HUNTING HAWK

 

A sparrowhawk flew around the trees behind the country park pond before landing high up in a willow tree on Monday 27th. After surveying the scene for a few minutes it flew fast and low as it hunted along the hedgerow. On the pond were two shoveler, four wigeon, four mallard, little egret and two teal.

Three brent geese were feeding on the edge of the mud near the Point on Monday morning. Also on the mud as the tide came in were thirty ringed plovers and two dunlin while a Sandwich tern was heard calling. On the Golfhouse pools were 20 wigeon, 100 redshank and ten lapwing. Fifteen linnets and a reed bunting were at the Point, two Cetti's warblers were singing from opposite sides of the grazing fields, while 20 swallows and a meadow pipit were seen near the Golfhouse.

Two clouded yellow butterflies were seen in the sunny but breezy conditions on Monday morning. This individual was the helice form with its creamy white upperwings rather than the usual yellow colour. Two painted ladies were also on the wing near the Point and seawall.

A red squirrel was seen scampering along the East Mersea road near the Dormy houses.

In the Pyefleet on Monday morning, Martin Cock walked the seawall near the Oyster Fishery and saw the osprey perched beside Pewit Island, also four Sandwich terns, four common terns, two Cetti's warblers, fifty swallows and a clouded yellow butterfly.

Later on Monday Steve Entwistle between the Golfhouse and the Oyster Fishery watched a great white egret flying up the river Colne early evening. Also noted were two mute swans, ten brent geese, two shoveler, 457 redshank, grey plover, 17 little egrets, dunlin, 12 teal, six wigeon, Sandwich tern, two common terns, six great crested grebes, fifty curlew, 200 oystercatchers and three meadow pipits.

Early evening from the the West Mersea Hard on Sunday 26th after walking 12kms from East Mersea Golfhouse back along the north side of the Island to home in Firs Chase. 

The highlight was watching two ospreys together briefly beside Pewit Island, one coming over to say hello to the youngster from the Scottish borders that has made this place home for the last three weeks. Six marsh harriers and four buzzards were seen, seven Sandwich terns, ten common terns and 12 Mediterranean gulls were in the Pyefleet. 

Waders noted were 100 black-tailed godwits, two bar-tailed godwits, four avocets, ten dunlin and a snipe flying over. By the Golfhouse were 75 wigeon and five teal while overhead were a sand martin and house martin in a flock of 50+ swallows.

Two wheatears were along the seawall on Sunday, this one at Maydays and another at Reeveshall. Twelve yellow wagtails were seen, many around the feet of the cows on Reeveshall. Six stonechats were by the Strood fields with one male by himself and the others on the other side of the field. Two Cetti's warblers were singing near the Oyster Fishery and a third one singing by the Strood reservoirs.

At Cudmore Grove on Sunday afternoon Steve Entwistle reported a few teal, wigeon and a gadwall on the park pond while in the bushes were a blackcap and four blackbirds. On the mud were 197 turnstone, 200 oystercatchers, lots of redshank, curlew, dunlin, 30 wigeon and 15 teal.

A scruffy corn bunting perched on a bush at Maydays on Saturday 25th before it flew off with a second corn bunting. Also two yellowhammers and ten reed buntings in bushes by the dyke.

The osprey was still perched on the fence-post on the ranges seawall behind Pewit Island. A peregrine was seen flying over the saltmarsh at the top end of the Pyefleet, five marsh harriers, five buzzards and two kestrels were also watched.

Two wheatears were on the Maydays seawall, two yellow wagtails, two swallows and fifteen meadow pipits flew over. Along the Pyefleet were four greenshank, two knot, green sandpiper heard calling, sixty golden plover, 200 grey plover, ten Mediterranean gulls, 30 dunlin and two ringed plovers. A leucistic starling was feeding with 500 starlings on Reeveshall. Two grey seals were resting on a pontoon in the Pyefleet.

On Saturday afternoon at Maydays Steve Entwistle reported seeing the osprey perched in the distance on a post for twenty minutes on the Geedons marsh. A corn bunting, yellowhammer, sparrowhawk, three kestrels, two marsh harriers, two grey herons and a little owl were also seen.

A kingfisher perched in the early Saturday morning mist at the country park pond, this photo snapped by Andy Field. Also noted there were the water rail heard calling, while offshore were 2 sandwich terns, 250 oystercatchers, 157 black-tailed godwit. A stonechat was at the Point, 30 meadow pipits seen, three Cetti's warblers heard, while at least six chiffchaffs and a lesser whitethroat were with a tit flock between the Golfhouse and the bus turning circle.