MERSEA WILDLIFE: FELDY FLYCATCHERS

There was a lot of migrant activity in Feldy View on Tuesday 22nd with three spotted flycatchers and at least 15 willow warblers seen feeding in the cemetery field. The spotted flycatchers were posing nicely out in the open and putting on a nice performance for the local group of birders to admire.

At least fifteen willow warblers were feeding among the silver birch trees in Feldy View - a nice supporting cast for the spotted flycatchers.

Along the Strood seawall a whinchat was beside the dyke, while two little grebes, 100 black-tailed godwits, sparrowhawk, ten swallows, whitethroat and a yellow wagtail were of note.

A male ruddy darter was photographed by Michael Thorley at his garden pond in East Mersea on Monday 21st. Male and female ruddy darter were seen coupled up later.

At Cudmore Grove on Monday 21st at least three whinchats were seen near the Golfhouse, earlier two were seen at the Point and were presumed to be seen later with a third one.

In the Golfhouse paddock 10 yellow wagtails were feeding with 20 pied wagtails, forty linnets were feeding near the Point and 200 starlings in the grazing fields.

A wheatear was hopping along the Cudmore seawall on Monday, trying to stay ahead of all the walkers using the seawall path.

A young pochard was feeding in the park dyke along with a couple of tufted ducks. Fifteen little egrets were seen on the nearby saltmarsh and mudflats.

On the mud near the East Mersea Point on Monday the incoming tide was pushing waders closer to the shore. As well as fifteen ringed plovers seen, a very vocal little ringed plover flew past the Point and flew towards the Pyefleet, then returned five minutes later flying over the Golfhouse pools and the grazing fields before heading back north. Other waders included 100 black-tailed godwits, 25 dunlin, 10 grey plover and 100 redshank.

There were lots of terns feeding along the water's edge off the park as the tide came in. Two peregrines were seen hassling the feeding flock of common terns and Sandwich terns. Later as they rested on the mud behind the Point a sparrowhawk flew close-by and 85 common terns and six Sandwich terns rose into the air, along with ten Mediterranean gulls and two common gulls. Five other common terns were resting on buoys in the Colne.

A barn owl was resting in the old kestrel nestbox at the back of the park fields on Monday. A female marsh harrier flew over the fields, as did a buzzard, while another buzzard flew west over the Colne to Langenhoe. Feeding over the fields was a flock of 100 hirundines with roughly five sand martins, ten house martins and 85 swallows.

Two shoveler were feeding on the park pond on Monday, this male still in eclipse plumage.

A large mixed tit flock of 50+ birds moved quickly through the trees near the park pond, with at least four willow warblers seen, elsewhere there were four lesser whitethroats, blackcap and whitethroat seen.

A small red-eyed damselfly was resting on a bush at Cudmore Grove on Monday.

Andy Field visited Feldy View on Monday morning and reported little activity there other than a willow warbler and a chiffchaff. Later walking Shop Lane to Meeting Lane with Martin Cock a large mixed flock of tits, warblers and chaffinches were seen, which had a few each of willow warblers, and chiffchaffs, numerous blackcaps, blue tits, long-tailed tits and chaffinches.

Later at Reeveshall three whinchats and three wheatears were by the pool, also yellow wagtail and Mediterranean gull seen by Andy too.

On Sunday 20th three wheatears were feeding along the Strood seawall, two at one end and a single bird at the other end. Along the Strood channel were a great crested grebe, 12 golden plover, 70 grey plover, Mediterranean gull and 100 black-tailed godwits on the mud near the Dabchicks.

A swift flew over Martin Cock's garden in The Coverts on Sunday morning.

This large drinker moth found its way into Martin Cock's kitchen late on Sunday evening.

On Saturday 19th an avocet was feeding inside the Maydays creek, as were four greenshank and four common sandpipers. Along the Pyefleet were 115 grey plover, six golden plover, three teal, two shelduck, three common terns and a common seal.

Five whinchats were feeding beside the dyke, a flock of 24 skylarks was feeding in the fields, four meadow pipits, two yellow wagtails were noted. A distant hobby was hunting over Reeveshall and a buzzard was also seen.