SPRING'S HERE

"Hold-on, Spring's here!"
This pair of common toads were part of a small number seen crawling down Firs Chase early evening of Wednesday 17th. The smaller male pictured on top had a tight grip and wasn't going to let the larger female go, or let rival males take over. I don't know how far the poor female had had to carry this male on her back but she still had another 50 metres to go.The warm weather during the day must've encouraged the toads to make their way to the pond, although sadly quite a few succumbed to passing traffic.

The first adder of the year appeared in the regular spot in the country park, waiting to emerge from hibernation on the warmest and sunniest day of the year so far with temperatures reaching about 14 degrees. This small male was basking on some bare ground and seemingly happy to be photographed from a couple of feet away. Adders have been 3 weeks later emerging this year with previous first sightings being on 25th Feb in 2006, 21st Feb in 2007, 26th Feb in 2008 and 25th Feb in 2009. Despite regular checking of suitable sites in the park over recent days, it seems the cold winter has really delayed their appearance. Glyn Evans came across an adder on Monday on the seawall by Maydays Farm.

The other sign of spring was the discovery of a firecrest in the cliff-top bushes late on Tuesday. The weather had been sunny all day and this little gem of a bird was found during one last walk around the park at 6pm. If it hadn't been calling it wouldn't have been found and with the leaves absent from the trees, the bird could be seen just a few feet away foraging through the branches. Despite searching the park for it on Wednesday, there was no further sign of the firecrest.

Firecrests are uncommon passage migrants in Essex and although a few overwinter in the county, this bird is most likely a migrant. In previous springs, birds have often stopped off at the park for a day or so, before continuing northwards. Last year none were seen in the spring but four firecrests were found in the park in mid October.

The last hour of Wednesday was spent on the seawall north of Shop Lane in East Mersea. On Langenhoe Point 12 marsh harriers were watched gathering around the big reedbed lagoon, many sitting on the top of the seawall. A ringtail hen harrier was also seen heading into the area, just after the sun had set. In the Pyefleet 12 red-breasted mergansers were the main birds of note other than the usual variety of waders and wildfowl. A male yellowhammer called from a hedgerow.

The decision was made to start draining some of the water off the flooded field, unblocking the small drainage channel, in the middle of the photo above, allowing water to pour into the dyke. Hopefully the grasslands that have been flooded for months will still flourish in time for the cattle to graze next month.

The ruff that was found in the fields on Monday was still present on Wednesday, taking advantage of the dropping water levels. A handful of black-tailed godwits, 3 snipe, several territorial redshank and some very noisy lapwings were the main waders of note. The brent geese flock of 500 birds grazed the fields in mid afternoon before heading onto a nearby wheat field. The main flooded field again held a good number of wigeon, teal, shoveler and gadwall.

On the park pond 4 pochard and 12 tufted ducks were seen, the pair of kestrels were seen by the nestbox in the tree where they bred last year. A sparrowhawk flew away from trees where they bred last year, while a female yellowhammer seen in the car park is very unlikely to stay to breed here.

On Tuesday a marsh harrier flew high over the fields, scattering the wigeon below it as it headed south. A peacock butterfly near the car park was the first butterfly of the year here.

Andy Field watched a black-necked grebe from the Monkey beach at West Mersea on Saturday 13th . Also noted were 6 great northern divers, shag, 3 eider and a summer plumaged Mediterranean gull.