ADMIRALS ON MIGRATION

It was a frosty start in certain parts of the park on the morning of Wednesday 22nd. This clump of nettles pictured above, covered in some chilly hoar, soon thawed out once the sun got onto them.

Two different groups of red admirals were admired during the day - the residents and the migrants. This clump of late flowering ivy in the car park had a group of 4 local red admirals feeding on it and enjoying the morning sunshine at the same time.

As the morning progressed, the passage of red admirals flying west along the beach and seawall was very noticeable. Whilst showing a group of Writtle College students around the park, we were regularly interrupting ourselves to admire another admiral flying past. The ones that we noticed close-by probably totalled about 20 individuals in the space of a couple of hours. They flew determinedly over the mudflats, low along the beach or adjacent fields without pausing. They'll continue to follow the coastline down to the continent where they will probably spend the winter in Spain or southern France.

Also seen flying around the park were 2 large whites and a couple of small coppers as well as one or two common darters and a southern hawker dragonfly.

The tide was on its way out during the morning and so there was a good selection of a waders to admire early on. Amongst the redshank, oystercatchers and black-tailed godwits were 25 knot. Overhead there was a typical large winter flock of 1000 golden plover high up, with their white underwings flickering against the bright blue sky as they flew west. Later on there was a group of about 200 of these "goldies" which roosted on the mudflats.

Also later in the morning on the mudflats were 100 brent geese feeding on the algae. There has been a noticeable increase in geese numbers in the last few days with a further 100 birds seen in the Colne over by Brightlingsea and Langenhoe.

Many of the waders on the mud by the Point were distant, although a group of about 70 avocet were easy to spot in the bright sunshine. A nice male pintail flew over the Point, which was rather unexpected, while in the bushes 5 reed buntings perched up and two rock pipits were also noted.

The regular stonechat was seen on its favourite bramble bush by the grazing fields. During the morning 5 late swallows passed over the park but in the nice weather, they stayed around, hawking around the trees and fields, one pair perching up on some wires. Siskin and redpoll were also noted flying west over the park.

At the park pond shoveler numbers got boosted when a group of ten joined the five already present. A male pochard was a new arrival too which added to the five other species of duck- gadwall, wigeon, teal and mallard. A little egret stood on some reedmace by the margin. In bushes near the pond a chiffchaff and blackcap were heard calling.

There are several clumps of these sea rocket plants with their delicate lilac coloured flowers, growing just above the strandline on the beach at the Point. Most other plants have finished flowering but this one still provides a bit of colour into the autumn. It's quite common wherever there are suitable sandy and shingle beaches.

A weasel was seen scampering along the path on the top of the seawall, no doubt eager to catch a few of the brown rats that live in the seawall.