MERSEA WILDLIFE: PINGING BEARDIES

Two "pinging" bearded tits flew along the Strood seawall towards the Firs Chase caravan park on Sunday 12th, passing over the heads of Steve Entwistle and I. A couple of minutes later a male came back along the seawall and perched on a nearby bush.

The male bearded tit was calling continually with its distinctive pinging calls, as it tried to make contact with its mate, which sadly didn't re-appear. The male continued back along the reedbed to the main corner, still calling and showing for the next hour or more, up near the top of the reeds and when it was in flight.

Further along the Strood seawall on Sunday, a kingfisher perched on the sluice for a few minutes before flying along the dyke. A peregrine flew over the Firs caravan park, four buzzards and a marsh harrier were noted, while in the fields were 30 linnets, four stonechats and 15 meadow pipits, while a rock pipit flew along the seawall.

In the Strood channel there were three Sandwich terns, three greenshank, 80 black-tailed godwits, 100 wigeon, 30 teal, 15 little grebes, three avocets, two brent geese and two Mediterranean gulls.

A crossbill was heard calling from the pine trees in the garden between the Dabchicks and the Firs Caravan park. The crossbill was seen flying out of the trees, circling round as it gained height, before heading back over gardens towards The Lane.

Steve Entwistle saw a small flock of nine siskins in Feldy View on Sunday, also a chiffchaff and clouded yellow seen. Earlier on the seawall there were three clouded yellows and a small copper.

At Maydays farm on Sunday morning Martin Cock reported a great white egret in the borrowdyke, two marsh harriers and a stonechat.

The Firs Chase ring-necked parakeet provided nice views in the garden on Sunday.

The ring-necked parakeet spent a bit of time preening before flying into the nearby holly bush to eat some berries.

This ring-necked parakeet has been in this part of West Mersea for over two months now.

When the parakeet isn't squawking, it's difficult to spot as it blends in well with the green foliage.

Also in the Firs Chase garden on Sunday morning was a red squirrel seen here darting away through the trees after having a drink in the bird-bath. The first garden sighting here since the early spring.

A walk along the Bower Hall seawall on Saturday 11th produced two Sandwich terns, 30+ Mediterranean gulls in the fields, marsh harrier, red kite, rock pipit and a calling yellowhammer, also a brown hare and common seal.

Jack Hoy saw a wheatear and a peregrine at Maydays on Saturday morning.

A Chinese water deer was photographed by Andy Field at Maydays farm on Friday 10th, while we carried out the monthly wetland bird count for the back of the island.

Highlights from the seawall walk from Maydays to Cudmore Grove included a kingfisher at Maydays and two others by the Oyster Fishery, a water rail seen at the Oyster Fishery and another on the park dyke, five marsh harriers, three buzzards, five Sandwich terns, greenshank, 25 avocets, five stonechats, 48 golden plover, 20 Mediterranean gulls, 30 stock doves, two corn buntings Maydays, four bar-tailed godwits on the Golfhouse saltings, two male blackcaps by the Oyster Fishery, four great crested grebes in the Pyefleet and eight in the Colne / sea.

Charlie Williams during his count from Maydays to the Strood and Esplanade reported merlin over Bonners saltings, green sandpiper Bower Hall, 70 Mediterranean gulls, three Sandwich terns and two common terns Strood channel and a red-throated diver from the Esplanade.

Martin Cock had two possible crossbills seen flying and a red squirrel at Fishponds Wood in Shop Lane on Friday.

Along the Strood seawall on Thursday 9th, four Sandwich terns were feeding, also peregrine, two marsh harriers and 25 avocets, 25 ringed plover, five stonechats, fifty linnets and five corn buntings. Three chiffchaffs and a blackcap were also noted Feldy View and along the seawall.

Martin Cock saw four ravens flying from Colne Point and then passing over the Golfhouse before heading to Brightlingsea on Thursday morning. Also in the Golfhouse area were three blackcaps, two chiffchaffs and a water rail showing well along the dyke.

Michael Thorley visited the Golfhouse area on Thursday afternoon and saw 71 curlew in the park fields, 25 black-tailed godwits on the Golfhouse paddock and also 12 little egrets on the marsh.

A red squirrel was seen in Bromans Lane on Thursday by Charlie Coltman. Possibly the same red squirrel seen by Daniel Woollard in his garden at Cudmore the previous week.

A black-tailed godwit was feeding in the channel behind the Dabchicks sailing club on Wednesday 8th. Also along the channel were five brent geese, 25 avocets, 25 golden plover, two Sandwich terns, while sparrowhawk, marsh harrier, buzzard, four stonechats and fifty linnets also noted flying about. Four chiffchaffs also seen during the walk.

Martin Cock saw two redpolls and two chiffchaffs in Feldy View on Wednesday. Later at the Oyster Fishery there was a kingfisher, stonechat and a water rail showing well in the dyke.

An adder was found dead at Maydays farm by Jack Hoy on Wednesday, while a grey squirrel was found dead on the road near Meeting Lane by Michael Thorley.

A grey wagtail stopped off briefly to feed along the Strood seawall tideline at high tide on Tuesday 7th, seen during a walk along the Strood seawall with Charlie Coltman. Other birds of note seen included nine redpolls, ten corn buntings, eight stonechats including an immature male singing, three swallows, rock pipit, water rail calling, two Sandwich terns, 30 Mediterranean gulls following a tractor, red kite, three marsh harriers, 25 avocets, five brent geese and four chiffchaffs. In the flycatcher corner near Feldy View were five chiffchaffs and a blackcap.

In the Firs Chase garden the ring-necked parakeet was heard calling nearby, also a hummingbird hawkmoth seen at salvia flowers.

A tawny owl was heard by Michael Thorley calling near Meeting Lane on Tuesday evening.