YELLOW WAGS BACK

A newly returned yellow wagtail was calling from wires above fields to the east of the East Mersea vineyard on Friday 19th. It then dropped down into the winter wheat to join three others calling in the crop. A common whitethroat was also singing along this track and another one near the Coopers Beach caravan site. Two lesser whitethroats were singing from the back of the Rewsalls marshes, while two blackcaps and 4 swallows were also noted in the general area.

A small roost at high tide of 27 redshank were gathered on the pond near Coopers Beach.
On the nearby Rewsalls marshes 3 wheatears, 4 little egrets, 6 shelduck, 12 mallard, male reed bunting, meadow pipit, common buzzard and kestrel. On the beach were 30 turnstone and offshore were 30 great crested grebes.
The sunny weather saw several butterflies on the wing with a brimstone near the East Mersea church and another one on the Rewsalls marshes. Also a speckled wood, 6+ peacocks, small tortoiseshell, comma and 5+ small white.

A pair of yellowhammers was watched feeding in a ditch by the Strood seawall on Thursday 18th.
Three yellow wagtails flew over the Strood fields and dropped into the bright yellow crop of oil-seed rape. Three swallows were seen near the Strood Hill and another three by the Dabchicks sailing club. Two male reed buntings were present along the dyke.

The high tide covered all the saltmarsh in front of the Firs Chase caravan site on Thursday. Six Mediterranean gulls flew up the Strood channel, a single brent goose and two black-tailed godwits were also noted.

A song thrush has been a regular visitor to the garden feeder in Firs Chase in recent days.
A marsh harrier passed north over Firs Chase on Thursday being seen off by a sparrowhawk.
A brimstone butterfly passed through the garden for the first time on Thursday, also the first holly blues of the season were on the wing.

A willow warbler was singing near Decoy Point at Waldegraves and a second one singing at the beach end of Cross Lane on Wednesday 17th. Offshore were a great northern diver, Mediterranean gull and 8 great crested grebes. Two blackcaps were singing along Cross Lane as was a goldcrest, while a sparrowhawk flew overhead.
A goldcrest was also singing in Firs Chase on Wednesday.

At East Mersea on Wednesday Martin Cock reported a singing willow warbler by the hide, whimbrel in the grazing fields, 12 avocets on the saltmarsh pools, two Sandwich terns in the Colne, wheatear by Ivy Farm while whitethroat and lesser whitethroat were singing near the Oyster Fishery.
Andy Field reported from the Shop Lane area of Reeveshall on Wednesday 3 wheatear, whimbrel and a corn bunting.

Along the Strood on Tuesday 16th were a common tern and whimbrel near the Dabchicks, 6 linnets, 2 little egrets in the fields while 3 swallows were seen flying north off the Island.
A swallow was seen flying over Firs Chase.

The first cuckoo reported from the Island was heard at the north end of Shop Lane on Monday by Emma Green.

The family of red squirrels continue to spend time each day visiting the feeder in the Firs Chase garden. These two youngsters have blackish ear tufts and are often seen along with a third sibling and the mother in the garden.