BRENT RETURN TO STROOD

The first brent geese of the winter in the Strood Channel were two birds present in mid-channel on a hot Tuesday 10th. Also along the channel were 20 wigeon, 150 golden plover, greenshank, Sandwich tern and two common terns. Five little grebes were in the dyke and three others in the channel. Six buzzards and a marsh harrier were seen during the seawall walk.

A pair of stonechat perched up on bushes near the seawall close to the Firs Caravan park on Tuesday. A fieldfare perched beside the caravan park calling loudly before flying off, six siskins, lesser redpoll flew west while a rock pipit, 30 skylarks, Cetti's warbler were noted. Three chiffchaffs and 25 goldfinches were seen near the caravan park. A clouded yellow flew along the Strood seawall but not seen to settle, also six red admirals flew west and a brown argus and ten small whites seen. A holly blue was flying around the Firs Chase garden. Several migrant hawkers and common darters seen along the Strood seawall and dyke.

Andy Field and Charlie Coltman walked the Cudmore circuit on Tuesday morning and noted two chiffchaffs, goldcrest, two Cetti's warblers, 25 meadow pipits, 60 grey plovers, 100 dunlin, bar-tailed godwit, Mediterranean gull, buzzard, 30 brent geese, 30 wigeon, 20 teal, six shoveler and a yellow wagtail in the Golfhouse paddock.

Rob Lee reported seeing two spoonbills flying over Old Hall Point on Tuesday morning.

A record shot of a distant female pintail in the Strood channel on Monday 9th - earlier four other pintail were seen flying down channel. Other birds were 30 wigeon, 20 teal, 200 golden plover, five ringed plovers, greenshank, two Mediterranean gulls and 80 black-tailed godwits by the Dabchicks.

A curlew was feeding on the mud in the Strood channel on Monday. A red kite circled over the Peldon fields before drifting east, while six buzzards, two marsh harriers, two sparrowhawks and two kestrels were all enjoying the warm weather.

A common tern perched on a buoy in the Strood Channel on Monday, also two Sandwich terns fishing in the channel.

Eight lesser redpolls flew west in two small flocks, 26 siskins flew west over the Hard, rock pipit and 20 meadow pipits were noted along the seawall, while a chiffchaff and a song thrush were by the caravan park.

A peacock was seen along the Strood seawall on Monday, also eight red admirals seen flying west.

At Maydays on Monday, Martin Cock watched two red kites displaying, five buzzards, stonechat, yellowhammer, chiffchaff and a Cetti's warbler.

A greenshank was feeding along the Strood channel on Sunday 8th, as were 200 golden plover, 15 ringed plovers and eight Mediterranean gulls.

A flock of sixty fieldfares with at least one redwing flew high over the Channel and then headed to West Mersea.

Three buzzards were seen on Sunday during the seawall walk, also a marsh harrier. Two Cetti's warblers and chiffchaff were along the dyke, while at the Nothe near the Dabchicks five chiffchaffs and a goldcrest were with a tit flock.

The warm conditions in the middle of Sunday saw a very noticeable red admiral passage west over the Strood fields/ seawall/ channel with 80 being counted in a 90 minute period whilst walking the seawall.

A goldcrest, blackcap and two chiffchaffs were in Martin Cock's West Mersea garden on Sunday morning.

Four willow emerald damselflies were resting along a hedgerow at Maydays farm on Saturday 7th. Red admirals were seen flying south over the Reeveshall and Maydays fields with 15 seen during two hours.

A kestrel perched on a kissing gate on the Maydays seawall on Saturday.

A single cattle egret was seen walking among the cattle on Reeveshall, although views very distant in a heat haze. Also three marsh harriers, two buzzards, swallow, 15 stock doves, Cetti's warbler and 15 meadow pipits. 

In the Pyefleet channel were greenshank, 18 knot, whimbrel, 160 grey plover, 3 bar-tailed godwits, 10 dunlin and a great crested grebe.

