RETURNING RAVENS

A pair of ravens flew south-west over the Strood fields heading towards Old Hall marshes on Wednesday 22nd. This is probably the same pair of ravens returning back to Old Hall, having been seen two days earlier coming from that general direction.

The ravens were picked out as they were calling to each other repeatedly as they passed close-by - this one photographed against a very dull grey sky.

There was an unexpected sighting of a black redstart near the Company Shed on Coast Road just after mid-day on Wednesday. It was first spotted on the roof of the Dolphin Sailmakers as I walked past, before it disappeared among the yachts by the Lifeboat station. It did reappear an hour later back near Peter Clark's sheds and a nearby garden, found by Steve Entwistle but not seen again after this.

Birds seen along the Strood seawall on Thursday also included this female reed bunting, as well as two kingfishers, 3 marsh harriers, buzzard, sparrowhawk, 400 knot, 200 dunlin, 150 teal, 500 brent geese, greylag goose, 60 oystercatchers, 50 avocets, bar-tailed godwit, while a pair of blackcaps was seen by the Firs Caravan park with the male briefly with a sub-song.

At East Mersea Point the purple sandpiper was seen by Rob Lee on Wednesday, while Steve Entwistle saw a water rail, Cetti's warbler and 2 mistle thrushes by the Golfhouse in the afternoon.

On Tuesday 21st the female kingfisher was back at its favourite location along the Strood dyke, perching in the left-hand willow bush. Sometimes it also perches in the right hand willow tree.

Along the Strood a male hen harrier was seen hunting low over the Bonners saltings on Ray Island, presumably the same bird seen earlier by Shaun Bater flying over the Strood fields.

In the Strood channel there were 35 avocets and 200 knot noted on Tuesday. Shaun reported a chiffchaff and goldcrest with a long-tailed tit flock in Feldy View. Then along the channel were 3 little grebes, 39 avocets, 1000 dunlin, grey plover, pair of mute swans, shelduck, redshank large flock of teal and wigeon, 150 lapwing and 30 golden plover. Later in Cross Lane there were 100 brent geese, 40 lapwing, 4 redwing and a buzzard.

Later on Tuesday afternoon, Steve Entwistle watched the Strood kingfisher catch a fish in the dyke, also male hen harrier over the Feldy Marsh and a corn bunting on a nearby bush.

A good sized starling murmuration was seen at the top of Oakwood Avenue by Andy Field on Tuesday late afternoon.

On Monday 20th the female kingfisher was perched in the willows by the Strood borrowdyke, with a second bird seen on the railings of the seawall sluice. 

A pair of ravens flew north-east over the Strood fields, calling to each other as they flew. Also two marsh harriers, buzzard, two stonechats, two rock pipits, 500 knot, 200 dunlin, 54 oystercatchers, 70 golden plover, 40 avocets and ten black-tailed godwits.

A blackcap was at the feeders in the Firs Chase garden.

Five great northern divers were seen off Coast Road by Andy Field and Martin Cock on Monday afternoon.

There was a deep red sunset from Coast Road on Monday 20th, photographed here by my wife Nolly.

On Sunday 19th a red kite was seen flying from Barrow Hill towards the Strood by Steve Entwistle, also a great white egret in the saltings at the bottom of the Strood Hill.

Late Sunday afternoon a male hen harrier was seen dropping into the Langenhoe harrier roost, seen by Andy Field from the Shop Lane seawall. Also on Langenhoe a merlin perched on a bush, 21 marsh harriers dropping into roost and four red-breasted mergansers in the Pyefleet channel.

This angle shades moth was found by Michael Thorley in a cupboard in his East Mersea house on Sunday.