall Brown in Feldy View.

The spotted flycatcher in Feldy View was also photographed by Mark Thomson on Friday.

Another picture by Mark of the spotted flycatcher in Feldy View.

Peter Marchington also visited Feldy View on Friday but there was no sign of the spotted flycatcher for him in the afternoon. Instead three buzzards put on a good display relatively low overhead.

Another buzzard over Feldy View by Peter.

Buzzard by Peter on Friday over Feldy View.

At Cudmore Grove a spotted flycatcher was seen by Mollie Kirk on Friday for the second day, at the bird bath in her back garden.

Jonathan Norgate enjoyed seeing six Clouded Yellows and three Wall Brown butterflies on Friday morning at Cudmore Grove, also twenty Sandwich terns offshore.

Michael Thorley photographed many Ivy Bees on the ivy in his East Mersea garden on Friday.

Two Ivy Bees photographed by Michael in the ivy hedge behind his garden on Friday.

A spotted flycatcher was photographed by Mollie Kirk on Thursday 24th at Cudmore Grove, as it visited her bird bath in her back garden.

Ten spoonbills and a great white egret were seen on the Pyefleet mud near Shop Lane on Thursday by Martin Cock. 

A red squirrel was seen running down Elmwood Drive in West Mersea by Jo McDonough on Thursday, while a grey squirrel was reported in the Shop Lane woods by Martin Cock and another in Bromans Lane by Jodie.

On Wednesday 23rd another pied flycatcher was found in Feldy View in the north-east corner by Andy Field. It proved to be quite elusive and mobile during the morning.

Andy later saw 2 Sandwich terns fly west past the Esplanade on Wednesday.

Martin Cock  saw seven Sandwich terns from the East Mersea Oyster Fishery on Wednesday and also heard a water rail squealing from the borrowdyke.

A grey seal was photographed by Peter Marchington as it swam just offshore from Shears Court on Tuesday 22nd. A great crested grebe also seen offshore from here too.

At Feldy View and the nearby flycatcher corner on Tuesday Andy Field reported five chiffchaffs, blackcap, Mediterranean gull overhead and a Clouded Yellow seen.

On Monday 21st, Martin Cock saw 500+ swallows and house martins perched on wires across the field by Chapmans Lane. At Maydays farm there was a red kite, two buzzards, snipe and a chiffchaff seen by Martin.

There was a large flock of swallows and house martins over the fields by the entry to Waldegraves Lane seen by Mark Thomson on Sunday 20th.

Steve Entwistle saw a hobby chasing ten swallows, 15 meadow pipits and 20 pied wagtails, also two yellow wagtails on wires in Chapmans Lane on Sunday afternoon.

Carrie Horwood saw a female sparrowhawk pass through her Fairhaven Avenue garden on its regular daily visits and a male blackcap in her garden on Saturday 19th.

At the Golfhouse and Cudmore Grove area on Friday 18th Martin Cock reported six chiffchaffs, lesser whitethroat, 2 Sandwich terns and 12 Clouded Yellows including a pale Helice individual.

Steve Entwistle visited Feldy View on Friday and reported a willow warbler, 5 chiffchaff, 5 goldfinches, 2 green woodpeckers and a Wall Brown butterfly.

Andy Field found and photographed this pied flycatcher in Feldy View on Wednesday 16th. It was spending most of the time in the north-east corner mostly in the silver birches.

Peter Marchington also photographed the pied flycatcher in Feldy View on Wednesday.

Michael Thorley photographed a Wall Brown in his East Mersea garden near Meeting Lane on Wednesday.

Andy Field photographed an Ivy Bee in his garden in High Street North on Wednesday. Also in this garden were a Hummingbird Hawkmoth and a Wall Brown butterfly.

PARK TEAL

At Cudmore Grove Country Park on Tuesday 15th, Peter Marchington photographed this teal on the borrowdyke at the park. A few other individuals have been arriving in recent days for the winter.

A ringed teal in the park dyke is an escapee from a wildfowl collection somewhere, as it is native to South America. It has been present for a few days here. Another photo by Peter.

A chiffchaff photographed by Peter Marchington along the East Mersea Golfhouse track on Tuesday.

Andy Field visited Cudmore Grove on Tuesday morning and photographed this Bee Wolf, also six Clouded Yellows seen there.

Birds seen by Andy included a little owl, wheatear at the Point, 15 Sandwich terns, 2 common terns, 9 bar-tailed godwits, 100 black-tailed godwits, 30 dunlin, one -possibly two, ospreys over the Geedons in the Colne Estuary.

Michael Thorley photographed this Clouded Yellow in his East Mersea garden near Meeting Lane on Tuesday.

Birds of note seen during a walk along the Strood seawall on Tuesday morning included a passage of 300 swallows heading west, 5 sand martins also heading west, red kite, 2 whinchats, 2 greenshank, bar-tailed godwit, 100 black-tailed godwits, 20 Mediterranean gulls, 30 linnets, sedge warbler, 2 whitethroats, while willow warbler, 3 chiffchaffs and a song thrush were near the Firs Chase caravan park. A Clouded Yellow was also seen along the seawall.

