WHINCHAT WALK

This whinchat was photographed by Andy Field near the Shop Lane seawall early last week. Small numbers of whinchats are passing through at the moment on their journey south. During this evening's walk to the Reeveshall pool on Thursday 2nd, three more whinchats were seen perched on a fence near the same Shop Lane seawall.


The sun was seen setting behind the Reeveshall pool at about 7.30pm with very little life on the pool. Other than 5 teal, gadwall, green sandpiper flying away, a juvenile cuckoo flying into the oak tree was a bit unexpected. Also seen over Reeveshall were marsh harrier, 4 yellow wagtails and 40 black-tailed godwits feeding in the field.

The tide was well out along the Pyefleet with 90 knot on the mud at Langenhoe Point the main wader of interest while on Langenhoe 6 marsh harriers flew over the roost site and a sparrowhawk was also seen. Back towards the park at dusk, a little owl was seen perched on a telegraph post in Bromans Lane.

At the country park during the day a common buzzard drifted west over the car park, and a sparrowhawk and kestrel were seen near the pond. In the bushes near the pond a garden warbler was seen feeding on elderberries alongside 3 blackcaps, common whitethroats, lesser whitethroat and chiffchaff. A goldcrest calling from bushes near the hide was the first of the autumn for the park.

The previous day, Wednesday 31st a marsh harrier flew east over the park pond and fields while earlier in the morning two others flew south-west over the East Mersea village shop. Also at the park yesterday a snipe flew over the car park calling, two turtle doves perched up by the grazing fields (probably the same two seen earlier in Bromans Lane) and a kestrel hovered in this area. A wheatear on the beach has been present for its fourth day, while flying away from the cows to roost were 11 yellow wagtails. Flying around the fields and seawall round to Ivy Farm in the evening were 200 swallows and one or two sand martins. In the grazing fields 150 teal were seen flying off during the day and the first wigeon was also noted too.

An evening walk on Wednesday to the Oyster Fishery provided views of 28 little egrets, 5 eider, 30 golden plover, 13 knot, 100 avocet, 200 black-tailed godwits, 8 little terns, 5 common terns, 7 marsh harriers on Langenhoe while 2 greenshank were heard calling.

Two adders were seen enjoying the sunshine together in the park on Thursday.


The moth trap ran on both Tuesday night and Wednesday night with this nicely patterned feathered gothic pictured above, found on the latter night. It wasn't recorded at the park last autumn although it has been noted in previous years. This was one of about 180 moths of 27 species noted, not quite as good as Tuesday night under the still cloudy skies with 220 moths of 33 species.


There were three hedge rustics in the trap this morning, one pictured above. Just the one hedge rustic was noted last autumn, it being a relatively scarce moth locally.


There were five of these small Chinese character moths on Tuesday night, each one looking like a bit of bird dropping. This is the second generation on the wing at the moment, following the first ones that were on the wing during May here.



A couple of the small lime-speck pug moths were noted on both nights. The outline of the moth and the manner the wings are held very flat on the surface make this moth very recognisable.

Some of the other moths noted over the two nights were mullein wave, blood-vein, small dusty wave, oak hook-tip, willow beauty, green carpet, common carpet, yellow belle, scarce footman, orange swift, turnip, nutmeg, broad bordered yellow underwing, square-spot rustic, dark arches, rosy rustic, pale mottled willow, white point, copper underwing and common rustic.