Three red-legged partridges were seen near Dawes Lane by Steve Entwistle on Saturday morning.

On Friday 6th birds seen during a walk along the Strood seawall included 200 golden plover, 60 grey plover, 100 black-tailed godwits, 6 Mediterranean gulls, Sandwich tern, sparrowhawk, two kestrels, swallow, 30 linnets, two corn buntings and also a common seal in the channel. Ten red admirals flew west.

Wigeon numbers continue to build up slowly in the Strood Channel with 24 seen on Thursday 5th, also 10 teal and three shelduck. A large flock of 350 golden plover was gathered on the mud, greenshank, two Mediterranean gulls, two Sandwich terns were seen too, while three buzzards, sparrowhawk also. 

A male stonechat was feeding beside the Strood seawall at the Strood Hill end on Thursday, two Cetti's warblers were singing along the dyke, four chiffchaffs by the caravan park and 30 linnets in the fields.

Twelve red admirals were seen flying west over the Strood fields during the walk.

One of the highlights of autumn moths is the Merveille du Jour, single individuals seen at the Firs Chase garden moth trap on the 5th and 6th October.

Barred Sallows have been seen on several nights.

Just one Autumnal Rustic with one on the 7th.

Several Blair's Shoulder Knots in early October.

A Cypress Carpet on 7th.

Brick moth on the 8th.

Two Large Wainscots on the 8th.

SANDWICH FLOCK

I teamed up with Lea Merclova from the Bird Aware Essex Coast team on Wednesday 4th and walked the Cudmore Grove circuit seeing a nice variety of birds including a flock of 30 Sandwich terns resting on the mud behind the Point. Also on the mud near the Point were 50 avocets, 50 dunlin, a knot and two Mediterranean gulls seen.

A wheatear was at the East Mersea Point on Wednesday, also rock pipit, 30 linnets, while a siskin flew over the Golfhouse and another distant flock flying low west over the fields looked like 30 siskins. Ten pied wagtails and 30 meadow pipits were in the Golfhouse paddock with two swallows flying about. Fifteen wigeon were on the Golfhouse pools.

One of two buzzards seen by the park pond on Wednesday. There was the unusual sight of a curlew sandpiper that circled low over the park pond a few times looking for somewhere to land before flying off, the white rump clearly visible as it flew around. Thirty teal were on the pond, blackcap on rowans and five chiffchaffs heard during the walk. A mistle thrush and a grey squirrel were seen to the north of the park.

Martin Cock walked the seawall between the Golfhouse and the Oyster Fishery on Wednesday morning and saw 29 Sandwich terns, a knot, spotted redshank heard calling, five Cetti's warblers, chiffchaff and a grey squirrel in the Oyster Fishery Lane.

Jon Ward enjoyed seeing the sun-rise over the mud near the East Mersea Point on Wednesday morning and noted during his walk from the Golfhouse -two marsh harriers, singing Cetti's warblers, blackcap, five meadow pipits with a flock of linnets at the Point, four wigeon and two Sandwich terns.

In the early hours of Wednesday a tawny owl was seen flying over the Firs Chase garden as the moth trap was being checked at 1am.

On Tuesday 3rd Andy Field walked the Cudmore Grove circuit and reported a wheatear at the Point, sparrowhawk, buzzard, 250 dunlin, four bar-tailed godwits, 20 knot, 40 grey plover, 20 avocets, ten Sandwich terns and a common tern.

Along the Strood channel on Tuesday were 50 grey plovers - one pictured, and 150 golden plover, bar-tailed godwit, while 100 black-tailed godwits were near the Dabchicks.

Also along the Strood channel on Tuesday were 100+ redshank, greenshank, two Mediterranean gulls, Sandwich tern, 20 teal, 12 wigeon, while two mute swans were on the dyke. Two Cetti's warblers were singing and 30 linnets were in the fields.

Steve Entwistle was at the Victoria Esplanade on Tuesday afternoon and reported seeing three Sandwich terns and ten curlews flying past.

