PEA FIELD ACTIVITY

A male yellowhammer was perched on a bush near the seawall at Maydays farm on Sunday 19th.
There was a variety of small birds flitting about and feeding along one of the ditch-lines between two pea fields. Five stonechats were the most noteworthy, possibly a family from the nearby Langenhoe ranges. Also a couple of corn buntings- one seen with food in its bill, as well as one or two reed buntings, yellow wagtails, whitethroats, linnets and a meadow pipit too.

A hobby flew low and quickly across the fields towards the seawall, a marsh harrier, buzzard and a kestrel were seen too. A couple of common seals were in the top end of the Pyefleet.

On Sunday evening Steve Entwistle reported from the Strood a greenshank, yellow wagtail, marsh harrier, kestrel, hobby, 15+ curlew, 7 little egrets, 40 linnets. There was no sign of the barn owl over the Strood fields that evening which had been reported by Dave Conway on the previous two evenings.

At dusk on Sunday in the Firs Chase garden, 44 pipistrelle bats were counted emerging from the soffit in the gable end of the house. The roost has only started to get used in the last few days as seen by the amount of bat droppings on the windowsill below the soffit. The first pipistrelle emerged at 9.15pm with other individuals dropping out during the next thirty-five minutes.
Andy Field reported three pipistrelle bats showing well over his High St North garden on Friday 17th.

On Saturday 18th a whimbrel was the only wader of interest in the top end of the Pyefleet channel near Bower Hall farm as the tide began to recede. A marsh harrier and a buzzard were seen near here while near Maydays two juvenile kestrels were following the female kestrel. Three yellowhammers, four yellow wagtails, meadow pipit and a brown hare were seen along the Bower Hall seawall section to the Strood.

Along the Strood channel on Saturday were a greenshank. whimbrel, 200+ redshank, 10 black-tailed godwits and 4 common terns. A brown hawker was nice to see along the Strood borrowdyke.

Steve Entwistle watched two little terns fly close to the seawall corner at Maydays farm on Saturday, also a grey seal in the Pyefleet. In the evening Steve reported that between the Golfhouse and the Oyster Fishery at East Mersea were four little terns, 25+ linnets, 35+ avocets, three bar-tailed godwits and a mixed flock of swallows and sand martins.
There was no sign from Mersea of the osprey seen by Glyn Evans near Alresford who watched it flying over the Colne and the Geedons on Saturday.

Earlier on Saturday a crossbill flew south over the Firs Chase garden calling as it passed by.
A peregrine was seen by Andy Field flying over the Chatsworth houses before heading north to the Strood on Saturday. Ian Black watched a sparrowhawk take a juvenile starling from his Mersea Avenue garden, while later a great spotted woodpecker and green woodpecker were seen in Firs Road, then at the Dabchicks two little terns, four black-tailed godwits and two Mediterranean gulls were seen by Ian.

Four brown argus butterflies were seen in a field corner of flowering bristly ox-tongue just west of the East Mersea church on a hot Friday 17th.

A common blue was also seen just west of the church, along with 100+ small and large whites, several meadow browns and gatekeepers with a couple of peacocks too.

Two distant stonechats were on the corner of the marsh near Coopers Beach on Friday, the male and either female or juvenile although they were some way off to tell which. Six little egrets, 20 mallard, two Mediterranean gulls, common tern over the boating lake, two whitethroats, eight linnets, 3 reed warblers were the birds of note while a common seal had caught a fish very close to the breach in the seawall.

A black tern flew over Steve Entwistle's garden in Empress Drive on Friday evening - a noteworthy sighting anywhere on the Island, let alone a garden! Also a sparrowhawk and twenty swifts over his garden that evening.

A sand martin was pictured by Andy Field on Thursday 16th peering out of its hole in the Cudmore Grove cliff, as was a predatory bee-wolf peering out of its hole a few inches to the side. Thirty sand martins were seen flying about the beach and park.
Also at the country park were a pochard with four very young ducklings on the pond, two little terns, two common terns, two whimbrel, seven golden plover, 12 dunlin, three ringed plover including a juvenile, hobby, three juvenile kestrels while a pair of marsh harriers were on Langenhoe Point.

