LONGEST NIGHT

One of the longest nights of the year on Wednesday 21st was a damp and mild one that saw the moth trap being put out at the country park. The conditions were as good as could be expected for the time of year. This December moth pictured above shows the very feathery big antennae of the male, used to track down the females. Four of these moths were in the trap which is a good tally for here.


At least five winter moths had made their way to the trap within the first hour of darkness although not many were still around by daybreak.

It was a good night for the chestnut moth with five in the trap in the morning. Many of them appeared dark brown with a sheen to the wings, looking like dark chestnut moths.

No sign of any snow buntings on this first beach at the park on a dull Wednesday 21st, however there were 26 snow buntings here on Tuesday. Also along the seawall on Tuesday were 2 chiffchaffs still spending an unusual amount of time recently low down by the saltmarsh or along the dyke. A sparrowhawk flashed low over the saltmarsh near the Point.

On Wednesday along the outer edge of the mud offshore from the park were 160 shelduck and 200 avocets. Flying high over the fields in the afternoon were 100 fieldfares heading west. The grazing fields were much wetter with recent rain although duck numbers were about 200 teal and 300 wigeon. Two foxes emerged from the hedge behind the pools at the end of the afternoon.

On the park pond a water rail was seen at dusk underneath the overhanging willows. Eight tufted ducks seemed to indicate some new arrivals while in the grass field nearby were 5 snipe.