MERLIN OVER THE MARSHES

A merlin perched on a fence-post on Reeveshall marsh on Saturday 2nd. It then flew off to a flock of starlings that had been feeding in the field, chasing after one bird which managed to twist and turn and then dive to safety into a reedbed. When the merlin tried again to snatch a starling from the flock, there seemed to be another merlin also attacking the flock at the same time, although it happened so quickly and this falcon quickly vanished. The original merlin returned to the fence-post and perched there for half an hour, before again flying fast and low over the fields to Maydays.

The osprey was seen slowly flying up the Pyefleet Channel, circling over the water around the high tide period on Saturday morning. The bird was eventually lost to view as it kept drifting west up the Langenhoe creek. Three marsh harriers and three buzzards were also seen flying about. Four sand martins flew with eight swallows over Reeveshall while a leucistic starling was feeding in the flock of 1000 starlings.

Along the Pyefleet were a lone brent goose, 100 grey plover, 80 redshank, 30 dunlin, two knot while two golden plover flew off the fields.

At Cudmore Grove on Saturday Andy Field reported seeing two wheatears on Stone Point, three Sandwich terns, 150 grey plover, 40 turnstone, eight dunlin, the osprey seen over the Geedons, and two vocal Cetti's warblers -one by the park pond and another by the Golfhouse.

Steve Entwistle on Friday 30th saw 11 black-tailed godwits and four turnstone by the West Mersea Hard, then later at Maydays the osprey seen on the Geedons, four buzzards, green sandpiper, 3 kestrel and a yellowhammer.

On Thursday 29th in the Shop Lane to Ivy Dock area, Martin Cock reported the kingfisher, a few swallows with a sand martin, chiffchaff, green sandpiper, 20 brent geese and six common terns.

Along the Strood channel were 30 wigeon, four teal, 150 black-tailed godwits, 50 grey plover, common tern, a family of seven mute swans, buzzard, 15 meadow pipits and also four chiffchaffs by Feldy View.

At Coopers Beach on Wednesday 29th, Steve Entwistle saw two Sandwich terns, three Mediterranean gulls and six ringed plovers.

Andy Field found this ruff feeding around the muddy margin of the Reeveshall pool on Tuesday 28th. Also here were seven green sandpipers, a yellow wagtail and then a snipe in the afternoon. Andy in the morning also noted two ospreys, five buzzards, five marsh harriers, five kestrels, sparrowhawk, six meadow pipits, 12 swallows, four house martins, three Mediterranean gulls, little grebe, 167 grey plover, 37 golden plover, 15 dunlin and also a blackcap by Fishponds Wood.

On Tuesday afternoon, as well as the ruff on Reeveshall and the regular osprey perched behind Pewit Island, there were also ten Sandwich terns on the mud, six common terns, seven avocets, two marsh harriers, two buzzards, four swallows and a chiffchaff. A red squirrel was climbing through the trees at Fishponds Wood.

A pair of stonechats was by the reed bed along the Strood seawall along with two other stonechats on Tuesday morning. A snipe flew over the top of the field beside Feldy View, while a blackcap and five chiffchaffs were around Feldy View too. Along the Strood were 40 golden plover, 120 black-tailed godwits, 20 grey plover, sparrowhawk, 12 wigeon, 15 teal and two common terns.