Along the Strood seawall on Thursday, a green sandpiper flew out of the saltmarsh by the caravan site, the regular male marsh harrier was over the fields, three greenshank, whimbrel, six common terns were along the channel while ten Mediterranean gulls were also seen.
A sedge warbler sang a bit of a sub-song from a bush as it flitted about, a male corn bunting sang too, while fifty swifts were by the houses and a lesser whitethroat in Feldy View.
A buzzard drifted high north-west over Firs Chase and then over the Hard earlier on Thursday.

On Wednesday 15th three Sandwich terns flew past the Cudmore Grove shoreline calling as they headed west, also six common terns and a Mediterranean gull in the river. Six tufted ducklings were on the park pond with their mother, also at the park 30+ sand martins, yellow wagtail, a dunlin and two shovelers. Two black-tailed skimmers and 10+ small red-eyed damselflies were seen along the park dyke.

Two common buzzards were seen high over Ray Island by Ian Black on Wednesday 15th.

A small copper made one of its rare annual visits to the Firs Chase garden on Saturday 18th.

A common blue was also seen in the Firs Chase garden resting on some knapweed on Thursday 16th.

 Two large privet hawkmoth caterpillars were photographed by David Nicholls, as they munched their way through a lilac bush in his neighbour's garden.

Most of the various hawkmoth caterpillars have the distinctive horn growing out the end of the body.
Matt Cock photographed an adult privet hawkmoth resting during the day on a post in his East Road garden on Sunday 12th.

SINGING SKYLARKS

A handful of skylarks were singing over the fields alongside the Strood channel on Tuesday 14th.
Flying low over the houses by Whittaker Way was a hobby, while a kestrel was hunting the fields. A greenshank and a whimbrel were noted in the channel while a female pochard flew fast down channel.
Ian Black also noted from the Strood seawall on Tuesday two avocets, three whimbrel and a long trail of footprints along the mud that looked like possibly muntjac deer.
Near Langenhoe Point two little terns were seen by Martin Cock on Tuesday afternoon.

A sunny dog-walk along the Strood channel on Monday 13th provided views of the usual male marsh harrier, two buzzards and a close view of a female sparrowhawk perched on the sluice railings. A large flock of 2000+ mainly black-headed gulls swarmed high in the sky over the houses, catching the ants. Three Mediterranean gulls and five common terns were seen along the channel, also 150+ redshank, two greenshank, grey plover and two black-tailed godwits. Two yellow wagtails were feeding on the seawall while two lesser whitethroats were seen in Feldy View.

At East Mersea on Monday the eider was near to Langenhoe Point, also a juvenile cuckoo and two marsh harriers seen by Martin Cock.
Three two inch long newly born slow-worms were found in Ian Black's Mersea Avenue garden while in the Firs Chase garden a hummingbird hawkmoth was seen on Monday afternoon.
On the nearby Fingringhoe ranges Andy Field reported seeing on Monday, three greenshank, ten green sandpipers and four bearded tits.

A brood of seven ducklings was being closely supervised by the mother mallard along the Strood borrowdyke on Monday 13th.

On Sunday 12th a honey buzzard was watched closely providing good views as it circled overhead above the Firs cemetery and Feldy View. The distinctive black banding on the underwings, the small head and long narrow tail quickly stood out as being different from the usual common buzzards. The bird drifted north-west down the side of the caravan site, picking up height before disappearing over to Feldy and Copt Hall on the mainland.

Over the Glebe field on Sunday were 50+ swifts along with twenty house martins over Wellhouse and another twenty near Strood Hill. By the Hard were a common tern and two Mediterranean gulls.

A female mandarin duck was a surprise sight in the Strood borrowdyke on Saturday 11th. It often stayed hidden by the rushes and seemed wary to venture out into view if anyone was nearby. It was seen later in the afternoon making a short flight along the dyke but was not seen the next day.

