SUNSET SERENADE

As the sun went down at the country park on Thursday 22nd, the rich and varied song of the nightingale could be clearly heard. During the day it has been singing regularly by the park entrance and one of the birds yesterday was watched unusually out in the open as it fed like a robin at the bottom of hedge. Elsewhere around the park several whitethroats, blackcap and chiffchaff have settled in.

On the grazing fields in the evening there were 30 teal, 4 gadwall, 6 shoveler, 5 brent geese, 12 lapwing, 5 black-tailed godwits and 2 redshank. Along the dyke there were 6 tufted duck, pair of little grebes, pair of swans and a grey heron stalking water voles.

At the park pond at dusk there were 4 tufted ducks, 2 pairs of little grebes and the pair of nesting mute swans. As darkness descended a passing fox scattered some rabbits as it crossed the field, while 3 badgers were also glimpsed in the fading light and lastly a couple of pipistrelle bats flew past the hide several times.

Over the last few days a cuckoo has been seen feeding in bushes by the Golfhouse on Tuesday and in the park on Wednesday. A Mediterranean gull flew past the park calling on Wednesday, while on Tuesday 2 willow warblers were still present for the second day at the park.
Andy Field saw a wheatear by Coopers Beach on Tuesday while Ian Black was lucky enough to see a red kite near the Strood on Monday 19th. In recent days Martin Cock has seen 3 Mediterranean gulls flyover his West Mersea house and he reported a greenshank at Maydays Farm.

The adders have started to become restless, shedding their skins and moving from their regular basking spots, although 5 were still seen on Monday, 3 on Tuesday and 6 on Wednesday.



Not much mothing has taken place recently because the nights have been clear and chilly. Over Wednesday night, this frosted green moth pictured above, was the only different moth of the spring on a poor night's trapping. Only 14 moths noted including common quaker, powdered quaker and hebrew character.