On Monday 2nd Martin Cock walked the seawall near Ivy Dock and saw a lesser whitethroat, four Cetti's warblers singing, ten Sandwich terns and a marsh harrier.

Michael Thorley photographed this red admiral in Cross Lane on Sunday 1st - lots of other red admirals seen here too.

Hornet hoverfly photographed by Michael in Cross Lane.

A honey-bee at ivy flowers in Cross Lane - one honey bee paid its thanks to Michael after being disentangled from a spider's cobweb, by stinging him!

Hornet hoverfly photo by Michael.

Honeysuckle flower photographed by Michael in Cross Lane.

A peacock butterfly was photographed by Michael in his East Mersea garden on Saturday 30th.

A harlequin ladybird with 25 spots was photographed by Michael in his East Mersea garden.

The harlequin ladybird photographed on a wallflower leaf by Michael.

On Saturday afternoon Michael walked the Ivy Dock seawall and saw a common tern, Sandwich tern fishing and an oystercatcher.

At Feldy View on Saturday morning, two lesser redpolls were seen feeding in the birch trees by Steve Entwistle, also ten goldfinches there too.

Martin Cock visited Maydays on Friday 29th and saw a wheatear, two Sandwich terns and three Mediterranean gulls.

WEEDY FIELD WHINCHAT

A whinchat was photographed by Andy Field in the "weedy-field" inside the Strood seawall on Friday 29th. The weedy field is a wild flower grassland mix sown by the farmer last winter.

Other birds seen by Andy during his walk along the Strood seawall included two greenshank, 251 golden plover, 100 grey plover, two bar-tailed godwits, 100 black-tailed godwits by the Dabchicks, two Sandwich terns, three common terns, Mediterranean gull, dead mute swan under power lines in the field and two chiffchaffs beside the caravan park.

On Thursday 28th Martin Cock saw two yellow wagtails at the Reeveshall pools, while a marsh harrier, three Sandwich terns and ten meadow pipits were seen from the seawall.

A common tern perched on a marker post in the Strood Channel on Wednesday 27th.

Two Sandwich terns were seen in the Strood Channel on Wednesday, also 4 wigeon, two shelduck, teal, 5 Mediterranean gulls, while raptors seen were a hobby towards Bower Hall, 3 buzzards, 3 kestrels and a sparrowhawk. Twenty meadow pipits, two singing Cetti's warblers, and 20 swallows were noted, also chiffchaff and blackcap near the Firs Caravan park.

At East Mersea Martin Cock reported the first five brent geese of the winter in the Colne on Wednesday, also 15 Sandwich terns, two common terns, 13 wigeon and the leucistic redshank.

Twenty meadow pipits were seen on Tuesday 26th during a walk along the Strood seawall. In the channel were 18 wigeon,100 golden plover, 20 ringed plover, Mediterranean gulls, Sandwich tern and 200 black-tailed godwits near the Dabchicks. A buzzard, 15 linnets and 6 reed buntings also seen.

Along the path at the top of the Firs Caravan park, there were twenty red admirals nectaring at the ivy flowers on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Ivy bees were also seen at the ivy flowers by the Firs Caravan park.

A Fox moth caterpillar was crossing the Strood seawall on Tuesday.

Michael Thorley photographed two pairs of common darters ovipositing in his East Mersea garden pond on Monday 25th.

As well as the two pairs of common darter, an unattached male was also in Michael's garden.

A Lunar Yellow Underwing came to the Firs Chase garden moth trap on 22nd and 23rd September.

The only Delicate moth of the year so far was recorded on the 23rd.

A Clancy's Rustic was recorded on the 22nd September.

Feathered Ranunculus was seen on the 23rd.

A Black Rustic on the 23rd.

The immigrant moth - Gem on the 25th September.

Mallow on the 25th.

L-album Wainscot on the 25th.

Red-green Carpet on the 25th.