CUDMORE BARN OWL

The barn owl at Cudmore Grove was photographed on the owl-box near the park pond by Andy Field on Tuesday 10th June. It had been seen hunting over the park fields and then brought some prey back to the box during the evening.

Earlier on Tuesday two red kites were seen by Rob Lee flying over Barrow Hill / Bower Hall area on Tuesday afternoon.

A pochard was seen flying along the Strood channel on Tuesday, also two sedge warblers and a reed warbler heard along the dyke, also three whitethroats near the caravan park and five swifts over the houses.

In Feldy View a holly blue was flying about on Tuesday,

Half a dozen meadow browns were seen in Feldy View, also two small heaths.

A worn red admiral was feeding on laurel flowers in Feldy View.

Hornet Hoverfly also in Feldy View on Tuesday.

At least three kestrel chicks were seen by Andy Field on Monday 9th, in their nestbox at the back of the Cudmore Grove grazing fields.

An oystercatcher was still sitting on the nest, photographed at a distance by Andy at the East Mersea Point on Monday. A pair of ringed plovers was also seen by Andy with their tiny chick near the old fort by the seawall corner. In the nearby Golfhouse paddock, the three lapwing chicks have reappeared after going missing for several days. Also a juvenile whitethroat and a lesser whitethroat seen too.

A turnstone was photographed by Andy Field at East Mersea Point on Monday - presumably a non-breeding bird that is summering in the estuary.

A moorhen feeding a chick in the park dyke was photographed by Andy.

A spiky looking sea holly flower photographed by Andy at East Mersea Point.

Sea holly clump pictured by Andy on Monday.

On Monday morning near Feldy View a hobby was watched hawking after dragonflies for a few minutes over the wheat field. A marsh harrier was seen over the Strood fields also a yellow wagtail, cuckoo heard, two stonechats, meadow pipit along the seawall, ten linnets, four sedge warblers, three reed warblers and family of three whitethroats by the caravan park. 

Also on Monday a great crested grebe was along the Strood channel and three common terns were hunting along the moorings. Four sub-adult great black-backed gulls and two adult lesser black-backed gulls were seen near the Hard. A song thrush was singing in Firs Chase and another in The Lane. Late on Monday night the tawny owl was heard calling near the Firs Chase garden.

A cream-spot tiger moth was photographed by Michael Thorley in his East Mersea garden, after it was first spotted by Sarah on her potato plants on Monday morning.

A Spotted Longhorn Beetle was seen feeding in Feldy View on Monday.