Saturday, 2 April 2011

EARLY APRIL WARMTH


Admired this first comma butterfly of the spring as it rested on a wall in Firs Chase, West Mersea on a warm Saturday 2nd. A peacock was also enjoying the sunshine too and occasionally the two butterflies tussled with each other. A small white butterfly was seen near some gardens by the East Mersea road near Meeting Lane.


This common lizard was basking in a hedgerow near the Feldy View field on the edge of West Mersea. This area has been a reliable and regular site for lizards enjoying the sunshine amongst the grass.

The only summer migrants noted near the Firs Chase caravan site were a singing willow warbler which provided a nice view, and a chiffchaff. Martin Cock saw a swallow during his morning walk at Maydays farm.



The days appeared to be numbered for the weedy field by the Strood, as it appears the area has just been sprayed in the last few days. The fields have been a real magnet for finches, buntings and larks over the autumn and winter months.

Enjoying the sunshine across the field today were 5+ singing skylarks, 4 singing corn buntings as well as 4 reed buntings, meadow pipit, 30 linnets, snipe and a kestrel. There was no sign of any of the lapland buntings that have been around all winter.

It was approaching high tide in the Strood Channel with most of the mud covered. Most of the waders were redshank and curlew with a few dunlin, turnstone and oystercatcher. Small groups of brent were noted as well as a few teal and also 3 little egrets on the saltings. Two pairs of marsh harriers were seen in the distance over Old Hall marshes.

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