CYGNET SHOW

Had an evening walk along the park seawall on a warm Friday 3rd, where this single cygnet appears to be growing fast in the company of its attentive parents. The adult mute swans are undergoing their moult currently resulting in piles of white feathers lying on the bank. This has alarmed a few passers-by who have assumed a swan has been attacked by something and feathers have been pulled out!
The family of mute swans at the park pond are also doing well with four cygnets still present.

A mother pochard was keeping a watch over her new brood of 5 little ducklings along the dyke, pictured above. The 5 tufted ducklings are also doing well on the park pond.

The muddy pools in the grazing fields are drying up a bit more each day but green sandpiper, greenshank, 15 black-tailed godwits and 6 lapwing were noted here. On the edge of the incoming tide a common sandpiper was feeding near the Point. Offshore at least 10 little terns hunted around the mouth of the Colne, while overhead 50 swifts crossed west onto the Island.

In the grazing fields a fox had his snooze disrupted by an approaching cow. Near the park pond 3 badgers were seen before darkness fell with two of them jogging down into the hedgeline at the bottom of the field. A little owl was seen perched alongside the East Mersea road by Weir Farm just before darkness fell.

The moth trap was switched on during Thursday night with conditions ideal for moth activity being muggy and cloudy. Unfortunately the forecasted thunderstorm duly arrived at 1am with thunder and lightning cracking right overhead. The trap was hurriedly put away just as masses of insects especially the moths were arriving in numbers.

One of the prettiest moths found were a couple of peach blossoms, one pictured above. The moth gets its name from the delicate pink markings on the forewings which help to camouflage it when it hides amongst bramble flowers where it lays its eggs. Despite being a common moth this is the first record for the park.

This diminutive least carpet was found resting up near my back door during the day. The least carpet used to be quite a scarce moth in Essex but in recent years there seems to have been an increase in records in the county.

Other moths of note at the park that night included a very faded pine hawkmoth, privet hawk, elephant hawk, masses of dark arches and light arches, also good numbers of buff arches.

RUFF ON REEVES-HALL

Discovered masses of crab-shells washed up along the high tide-line along the Pyefleet at Reeveshall on Thursday 2nd. Conditions in the estuary must have been just right for a mass shedding of shells by the local shore-crabs, as they outgrew their old shells and new ones grown in their place. A close look at these crabs revealed them to be empty inside, with the top part of the carapace shell unhinged along its rear edge.

The shells appear to have been left after one of the recent high spring tides, the highest being about a week ago. All along the back of the saltmarsh were hundreds of thousands of these mainly tiny crab-shells and very little else.

There was a interesting selection of birds on the Reeveshall pool and the sight of 3 grey herons, one pictured above, is strangely uncommon here. Just the one little egret present but in recent years they have outnumbered the herons.

The most eyecatching bird was a male ruff sporting a thick buffy neck recalling the mane on a male lion, while its body and wings were pale grey with black barring. The bird was almost in its breeding plumage and very different from the usual plain ruff that pass through the Island. On such a hot day the thick set of feathers around the neck looked more suited to the winter-time.

Also on the pool were 7 greenshank, 4 spotted redshank, 3 green sandpiper, 10 lapwing, 5 redshank, avocet briefly, 2 little grebe, curlew, black-tailed godwit. Numbers were slowly building up nicely as the tide covered all of the mudflats along the nearby Pyefleet Channel. However a low flying plane flew so low over Reeveshall that all the birds flew off leaving the pool nearly deserted.

Along the Channel just before high tide, 20 black-tailed godwits and an avocet were the only waders seen. During high tide a few hundred waders gathered to roost on Pewit Island with curlew, redshank, oystercatchers, black-tailed and bar-tailed godwits noted. Ten little terns hunted along the Pyefleet.

Marsh harriers were showing well as usual on both Reeveshall with 4 birds seen and also on Langenhoe where about another six birds were seen. One harrier had a half-hearted swoop down at a brown hare which had to jump out of the way to avoid being snatched. On Langenhoe a male harrier returned to the Point carrying food which it passed to a recently fledged youngster. A rival male quickly joined in and was chased off before it could steal the food off the youngster.

A lazy song of a male yellowhammer drifted nearly 400 metres in the warm evening air while a bit closer to the seawall, a corn bunting also sang. Overhead three skylarks seemed more vocal than of late as they all tried to outsing each other.

After the sun set the sand martins gathered in huge numbers for the night-time roost above Reeveshall. Earlier in the evening about 400 birds had been flying around over the fields. My last scan of the area before leaving just as darkness descended, around a thousand sand martins were now present. The flock at times gathered together in dense numbers before dispersing over a wide area. Last summer a similar sized flock was seen to drop down very suddenly into the Reeveshall reedbed.

Amongst the large numbers of meadow brown butterflies along the seawall were a couple of painted ladies and a male ruddy darter was seen by a ditch.

STILL HOT HERE

The moth trap operated throught the night of Tuesday 30th at the country park - the first opportunity for nearly a fortnight. The recent run of hot days and warm nights have been ideal for insects and there were 45 species of macro moth waiting in the trap on Wednesday morning.