A Sandwich tern flew up channel calling on Saturday - a rare visitor to this channel, also two common terns, three Mediterranean gulls, hobby, two greenshank, marsh harrier and 100+ swifts.
From the Bower Hall seawall on Saturday a sparrowhawk took an oystercatcher chick from the saltmarsh, two marsh harriers, common sandpiper, dunlin, common tern and a shelduck pair with seven young ducklings in the channel while two yellowhammers were singing and a pair of yellow wagtails was seen.
At Maydays on Saturday a brown cuckoo was seen in flight, a male marsh harrier, buzzard, two yellowhammers singing and twenty house martins over the farm buildings.

At East Mersea on Saturday, Jonathan Bustard reported seeing near Ivy Dock and Oyster Fishery area common sandpiper, green sandpiper along the dyke, two Sandwich terns west along Pyefleet, little tern and two common terns as well as a few avocets.
Steve Entwistle later reported two Sandwich terns on the Golfhouse pools along with 100 black-headed gulls and 14 Mediterranean gulls.

Jonathan Bustard photographed this salsify on the East Mersea seawall in the morning with the flowerhead still open.

A aptly named leopard moth with all its black spots was in the Firs Chase garden moth trap on Saturday 11th.

The once scarce tree-lichen beauty is now a familiar sight on summer nights.

This brown-veined wainscot on the 13th is the first record for the Island and seems to have spread slowly in Essex in recent years.

SEAWALL LINNETS

A male linnet perched on a bush to sing near the Firs Chase caravan park on Friday 10th. Up to ten linnets have been seen along the Strood seawall recently.
A peregrine was seen from the Hard, flying over Packing Shed Island and heading towards Copt Hall. A buzzard was mobbed by crows as it passed north over the fields, three kestrels were seen over the Strood fields. Along the Strood channel 110 redshank, 40 curlew, 3 black-tailed godwits, 8 little egrets and four common terns were seen. A mallard duck was seen in the dyke with seven very young ducklings.

This male green woodpecker and a streaky looking juvenile were perched on a telegraph pole by Feldy View on Friday.

This common lizard was enjoying the warmth on this wooden plaque in Feldy View.

A big shiny rose chafer beetle was feeding on bramble flowers beside the path down the side of the Firs Chase caravan park on Friday. A species that is spreading around the Colchester area in recent years, I believe this is the first sighting on the Island.

A juvenile pochard was photographed by Andy Field at Cudmore Grove country park on Friday 10th, two juvenile pochard were also seen. Also seen at the park were two little terns on mud near the Point, an eider in the river, 70 black-tailed godwits on the mudflats in front of the park. Up to 20 sand martins were flying over the beach and nearby dyke, 50+ swifts with a few swallows and house martins were high over the fields just before the rain. A blackcap singing snatches of nightingale, blackbird and marsh warbler was very confusing to hear.

Butterflies photographed at the park on Friday by Andy included this gatekeeper.

A comma also seen at the park by Andy.

A ringlet resting on some bramble flowers at the park on Friday.

The first colourful flocks of black-tailed godwits were seen at East Mersea on Thursday 9th with one group of 50 birds resting on the saltmarsh pools near the Golfhouse with a second flock on the mud near the Oyster Fishery of 45 birds.
Three Mediterranean gulls were on the saltmarsh, an eider seen near Ivy Dock, four little terns were fishing and resting on Langenhoe Point, five common terns and two great crested grebes, common seal in the Colne, while on the mud were three avocets and six shelduck.
A hobby flashed over Ivy Farm and headed east over the Point, while 75+ swifts were counted crossing west over the Colne in the space of five minutes. A Cetti's warbler sang near Ivy Farm, yellow wagtail flew over while at the Oyster Fishery a green sandpiper flew around calling.

On Wednesday 8th birds of note seen during a walk along the Strood seawall included two greenshank, 90+ redshank, four black-tailed godwits, six common terns, three avocets and a grey plover. A little grebe called from the dyke, a corn bunting was singing and four kestrels noted.
Later in the day a peregrine was seen over Ray Island by Ian Black.

At Coopers Beach on Wednesday Michael Thorley reported two stonechats, four linnets while near Fen Farm were two ringed plovers on the beach and five dunlin on the mud.

