COOL FOR BUTTERFLIES

Only three butterflies were seen at the country park on a cool Sunday 20th, with this small tortoiseshell pictured above the most colourful. This individual was seen near the car park enjoying the brief burst of sunshine in the afternoon, here resting on a cotoneaster bush. The only other butterflies seen were a speckled wood and a large skipper.


The grass is some parts of the park is already turning brown with the lack of recent rain. A couple of six-spot burnet moths were staying low in the long grass in the cool breeze.

The pools of water in the fields are shrinking fast, although the rapidly growing docks and rushes are still making the most of the damp conditions. The green sandpiper was still present, as were 15 black-tailed godwits. It was pleasing to see 4 well-grown redshank chicks feeding at the pools, as it has been almost a month since three small chicks were first spotted, with no sightings in between. As well as several well-grown lapwing chicks still being present, a new young chick was also seen.
Amongst the 20+ mallard were two drake teal, which is a bit unusual for early summer here.

The cuckoo was heard calling from the park, while along the dyke 4 singing reed warblers were heard and a pair of tufted ducks were present.

At the Point 3 male reed buntings were singing from the sea-blite bushes, where 4 linnets were also noted. On the mud nearby 2 golden plover and a ringed plover were seen as were 25 curlew and 40+ oystercatchers. A couple of little terns flew past while a Mediterannean gull flew east over the Point crossing the river Colne to Point Clear. There was no sign of the brent goose that was standing on the beach near the Point yesterday.