GROPPER GROUP

Some local excitement late on the evening of Sunday 11th following the discovery of the singing grasshopper warbler the previous day near Cosways caravan park in East Mersea. Here Martin, Andy and Steve are watching the small brown warbler, flying from low bush to low bush, whilst listening to its song sounding like the back wheel of a bicycle free-wheeling - as well as sounding like a grasshopper too. As we listened and watched this bird, a second reeling song was heard faintly from the far end of the strip of rank grass and low bushes.

Grasshopper warblers are uncommon visitors to the island and are only ever detected when their song is heard. Most birds are only heard here when they stop off for a day or two on their way north in the spring. However one grasshopper warbler stayed around long enough for us to suspect breeding in a young tree plantation near North Farm in East Mersea in 2006.

Did a nice circular walk from the park on the Sunday evening, along the beach, meeting up with the group at the "Gropper" (grasshopper), pictured above and then walked back down Bromans Lane to the park. A nice variety of birds were seen or heard on the leisurely stroll.

Ten turnstones were waiting for the tide to recede, while two little terns and 4 common terns flew along the shallow waters. On the beach by Cosways it looked like two different ringed plovers were displaying with one female running away from a presumed nest somewhere well hidden in the shingle. One reed warbler and reed bunting sang from the small reedbed and 4 linnets sat up in a bush.

A male marsh harrier was seen hunting low over a wheat field near the pub and calling continuously from Shop Lane was the sound of the cuckoo. One or two whitethroats were singing from the various hedgerows but there was no further sign of the corn bunting that was singing near Cosways in the morning.

A male sparrowhawk flew across the big field towards the park and a kestrel sat up in a large ash tree in Bromans Lane. Further down the Lane the turtle dove could be heard singing near the farm and at dusk the local little owl sat on top of a telegraph post. One or two pipistrelle bats hawked up and down Bromans Lane but the only tawny owl that was noted was the male calling from the park pond area. The last bird of note was the very vocal nightingale singing his little heart out after darkness fell to an empty car park.

There was a report of two ospreys seen flying over the Pyefleet Channel, seen by a yachtsman on Sunday morning. One bird was being mobbed by gulls but still managed a couple of dives into the water and on the third attempt came up with a flatfish.

One of the prettiest butterflies on the park is the delicate green hairstreak. The bright green underwings blend in so well with the green leaves, that you have to keep your eye on it as it settles down on a bush, otherwise it stays camouflaged. This individual seemed to get very agitated when I walked past it carrying a big green refuse bag with it flying over to it several times to check it wasn't a rival. A short while later it took off to have a mid air tussle with another rival, spiralling round and round.

The green hairstreaks were further along this daisy path, which is the same locality as a couple were seen last year. Hopefully a few more will be seen in the next fortnight.

Other butterflies noted were comma, peacock, speckled wood, small white, orange tip and holly blue.

The moth trap on Sunday morning had about 75 moths of 35 species which was another worthwhile session. The maidens blush pictured above with the hint of blusher on the wings,was one of a couple found. Also 2 poplar hawks, 2 pale tussocks, small waved umber, figure of eighty, leaqst black arches, oak hook-tip and clouded border.

Two big beetles have been attracted to the bright moth lamp in the last couple of nights. The one above is the great silver beetle found on the Friday night with the following night the commoner great diving beetle, pictured below.