MIGRANTS ON THE MOVE

Michael Thorley found this willow warbler in his East Mersea garden near Meeting Lane on Monday 1st. The bright yellow underparts are typical of a juvenile bird.

In typical willow warbler fashion it was very active in the trees in his garden and Michael said it was difficult to photograph the bird as it wouldn't stay still long enough! These three pictures certainly show the bird clearly.

Willow warblers are passing through at the moment on their southward journey for the winter to Africa. Two were calling from the country park today, while one was also in Steve Entwistle's garden in West Mersea yesterday.

Andy Field passed me these three images of some of the spotted flycatchers seen near the park pond last week on Wednesday 27th. The flycatchers were also on their passage south to Africa.

Some of the spotted flycatchers were very obliging by perching in the elder bush right beside the hide.

Two spotted flycatchers seen here in the early evening were very busy catching flies. At least four birds were still present the following day.

On Wednesday 3rd a spotted flycatcher was seen in the evening behind the car park feeding alongside the arable field. It perched on the telegraph wires and although distant to look at, its distinctive behaviour was easy to recognise. Earlier in the evening 3 red-legged partridge were seen in the same arable field next to the car park.

There seemed a fair gathering of wildfowl on the park pond on Wednesday evening with 30 little egrets in the trees, 70 mallard, 2 shoveler, wigeon, 3 gadwall and the family of swans too. Earlier in the day the kingfisher was seen perching up in a couple of spots and the grey heron was high up in the trees.

On the pools for the evening roost were 200+ redshank, 20+ black-tailed godwits, 100+ teal, 5 wigeon and 2 shoveler.

At the park during the afternoon an adder was basking as usual and 4 common blue butterflies and 2 small heaths were seen by the long grass.

Steve Entwistle visited Maydays and noted 5 green sandpipers and 10 house martins on Wednesday afternoon.

The previous day Martin Cock noted at Maydays 12 green sandpipers, 2 ruff, 2 snipe, 2 greenshank, curlew sandpiper, wheatear, whinchat, peregrine, 2 marsh harriers and 2 common buzzards.

A marsh harrier was flying over the fields by the East Mersea road near Bocking Hall and 20 golden plover were near Chapmans Lane early on Tuesday morning.
Steve reported seeing a barn owl on Sunday night in Dawes Lane and also a painted lady and wheatear at the country park. A hummingbird hawkmoth was seen in his garden in Empress Drive over the weekend.

Ian Black was interested to see 300+ black-tailed godwits along the Strood channel on Saturday 30th.

Sarah Thorley was very surprised to see a badger cross the East Mersea road near Church Lane in broad daylight at 8am on Friday 29th. Once it managed to clamber up and out of the ditch it soon disappeared into the hedgerow near the village hall.