LADYBUG BALL

There were thousands of ladybirds along the cliff-edge of the country park on Sunday 8th with masses crowded onto the tops of every post and paling along the fenceline. They seemed to be everywhere during the afternoon and it seemed like most folk who were walking in the area had some comment to make about them. This is the second consecutive August, when there has been an invasion by ladybirds. All the ladybirds seemed to be the common seven-spot ladybird species. I gather there were also many thousands swarming along the Walton on the Naze coast too, so maybe huge swarms along other parts of the Essex coast today.

The painted lady was seen with a few other butterflies on the buddleia bush in the car park for the second day running.

This male adder has been seen regularly through the summer and was enjoying the afternoon warmth curled up beside the track near the car park. Nearby the regular female was also in her usual spot but well hidden amongst the grass.


This pair of large red underwing moths spent the whole day resting on the side of the information room wall by the car park. They do seem to like resting on the sides of buildings, even if the walls are bright white rather than a brown colour! These two moths are different to the one found a few days ago, which had a chunk missing from the corner of its wing.

Birds around the park on Sunday included a noisy calling nightingale, at least 3 willow warblers, five greenshank flying over, while on the muddy pools were common sandpiper, green sandpiper and 2 snipe.

Steve Entwistle has managed to locate a pair of hobbies near Meeting Lane which he's seen on three separate occasions recently, including this Sunday morning. Needless to say when I looked for them in the evening, there was no sign of them.
Martin Cock saw 160 avocets in the Pyefleet Channel during a mid-week visit to the area, although no birds were seen on the Reeveshall pool.