LITTLE SKULKERS

For the second day running the two Cetti's warblers were skulking beside the park pond on Wednesday 1st. The two birds were first heard yesterday morning singing their very loud songs in duet but not showing themselves. This morning one performed along the near side of the pond, singing out loudly while the second bird flitted amongst the reedmace below. Andy Field did well to photograph this bird during one of its brief shows.

The Cetti's warbler has become an annual visitor to the park in recent years but has never stayed more than a couple of days. It can only be a matter of time before they become Island residents.

Five house martins, 20 swallows, 3 blackcaps 2 goldcrests, 2 song thrushes, 10 blackbirds, reed warbler and a sparrowhawk were seen near the pond. In the nearby fields 40 little egrets were gathered and the big mix of 1000+  greylags, teal, wigeon, redshank and black-tailed godwits. Four brent geese flew over the fields late morning.

Yesterday by the park pond the kingfisher was perched in the morning, as well as a flypast in the afternoon where it was later seen by the beach. A grey wagtail flew over the pond calling and 20 swallows passed over the park.A common buzzard flew away from the copse being mobbed by crows.

This stonechat showed well alpongside the park dyke for Alan Reynolds to photo on Tuesday afternoon.
A second bird was discovered at the end of the afternoon at the Point, perching on the seablite bushes.

Waders were starting to gather on the mud at East Mersea Point as the sun was going down on Tuesday evening. A marsh harrier passed high overhead on its way to the Langenhoe roost.

Martin Cock saw a kingfisher, peregrine, 300 avocets, 200 black-tailed godwits, 4 common terns by the Pyefleet near Shop Lane on Tuesday. A grey wagtail was seen on a West Mersea house roof near the Coverts early on Tuesday.
On Sunday 2 rock pipits, peregrine, kingfisher, green sandpiper and greenshank were seen at Maydays by Martin.

A clouded yellow was seen by Alan Reynolds at the Point on Tuesday which may've been this same individual photographed by Andy Field two weeks earlier on the 17th September. Martin reported seeing at least 2 possibly a third on the Shop Lane seawall on Tuesday.

At the park a small copper, red admiral, speckled wood and small whites were enjoying the autumn sunshine.

Alan Reynolds was able to photograph this obliging Mediterranean gull on the Seaview Beach on Tuesday.

A common seal performed from the Hard jetty for Alan on Tuesday, lured in by the crabbing activity.

The moth trap at the country park produced 130 individuals during Tuesday night including this red-green carpet.

The pretty flounced chestnut makes just one or two appearances each autumn at the park.

Recent catches have been dominated by lots of lunar underwings of various colour forms such as this brown individual. Over half of the catch were these with 60 noted in the trap. Other moths recorded were barred sallow, beaded chestnut, deep-brown rustic, green-brindled crescent, white-point, L-album wainscot and square-spot rustics as well as two of the tiny diamond-back moths.

The moth trap in the Firs Chase garden has been a little bit quieter with this neatly marked spruce carpet found resting on the lawn. Other moths were sallow, angle shades, large wainscot, feathered ranunculus, shuttle-shaped dart, engrailed, willow beauty and mallow.