The rather plain looking moth pictured above was not one that I recognised so it was collected up for a closer look. The moth is a worn looking olive crescent with the two distinctive pale cross lines with a faint crescent-mark just visible on each wing between the two lines. The moth was surprisingly obliging and calm and when it was allowed to fly off, it headed to a nearby bush and rested up on a twig. The moth is normally associated with mature oak or beech woodland.

The olive crescent moth is listed as nationally rare and a red data book species with its own biodiversity action plan as the resident moth population is only known from a few sites in the south-east of England. Although the moth is resident in two sites in north east Essex, this moth here at the park is probably an immigrant, as the moth is often reported at coastal sites along the south and east coasts of England.

This very worn and faded lime hawkmoth is the first of the year and is recorded annually here at the park although only one or two individuals. Also in the trap were eyed hawk, poplar hawk and two elephant hawkmoths - 4 species of hawkmoth in one night.

Other moths making their first appearance of the year at the trap were swallow-tailed, yellow-tail, lackey, lunar-spotted pinion, scalloped oak, brown-line bright-eye and smoky wainscot.

As dusk fell on Tuesday night the black-headed gulls were having a late evening feast on various insects on the park. Flying low over the tree tops they snatched summer chafers that were buzzing about as it started to get dark. For a few warm evenings each summer these summer chafers appear in reasonable numbers and a couple of years ago a kestrel was watched catching them too.

A female adder was seen near the car park just about to cross an area of short grass. As I approached for a closer look, it quickly turned back into the long grass and wasn't seen again.

A marsh harrier flew over the field to the west of the park on Tuesday morning while at the park about 50 sand martins were flying around the cliff. On the mud 30 black-tailed godwits fed at low tide and 20 curlew passed over. The turtle dove was heard singing at Bromans Farm on Wednesday morning.

There was another picturesque end to the day along the calm Strood Channel as the sun set. During a short walk a few birds heard singing in the area included corn bunting, reed bunting, common whitethroat, lesser whitethroat and linnet.

ROUGH JUSTICE

Went back to the pool at the country park grazing fields on a hot Monday 29th for another look at the very colourful ruff. This poor shot through the telescope of the two ruff was the only one I could take as the birds were frightened off straight after I took this photo by the herd of cattle coming to drink at the pool. The birds flew off high to the north and didn't return, so it was a bit rough that the cattle got thirsty when I arrived with my camera.

The bird on the right was briefly glimpsed through the telescope and the bright sunshine revealed it to have some amazing irridescent navy blue feathers on the back of the neck. Both birds must have been stunning to look at a few weeks ago, as they jousted with rival males at their lekking site, trying to woo and impress the watching female birds.


The three kestrel chicks newly fledged from the nestbox, perched on the same oak tree waiting for a parent to come back with food. One of the young made a short flight over the field before returning back to join its siblings. At one point a male sparrowhawk flew right over the tree with the kestrels watching it closely as it passed by. The female sparrowhawk was also seen earlier flying over the fields being mobbed by sand martins.

The pools are shrinking fast in the recent dry weather and the cattle are valuing the water for drinking. Four lapwing, redshank, 10 mallard, 4 shelduck and a few black-headed gulls and starlings were the other birds around the pools. A reed warbler sang from the ditchline at the back of the fields.

On the pond the female tufted duck was with at least five small ducklings while nearby 10 adults were snoozing. A young little grebe chick was noisily being fed and the mute swans are still present with 4 cygnets. The other pair of swans on the dyke still have their lone cygnet. Amongst the several mallard and lots of young coots a moulting male shoveler was noted.

Butterflies noted included a painted lady, comma, small tortoiseshell, large skipper, small skipper, meadow brown and a red admiral. On the pond several emperor dragonflies were seen while lots of blue-tailed damselflies and azure damselflies were present.

At the end of the day a barn owl crossed the East Mersea road near the Dog and Pheasant pub.

RETURNING RUFF

It was a hot walk around the busy country park in the early afternoon of Sunday 28th. The main area of interest is still on the pools in the grazing fields, as it has been all through the spring. On this occasion two very colourful ruff, still with a fair amount of their breeding plumage on show. These males had very similar colour markings with a general black body and wings but with a ginger ruff still very visible around the neck.

Both birds waded through the shallow waters, picking at insects on the surface as they walked across. These ruff are returning from their breeding grounds probably in Scandinavia, stopping off here to refuel before continuing south for the winter.

The other bit of bird interest focussed on the oak tree in the hedgeline behind the pools, as in the picture above, where the young kestrel chicks were perched on a branch outside their nestbox. It's satisfying to see the specially designed box being used by them having been put up in the tree about 4 years ago with barn owls or kestrels in mind. The adult male arrived back with some food with the chicks calling out loudly as the prey was quickly passed over to one of the youngsters.

There were good numbers of sand martins flying around many of the surrounding fields and beach with at least 100 birds seen. Many of them perched on wires to the north of the park.


