MISSING MISTLE THRUSHES

A pair of mistle thrushes swooped into the poplar trees with mistletoe at East Mersea near the Golfhouse on Wednesday 14th. Wary as usual, they perched high up for a few minutes before disappearing away. The two birds flew in and over the Golfhouse from the east, so maybe just flown across the Colne.

Mistle thrushes have been sadly missing from the Island this year except for one sighting by Andy Field at the beginning of the year when he saw two at the Youth Camp on the 14th January. This is the first year none have been present on the Island during the breeding season.

 

A meadow pipit perched on a fence beside the country park borrowdyke on Wednesday - fifteen were noted in total during the walk, also a rock pipit and 70 linnets at the Point and three stonechats in the grazing fields.

Ten little egrets were feeding along the edge of the incoming tide near the East Mersea Point on Wednesday. Other birds seen from here were 15 brent geese, 3 shelduck, 15 wigeon, 30 teal and 2 great crested grebes. Waders of interest included an avocet, large roost on the mud of 140 curlews, ten bar-tailed godwits and 30 dunlin.

The regular leucistic coloured redshank was roosting with other redshank by the saltmarsh pools near the Golfhouse on Wednesday. A sparrowhawk, chiffchaff and three Cetti's warblers were also noted during the walk at the park.

The sunshine on Wednesday morning saw lots of Clouded Yellow butterflies flying about along the Park seawall. Fifteen in total were seen with eight noted along the park seawall while a further seven were  between the Golfhouse and Ivy Dock section of seawall. 

Red Admiral, Common Darter and Migrant Hawker were also seen during the walk.

A Firebug was photographed on the seawall near the East Mersea Golfhouse on Wednesday.

Andy Field photographed this female stonechat beside the Strood seawall on Wednesday. In total six stonechats were seen in the Strood fields.

The male stonechat was also photographed beside it's partner, by Andy on Wednesday.

Other birds noted by Andy along the Strood channel on Wednesday were a spotted redshank seen briefly before it flew towards the Strood, greenshank, 50 black-tailed godwits, 15 avocets, 20 dunlin, 200 golden plover, 30 grey plover, 50 teal, 30 wigeon, 12 little grebes and two chiffchaffs. 

Two Clouded Yellow butterflies also on the wing.

The male stonechat was also photographed on the metal pole near the Strood seawall by Mark Thomson on Wednesday.

Martin Cock reported a Sandwich tern and two Clouded Yellows at the East Mersea Oyster Fishery on Wednesday.

Jon Ward photographed this wheatear on the East Mersea Point on Tuesday 13th.

One of the three Sandwich terns seen at the East Mersea Point that was photographed by Jon Ward on Tuesday. Also seen from there were 30 brent geese and a Mediterranean gull.

Birds noted during the Strood seawall walk on Tuesday included 10 brent geese, 40 mallard, 70 teal, 12 wigeon, 10 avocets, 62 golden plover, bar-tailed godwit, 100 black-tailed godwits, 5 knot, 20 dunlin, two Sandwich terns, 2 marsh harriers, stonechat and a rock pipit.

 

On Monday 12th two greenshank were feeding along the Strood channel, also 120 black-tailed godwits, 16 little grebes, 10 dunlin, 30 Mediterranean gulls, marsh harrier and red kite flying over. A "commic" (common or Arctic) tern stayed perched on a buoy in the channel. 

Two rock pipits were seen beside the Strood seawall on Monday.

Three stonechats were along the Strood seawall on Monday.

A Sandwich tern was photographed by Mark Thomson - two others also present, on the shingle spit opposite Waldegraves on Monday. 

A Mediterranean gull - one of five present off Waldegraves, photographed by Mark Thomson on Monday.

Steve Entwistle saw 14 common scoter and a great black-backed gull off Coopers Beach on Monday.

Later Steve saw 18 red-legged partridges in a field near the Mersea Barrow.

A grey seal was seen in the sea close into shore opposite Shears Court by Peter Marchington on Monday. Seems to be a bit of a regular here now. 

A Hummingbird Hawkmoth was visiting the salvia flowers in the Firs Chase garden just before dusk on Monday.

On Sunday 11th a redwing perched on a tree beside the Firs Chase caravan park. A flock of 25 goldfinches and two chiffchaffs were also in the area, while a flock of 25 house sparrows were by the nearby seawall.

Three rock pipits were seen during the Strood seawall walk on Sunday, also ten meadow pipits, 80 linnets, four stonechats, six reed buntings and a Cetti's warbler singing.

Sunny periods during Sunday's walk at high tide by the Strood. Other birds noted were ten brent geese, 50 black-tailed godwits, 3 Sandwich terns, Mediterranean gull, red kite and 8 buzzards.

A goldcrest was seen in the Firs Chase garden later on Sunday.

Steve Entwistle and Mark Thomson saw two red-throated divers offshore from the Esplanade on Sunday, also 2 Sandwich terns, 5 close-in going up river, 55 turnstones up-river too and a few cormorants. Six swallows were seen going up river, and two Mediterranean gulls which landed on the sea.

Two juvenile gannets were reported by Chris Poole on Sunday, seen flying over the mouth of the Colne heading north-east, as he viewed from the Swallow Birding barge trip. Over half-an hour later a juvenile gannet was seen at Stone Point by Daniel Woollard, while a juvenile gannet was also seen from West Mersea by Steve Entwistle flying out of the Blackwater towards Waldegraves.

Harry Witts saw a diver sp flying out of the river Colne past East Mersea on Sunday.

Mark Thomson reported seeing two grey squirrels at the Cudmore Grove entrance on Sunday.

Always nice to see a Merveille du Jour moth in the Firs Chase garden moth trap each October. Singles were seen on the 13th and 14th October.

Three Red-green Carpets on the 14th.

Satellite on the 13th.

Beaded Chestnut on the 13th.