On Tuesday 7th a red kite drifted north over the Strood fields, then crossing over the channel to Ray Island and Feldy. A hobby, sparrowhawk, buzzard, marsh harrier and a kestrel were the other birds of prey seen during the morning walk.
Along the Strood channel were two greenshank, 55 redshank, ten curlew, four common terns, while a corn bunting was heard singing, a sand martin flew west, 100+ swifts were in the air and two reed warblers heard in the reeds.

There was still plenty of sand martin activity around the country park cliff on Monday 6th with 42 holes counted and at least fifty birds flying over the beach and fields.

Three juvenile kestrels appeared to have fledged very recently as they were seen on Monday sitting on top of their nestbox at the back of the park's grazing fields.
Other birds seen at the park included 7 little tern flying out of the Colne, a brent goose and an eider in the Colne, two avocets, three ringed plovers on the Point also there ten linnets and a reed bunting, female pochard in the dyke, Cetti's warbler, 12 Mediterranean gulls on the saltmarsh, 20 swifts, three little egrets at the pond.

Martin Cock counted forty Mediterranean gulls on the saltmarsh by the Golfhouse on Monday afternoon. Earlier at Maydays 350+ sand martins and 150 swifts were seen flying about. An adder was seen on the Maydays seawall on Monday morning by Sarah Thorley, also a yellowhammer and five little egrets noted there.

Ian Black heard a green sandpiper flying over his Mersea Avenue garden on Monday and later a sparrowhawk over the High Street.

A hedgehog curled up in the Firs Chase garden after being discovered by the dog last thing at night on Friday 10th.

One of the regular red squirrels with a tatty tail was at the Firs Chase garden feeder on Wednesday 8th. A male and a female are seemingly the regular visitors most days to the garden feeder.

A ringlet stopped off in the Firs Chase garden on Friday to feed on the oregano flowers.

A lilac beauty was the highlight of the mothing evening on 30th June - the first record for the garden.

GARDEN HAWK

A male sparrowhawk suddenly appeared in the Firs Chase back garden, landing on the bird bath by some bird feeders on Friday 3rd. Birds that had been quietly feeding a few seconds earlier, rapidly dived into cover.

Also visiting the garden feeders was a family of goldfinches with this youngster waiting to be fed some sunflower hearts.

Another recent garden visitor was this male great spotted woodpecker pictured at the squirrel feeder on the 25th June.

Phil Passfield managed to take this great picture of the male great spotted woodpecker feeding a youngster in his back garden in Yorick Road. The woodpeckers are still occasionally visiting the garden, a month after they finished nesting in the cherry tree there.

On Friday 3rd during a walk along the Strood seawall, two sand martins, 30 swifts, two yellow wagtails, 8 little egrets, two kestrels, corn bunting and a lapwing were noted.

There were grey skies above the Strood channel on Thursday 2nd July during a late morning walk along the seawall. Birds noted included 70 swifts, four sand martins, six house martins and 15 swallows hawking over the fields. Also two singing corn buntings, two common terns, 45 carrion crows and 25 linnets.

At Coopers Beach two stonechats with their two juveniles were seen by Martin Cock on Thursday.

There were lots of butterflies such as this ringlet, enjoying the sunshine in East Mersea along the path between Shop Lane and Meeting Lane on Wednesday 1st. Half a dozen ringlets were fluttering through the grass and beside the hedges, also a fleeting glimpse of a purple hairstreak high up an oak by Gyants Marsh.

A small skipper posed on a bramble flower to show the orange-tips to the underside of the ends of the antennae. At least 30 skippers seen either small or Essex skippers noted. Other butterflies seen included large skipper, small copper, meadow brown, gatekeeper, comma, small heath, large white and small white.

Birds of interest on Wednesday in the Shop Lane area were the large numbers of sand martins with 200+ flying over the fields with more crossing over from Langenhoe. Also 70+ swallows and a passage of 50+ swifts heading west. Not surprisingly a hobby was seen over the field by the Shop Lane seawall a couple of times. An hour later either the same hobby or a different hobby was seen flying west with another hobby, heading in the same direction as the hirundines - so certainly two hobbies, maybe three.