Martin Cock was at the Victoria Esplanade on Tuesday and saw 6 Sandwich terns, 2 Mediterranean gulls and a merlin flying over the Blackwater. Flying over his house were 200 swallows, house martin and a little egret.

A wheatear along the Strood seawall on Monday 14th, is probably the same bird that has been around for the last few days. Other birds seen included 15 corn buntings, pair of stonechat, passage of 50 swallows and 40 meadow pipits flying west. Along the channel were 40 Mediterranean gulls, 2 Sandwich terns, common tern, greenshank, 3 shelduck and 100 black-tailed godwits.

A pied wagtail was also seen along the Strood seawall on Monday, perched here on the sluice railings.

A grass snake was basking in the midday sunshine by the back door of the Firs Chase house on Monday.

Beside the grass snake was this Hummingbird Hawkmoth making its daily appearance in the Firs Chase garden on Monday.

Martin Cock walked the East Mersea seawall between the Oyster Fishery and Ivy Dock on Monday morning and reported 700 black-tailed godwits, snipe, 7 Sandwich terns, 2 common terns, 12 meadow pipits flying over, sparrowhawk, water rail showing well in the dyke, also two common seals and a Clouded Yellow.

Later at the West Mersea Esplanade, Martin watched 2 or 3 Harbour Porpoises, 20 Sandwich Terns and a constant stream of swallows heading west over the sea.

Peter Marchington saw a grey seal in the sea in front of Shears Court on Monday, also three Sandwich terns offshore.

Mark Thomson visited Feldy View on Monday and reported 3 swallows, four house martins and a willow warbler.

Along the Strood channel on Sunday 13th were a couple of common terns and also two Sandwich terns feeding when the incoming tide had covered all the mud. Waders seen before the mud was covered included 100 black-tailed godwits, a bar-tailed godwit, 5 greenshank, 18 grey plover, 90 ringed plover and five dunlin.

Twenty Mediterranean gulls were seen along the channel on Sunday. Along the seawall were two stonechats, 22 corn buntings, 100 linnets, buzzard, 2 sparrowhawks, with 14 meadow pipits and 15 swallows flying west. Two great spotted woodpeckers and two chiffchaffs were in Feldy View.

A crab spider was waiting beside the flowers on a rosemary bush in Feldy View on Sunday.

A grey seal was seen swimming offshore by Carrie Horwood between Empress Avenue and Waldegraves on Sunday.

Seven avocets were along the Pyefleet channel opposite Maydays farm on Saturday 12th. A common tern and two dunlin were noted along the channel just before the high tide, also a common seal. 

A distant osprey was seen to the north of the Langenhoe marsh as it flew west from the Geedons. Three marsh harriers and a buzzard were seen, while passing west over the fields were 100 swallows, ten sand martins and 8 meadow pipits. A willow warbler and chiffchaff were heard calling from bushes at Maydays.

Four Willow Emeralds were resting on bushes out of the wind at Maydays on Saturday.

A Wall Brown was seen near the Maydays seawall on Saturday.

A peregrine was seen mobbing a raven over the Coast Road by the Company Shed on Friday 11th. The two birds continued tussling with each other as they headed west off the island.

Two wheatears were along the Strood seawall on Friday, while along the channel were 30 golden plover, 2 whimbrel, 40 ringed plover, 70 Mediterranean gulls, 30 little egrets.

An osprey was watched flying west along the Pyefleet channel, then crossed over Bonners Barn and headed in the direction of Abberton reservoir. Three marsh harriers, ten buzzards and a red kite were some of the other raptors on the move that day.

Twenty corn buntings were along the Strood seawall on Friday, also a pair of stonechat, willow warbler, fifty linnets, yellow wagtail over, 200 swallows west with 5 meadow pipits. In Feldy View one willow warbler and 30 goldfinches were noted.

Butterflies in Feldy View included a Wall Brown, Meadow Brown, 3 Common Blue and 3 Brown Argus.

Martin Cock visited Maydays farm on Friday and reported common sandpiper, greenshank, Sandwich tern and lesser whitethroat.

Steve Entwistle visited Coopers Beach on Friday and saw 2 common scoter, Mediterranean gull, Sandwich tern, 30 common terns and 25 turnstones.

Peter Marchington photographed some of the many Firebugs on the beach near Kingsland Road on Friday.

A night survey of Fisher's Estuarine Moths was carried out at Cudmore Grove Country Park on Friday evening, with 22 adults found amongst the hog's fennel plants. This is the highest count of them here.

A couple of resting Clouded Yellows were seen in the torchlight at the park.

Also a Common Blue and Brown Argus were seen resting in the long grass at the park.

A couple of tawny owls were quite vocal as night fell by the pond at the country park.

Moth highlights from the Firs Chase garden included this Ni Moth, the first on the island for ten years.

The dainty migrant Olive Tree Pearl.

Delicate Moth.

Frosted Orange - without the white markings of a Fisher's Estuarine.

A fresh looking Blood-vein.