MACROS AND MICROS

Stumbled across this mating pair of privet hawkmoths during a morning walk along St Peters Meadow at West Mersea on Sunday 13th. The pair were low down to the ground but clinging onto some stalks of long grass. They remained motionless and no doubt hoped no predator would spot them. If one had flicked it's wings open, the colourful pink banding would've been seen on the abdomen. This female won't have far to lay her eggs as there was a privet bush only 2 metres away from them.

The privet hawkmoth is the largest resident macro-moth in the UK with a wingspan of 12 cms. It would appear to be a widespread moth on the Island, as it is across the rest of Essex, regularly noted around gardens where the caterpillars feed on privet, lilac and ash. I've also come across one feeding on leaves of the guelder rose bush.

From those big macro-moths, to these dainty and delicate micro-moths pictured above, seen fluttering around a bush at St Peters. These moths pictured above belong to the group known as longhorn moths because of the very long antennae of the males. Sheltering out of the breeze, about 30 moths danced up in the air, waving their antennae as they flew, before settling back down on the foliage below. This micro-moth doesn't have an English name, only Nemophora degeerella so apologies for the Latin here!

Two other day-flying moths seen along the meadow were the cinnabar and the Mother Shipton. Along the St Peters ditch was a bright-blue male Emperor dragonfly hawking up and down when the sun came out.

Birds noted included a female kestrel, 2 singing reed warblers and 2 singing whitethroats, several swallows swooping over the marsh, house sparrow and goldfinch were also seen as was a great crested grebe near Cobmarsh Island.
Over Firs Chase a pair of Mediterranean gulls and a sparrowhawk were seen later in the day.


The Strood seawall on Saturday 12th provided views of lots of these pretty purple flowers of salsify. The cloud cover late in the morning prolonged the flower display as they normally close up in the middle of the day if the sun shines. A cousin of the more familiar yellow flower, goatsbeard, they are often known as Jack-go-to-bed-at-noon.

This little patch of poppies waved about in the breeze by the Strood seawall.

Birds noted on the walk which coincided with the high tide, included 50 swifts, 2 sedge warblers, 4 reed warblers, corn bunting and 3 reed buntings, while the cuckoo could be heard calling from Ray Island. One or two little terns and common terns were seen flying along the Channel.