BUZZARDS IN THE AIR

The local common buzzards were flying over the East Mersea fields between Shop Lane and Meeting Lane, with five seen in the air on Monday 15th.
A female marsh harrier was also flying over the Reeveshall fields while four others were in the air together over Langenhoe Point.

A flock of 22 corn buntings was feeding in a recently cultivated field before perching in a hedge to the west of Shop Lane on Monday. A Cetti's warbler gave out a brief burst of song from the scrubby area of Gyants Marsh, 3 chiffchaffs and 2 blackcaps were singing in various nearby locations. A white pheasant was seen by one hedge and a mistle thrush in a horse paddock by Fishponds Wood.

A speckled wood flitted along the path by Fishponds Wood on Monday, also small white and peacock were noted.

A couple of common lizards were basking in the sun along the path between Meeting Lane and Shop Lane.

A well marked male adder having recently shed its skin, was beside the path near Gyants Marsh, east of Meeting Lane.

Two recently sloughed adder skins were found along the path, this one pictured was found just 20 metres away from the male adder pictured earlier.

On Sunday 14th a corn bunting was heard singing near the Shop Lane seawall by Andy Field, also the Cetti's warbler singing near the Oyster Fishery. A female marsh harrier was seen over Broad Fleet. A red squirrel was seen by Fishponds Wood.

A willow warbler was singing in Firs Chase on Friday 12th, a pair of Mediterranean gulls and a sparrowhawk flew past the caravan site.

Along the Strood on Thursday 11th a swallow was seen by the reservoirs, 18 golden plover and 6 linnets in the fields, while along the channel the first whimbrel of the year, a black-tailed godwit, 3 grey plover and 3 little egrets.
The first reed warbler back to the Island was found singing in reeds in the dyke near the Golfhouse on Thursday 11th by Andy Field.
A red squirrel was seen near The Coverts in West Mersea by Martin Cock on Wednesday 10th.