Thursday 1 September 2016

EGRETS GATHERING

Little egrets seem to be everywhere at the moment with this one pictured feeding in the shallows as the tide came in beside the East Mersea Point on Wednesday 31st.

During high tide the little egrets gathered on the trees and bushes beside the park pond where Andy Field counted 93 birds on Wednesday. Last year the egrets peaked in the autumn at 110 birds. As well as his picture above of some of them squabbling, he also took this video clip below, click on the wording -

Feeding on the sea-blite bushes at the Point on Wednesday were about fifty linnets, one shown above.
Four wheatears were on the beach at the Point too.

Two ringed plover chicks continue to flourish along the beach, now two weeks old. There's been no sign for a few days of the third chick.
Also from the Point were 100 golden plover, 2 little tern, 50 avocets and Mediterranean gull. Flying over the fields was a mixed flock of 75+ swallows and house martins while Andy noted 25 yellow wagtails near the cows.

Along the Reeveshall seawall this whinchat was photographed by Andy on Wednesday morning.

The whinchat was quite obliging for this photo, unlike a nearby wheatear that was more wary.

At the country park on Tuesday 30th a flock of 11 house sparrows chirping noisily from a hedge near the park pond was very notable. The first sparrow flock at the park for at least ten years! A sparrowhawk and a willow warbler were also noted on Tuesday.

The first sighting of willow emerald at the country park was made by Andy on Wednesday, captured on this photo. It was found in the middle of the day resting on some nettles in a sheltered spot from the wind, near the pillbox in the corner of the park. The only other record for the Island was about three years ago at Maydays farm.

Two clouded yellows were seen at either end of the park seawall on Wednesday morning.

Another red underwing spent the day resting on the side of one of the park buildings in the car park, the third individual to do so over the last three weeks.

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