CUCKOO CALLING

A confiding cuckoo flew onto a fence-line near Ivy Farm on Tuesday 7th and gave close views as it fed on caterpillars. The cuckoo had earlier been calling from treetops between the Oyster fishery and Ivy Farm in East Mersea.

After perching for a minute on the fence post, the cuckoo then moved along the fence and started feeding on the webs of brown-tail moth caterpillars.

After a couple of minutes of feeding, the cuckoo flew off to trees near the bus turning circle, calling again. 

A close look at the caterpillar web showed at least one brown-tail moth caterpillar still inside. The cuckoo is probably the only bird that can digest these toxic-haired caterpillars.

Seven avocets were on the saltmarsh near the Golfhouse on Tuesday, some of them prospecting on the little island. Also present were seven greylag geese, 18 dunlin and two redshank. Offshore were 8 common terns flying into the Colne. Two lapwings were on the park's grazing fields, two reed buntings, 3 reed warblers and the Cetti's warbler were heard singing.
At the park pond 3 little egrets, 6+ pochard and 3 tufted duck were noted.
Two house martins and 4 swallows were flying over the fields near the Dormie houses.

The sunny weather brought a few butterflies out with three speckled wood seen along one of the park paths. Two green hairstreaks were spiralling round each other beside a path near the bird-hide. Three orange tips and two small whites were also seen.

Several salsify plants were in flower along the seawall near Ivy Farm on Tuesday.

Two hobbies were seen earlier on Tuesday morning near the Oyster Fishery by Martin Cock.
Two swifts were circling high over the Upland Road area of West Mersea mid Tuesday morning.

At Maydays farm on Monday 6th, 2 yellow wagtails, 10 house martins, 4 swallows, 4 reed warblers, singing corn bunting and yellowhammer, also 2 whitethroats and 2 lesser whitethroats. A marsh harrier was hunting Reeveshall and another one on Langenhoe, also three common buzzards and a kestrel seen. Six lapwing were seen in a stubble field while a pair of red-legged partridge and one grey partridge were near Maydays farm.
In the Pyefleet 4 whimbrel, 4 curlew, 6 great crested grebes and a pair of common terns were present.

A sparrowhawk was being mobbed by a yellow wagtail over Cross Lane on Sunday 5th, also goldcrest heard singing, pair of Mediterranean gulls, 3 whitethroats, 3 lesser whitethroats, 2 blackcaps and a heron noted in the area.

A few squalls passed over the Strood seawall on Saturday 4th. A hobby provided a nice fly-past as it flew effortlessly into the strong wind on its way over to Ray Island. Four common terns, four little egrets, grey heron, 20 stock doves were seen during the seawall walk.

At St Peter's beach on Friday 3rd sixteen brent geese, pair of greylag geese, 4 tufted ducks, 7 great crested grebes, 4 common terns and a whimbrel were seen along with a pair of reed buntings and two whitethroats near the marsh.
At East Mersea on Friday 3rd a sand martin was seen by Martin Cock near the Golfhouse seawall - the first sighting on the Island this spring.

Butterflies enjoying the sunny weather in the Firs Chase garden on Friday were a brimstone, comma, small white, orange-tip, holly blue and peacock.