Two common buzzards circled over, a male marsh harrier quartered Reeveshall and a sparrowhawk was seen near Fishponds Wood on a couple of occasions. Two yellowhammers were singing as was a lesser whitethroat.

Martin Cock had noted two fledged lapwing chicks and two oystercatcher chicks from the Shop Lane seawall on Wednesday morning.

The aptly-named Swollen-thighed beetle with its shiny green thighs was seen feeding on a bindweed flower along the Shop Lane footpath on Wednesday.

A red squirrel was trying to hide in Fishponds Wood as I walked along the nearby footpath on Wednesday. It tutted and flicked its tail for a moment having had its foraging interrupted.

Ian Black noted on Wednesday during a visit to the Strood, hobby, two corn buntings, four yellow wagtails and Mediterranean gull.

On Tuesday 30th June a little tern provided a nice view as it flew down the Strood channel. Two little terns were seen a little later near Packing Shed Island. Six common terns were also seen along the channel and in the moorings.
Other birds along the Strood were two great crested grebes, 15 redshank, five curlew, lapwing, four yellow wagtails and a singing corn bunting. Thirty swifts were seen near the houses with another thirty seemingly heading west, two house martins were near Strood Hill.

At Maydays on Tuesday Martin Cock noted the usual yellowhammers, corn bunting, reed buntings, meadow pipit, several yellow wagtails, reed warbler and sedge warbler, marsh harrier, 75 redshank, 25 curlew and a great crested grebe.

Three oystercatcher chicks could be seen on Monday 29th in the dinghy near the Dabchicks sailing club. They have been raised inside the boat and have their food brought to them, usually lugworms, by their parents.

A westwards passage of swifts was noticeable through the day with ten over Firs Chase garden early in the morning and another sixty still flying west in the early evening. Along the Strood 200+ swifts were seen streaming west from Strood Hill, over the fields and then onto the mainland. A sand martin was also seen heading west.
A sparrowhawk was seen a couple of times, five yellow wagtails, green woodpecker, 12 goldfinches and three curlew were the other birds of note seen near the Strood on Monday.

A cattle egret was seen on Monday just north of the Island on Langenhoe ranges by Richard Brown.

This toadflax brocade caterpillar was found by David Nicholls in his Queen Ann Road garden- once a rare moth, it has increased in recent years. This one was seen feeding on David's purple toadflax.

A crab spider was photographed by Andy Field in his High Street North garden on Monday 29th.

A hedgehog was seen in Peter Cock's garden in Seaview Avenue on Wednesday 24th - the first sighting for Peter here for many years.

BACKGARDEN MOTHING

A good variety of moths were recorded in the back garden in Firs Chase during a warm spell over three nights between the 24th and 26th June. The Robinson moth trap with a 125w bulb was switched on at 10pm and kept operating until 4am, just before day-break and before the birds were up. Numbers of moths averaged about 50 species of macro moths involving up to 250 individuals on some nights, while over twenty micro moths were recorded too.
The magpie moth pictured was one of the strikingly marked moths found.

The haul of hawkmoths was impressive with ten privet hawkmoths on the 24th being a memorable sight, along with six elephant hawkmoths, small elephant hawkmoth and a pine hawkmoth. The eyed hawkmoth and poplar hawkmoths were added on the following nights.

The scarcest moth was this Clancy's rustic seen on 25th and 26th, a species first seen last year a few times in the garden.

The coastal sand dart is a speciality of the north-east coast of the county. This is the second individual of the season here.

A few swallow-tailed moths graced the trap over the three nights.

A couple of the strange looking buff-tip moths looking like a bit of twig, were seen on one of the nights.

The dainty bordered white never seems a common moth and not recorded every year..

A single marbled brown was the first one of the season.

Two or three common emerald moths were recorded over the three nights.

This small V-pug still had a good tinge of green markings on it.

The once scarce cypress carpet has become a regular in recent years.

The rapidly spreading box moth appeared over the three nights in small numbers including this dark form.

This micro-moth Dasycera oliviella was one of the more striking of the micros, a species on the increase in the county.