PASS THE POPLAR

This poplar hawkmoth seemed quite happy to be passed round members of the Mersea Wildlife Group when they visited the country park on the evening of Thursday 22nd. The large hawkmoth had spent the day imitating a loose piece of bark near where the moth trap had run the previous night.

Showing this moth to the members close up proved to be popular and fascinating experience for many. Poplar hawks have a strong grip and don't like letting go, although when this one decided he wanted to be left alone, off it flew into bushes above the heads of the group.

The real highlight for the annual outdoor visit of the 30 members of the Group is not really seeing wildlife at the park but is really about tucking into the spread of cheese and wine at the end!

The wildlife we did see on the walk included green woodpecker, meadow pipit, oystercatchers on the mudflats, pochard and tufted ducks on the pond as well as the sitting swan who we were later told, had been seen with 7 cygnets.

One of the most striking moths of the park is this colourful cream-spot tiger, this is the first one of the season. This uncommon Essex moth is found mainly around the coast and occasionally seen in the daytime flying out of the long grass as you pass by.

The moth trap has been run on a couple of nights recently with the Thursday night haul providing the most variety with 30 species but with a very disappointing number of the actual moths with just under 60 individuals noted.

Among the moths seen were 3 poplar hawks, pale oak beauty, cinnabar, maidens blush, common wainscot, oak hook tip, clouded border, clouded silver, marbled minor, light emerald, coxcomb prominent, chocolate tip, spectacle, common swift, sandy carpet and green carpet.

It was interesting to compare these two ermine moths both with their furry heads with the white ermine above and the buff ermine pictured below. Both are common moths in early summer and always brighten up a dark trap at night.

On Wednesday a green hairstreak was seen near the car park enjoying the sunshine and also the first small heath of the year was seen flying low along a grassy path. Other butterflies seen in recent days have been the usual orange-tip, holly blue, speckled wood, peacock, small white and large white.

Returning late to the park on Wednesday evening, the grasshopper warbler was heard in the dark, reeling from the grassy field margin near Cosways. Driving into the park I was very surprised to have to jam on the car brakes while two badgers crossed the road right in front of the car. One badger paused momentarily beside the car and appeared to be a youngster because it was smaller than the other.

The distant call of the cuckoo and turtle dove have been heard on a couple of recent days although the familiar song of the nightingale in the car park appears to have stopped for the season. A pair of sand martins flew past the sandy cliff and the regular male marsh harrier was seen over nearby fields.