The first small skippers were skipping low over the grass with this one pictured above stopping briefly enough for a closer view. Several large skippers were also seen as were lots of meadow browns along hedges and amongst the long grass.


Along some of the bushier paths there were several speckled wood butterflies, one pictured above, defending their section of path from rivals. Any other speckled woods that got too close were quickly chased away.

Adrian Kettle saw 2 yellow-legged gulls by the Strood early on the Sunday morning, one of the birds an adult, the other bird a younger bird.

CLOSE CALL

After a few days off Mersea, returned on Saturday 27th and managed an evening walk along the Strood seawall as a thunderstorm passed close-by to the west of the Island. At one point the clouds darkened as in the picture above and briefly threatened to head towards West Mersea. It stayed close and muggy during the evening with little wind blowing to freshen the air up.

The tide was out along the Strood Channel and a few more waders were seen compared with the very quiet period during mid May to mid June. Two greenshank, green sandpiper, 20 curlew, 30 redshank, lapwing and 12 oystercatchers were seen on the mud while flying down channel were 3 avocet and 10 black-tailed godwits.

Two marsh harriers could be seen hunting over marshes in the distance at either end of the Strood causeway. Four little egrets were seen as were several little terns and common terns along the channel.


The sun peaked briefly out from behind the big cloud, just before sunset, providing a colourful view across the Strood Channel to Ray Island, pictured above.
There was still a nice selection of songs from various birds along the seawall such as sedge warbler, 3 reed warblers, 2 corn buntings, reed bunting, common whitethroat and skylark.
Several meadow brown butterflies were still fluttering along the grassy side to the seawall as the sun set.

Andy Field in recent days has seen a hobby by Chapmans Lane and the little owl at Weir Farm. On the pool in the park grazing fields 2, possibly 3, wood sandpipers were seen on the 26th, which seems very early for the return passage here on the Island. A hobby, marsh harrier near the fields, 56 black-tailed godwits on the mudflats and a badger in Bromans Lane, 2 adders in the park have all been seen recently.

On the park pond 9 tufted ducklings, little grebe chick were noted as was a young redshank chick by the pool in the fields. Two kestrel chicks emerged from the nestbox to perch in the oak tree.
Martin Cock saw 7 sandwich terns along the Pyefleet Channel at the beginning of the week along with the yellow-legged gull by the Strood.

SAND MARTINS INCREASE

An evening walk around the park on Friday 19th provided views of lots of sand martins around the beach and the surrounding fields with 100 birds seen. Many are still nesting in the cliff by the beach pictured above but other birds will have come from elsewhere. Peak counts are often in late June early July when several hundred are often seen.
A number of swifts mingled briefly with the martins as they drifted west over the Island. Earlier in the day one group of 50 birds passed over the car park.

On the pools in the grazing fields 4 teal, 6 shelduck, 2 shoveler, 15 mallard, 4 lapwing, redshank and a pair of oystercatchers were noted. The male kestrel returned to its nestbox in the tree at the back of the fields to feed its hungry and noisy chicks. A stock dove flew over the area and a fox was seen in the field behind.

Not much activity at the pond except for the swan family, several young coots, moorhens, 3 mallard and a pair of tufted duck. A male sparrowhawk flew low over the field and into the hedgeline, while green woodpecker, whitethroat were seen and the nightingale was still singing by the park entrance.

A little owl perched on a sign in the car park at dusk on Wednesday evening and another one perched by the East Mersea road on Tuesday evening. The avocets have returned to the saltmarsh pools near the Point with 5 birds on Tuesday and 6 seen on Thursday. A pair of Mediterranean gulls flew over the field on Tuesday and then an adult was seen flying over the car park on Tuesday evening.

Steve Entwistle saw a turtle dove and a little owl by the East Mersea church on Tuesday while Martin Cock watched the cuckoo flying low over the reeds in the dyke at Maydays. A marsh harrier flew over fields near the East Mersea road on Monday.

The main focus of insect activity in recent days has still been around the flowering cotoneaster with 2 red admirals, 5 painted ladies, meadow browns, large skipper and even a black-tailed skimmer being seen on the blossom.


Just over 30 species of moth were found in the trap at the park on Friday morning with this small barred yellow catching the eye. One individual came to the trap last week and its a moth that deserves a second look, to admire the yellow and brown markings.

Several of the moths including the ones shown here, were collected into containers and taken into the local Mersea Primary School for the children to admire. Having had the life-cycle and habits of moths explained to them, the children then spent a session drawing some of the 10 species taken in. These included the white ermine, buff ermine, mottled beauty, barred straw, pale prominent, cinnabar, green silver lines, large yellow underwing as well as these ones pictured here.

The most colourful moth in the trap as always was the elephant hawkmoth with 3 found in the morning.

The very distinctive magpie moth with the pied markings is the first of the year here. There should be a few more in the next few weeks but only ones and twos.

Probably the last cream spot tiger to be noted for the year, this one rapidly beating its wings as it prepares for take off, showing its colourful underparts.