CONFIDING WHEATEAR

A confiding wheatear was beside an old boat on the saltmarsh by the Firs Caravan park on Sunday 22nd. It was first reported by Ray Hempstead first thing the previous morning, so it has done well to stay in the are despite lots of people in the area over the weekend.

Other birds seen along the Strood seawall on Sunday afternoon included a hobby flying high over the Glebe, forty golden plover and 30 grey plover along the channel. Also a couple of southern migrant hawkers beside the dyke.

A whinchat beside the Shop Lane seawall was one of the highlights of a walk along the north side of the island on Sunday afternoon. Seven little terns were fishing around Langenhoe Point. On Reeveshall were three green sandpipers, two teal, three black-tailed godwits, seven snipe off the saltmarsh, 320 jackdaws, 400+ rooks, 45 stock doves, two golden plover, two marsh harriers and 100 swallows.

A buzzard, yellowhammer, 100 more swallows heading north-west and two common seals were at Maydays.

Steve Entwistle reported seeing a reed warbler, yellowhammer and a marsh harrier at Maydays on Sunday while Martin Cock noted 25 common terns on a raft in the Colne also a whimbrel.

A corn bunting perched on a bush beside the Bower Hall seawall calling anxiously as it waited with some food in its beak on Sunday afternoon. Eight snipe flew over the saltmarsh and a yellowhammer was heard while two swifts were high over the farm. Two male adders were lying on the seawall path ten metres apart and luckily both were spotted in time before being trodden on! Both slipped away into the long grass.

A juvenile little ringed plover was present for three days from Thursday 19th to Saturday 21st on the side lake beside the East Mersea boating lake. The bird was hard to spot as it fed in a distant corner of the lake.

Also present on Saturday on the muddy Rewsalls marshes during the high tide were 200 golden plover, 100 redshank, 30 turnstone, three common sandpipers, 25 dunlin, 100 ringed plover, common tern, 20 little egrets, 20 Mediterranean gulls, two grey herons, also two willow warblers and a swift passing through.

Two grey herons were seen beside the East Mersea boating lake, this one stalking the side lake. 

On Friday 20th during the high tide, the little ringed plover, 100 golden plover, 70 ringed plover, six common sandpipers, snipe, 28 little egrets, 20 Mediterranean gulls and a little grebe. A painted lady was also seen by the old seawall.

Beside Cross Lane on Friday were a buzzard, three chiffchaffs, 50 swallows and five house martins.

A willow warbler was feeding in the Firs Chase garden.

Michael Thorley reported a chiffchaff, willow warbler, whitethroat, garden warbler and a yellow wagtail at his East Mersea garden near Meeting Lane.

At the country park on Thursday two yellow wagtails, sand martins were seen by Steve Entwistle also noting 20 red admirals on a buddleia bush by the hide and three small tortoiseshells by the seawall.

On Thursday at the boating lake and muddy Rewsalls marshes were the little ringed plover, 150 ringed plover, 20 golden plover, two common sandpipers, 15 turnstones, 20 little egrets, four Sandwich terns, 32 common terns and a little tern fishing offshore. Also a buzzard and two yellow wagtails passed over.

At Firs Chase a willow warbler was heard calling and two swifts passed overhead.

Among the butterflies visiting the Firs Chase garden recently was this green-veined white, also small white, up to four red admirals, peacock, gatekeeper, comma, holly blue and small tortoiseshell.

Several toadflax brocade caterpillars have been feeding on the purple toadflax in the Firs Chase garden.

This speckled bush cricket minus a back leg, has taken up residence on a strawberry plant in the garden.

An elephant hawkmoth caterpillar was photographed by David Nicholls in his Queen Ann Road garden on 17th August. It was the second one seen in his garden last week.

The caterpillar had been munching its way through some bog-bean plants in the margins of David's garden pond.

The small colourful mint moths have been spotted recently in the gardens of Martin Cock and Steve Entwistle - who photographed this one.

A female migrant hawker was photographed by Chris Conway after it flew inside his house extension.