BASKING BUTTERFLY

Sunshine on Monday 13th brought a few more butterflies out, such as this comma basking in the garden in Firs Chase. Also seen here were a peacock and a small tortoiseshell.
Birds noted from the Firs Chase garden included sparrowhawk, blackcap, song thrush and two swallows.

A walk past Feldy View and along the Strood seawall provided views of 5 peacocks, 6 small tortoiseshells and 2 small whites.

Playing hide and seek between two fenceposts near the Feldy View field was this common lizard trying to enjoy the warmth from the sun without being too exposed.

Birds of note along the Strood included a common buzzard heading south-west towards the Hard, pair of Mediterranean gulls, two whimbrel, 20 black-tailed godwits, 150 redshank and two greylag geese. Two pairs of blackcap and  two chiffchaffs were noted near the caravan site while a swallow was back by the Dabchicks.

High above Coast Road was the unexpected sight and sound of a displaying male marsh harrier, seemingly trying to impress a passing female with his high-pitched calls and tumbling flights. Earlier in the morning a male sparrowhawk was displaying with its similar rollercoaster flight high over the Lane.

To the west of the Hard five marsh harriers were in the air together over Old Hall Marshes while a common buzzard circled high over Copt Hall late morning.

It was sunny but breezy along the Maydays seawall during a two hour walk on Sunday 12th. Two marsh harriers and a common buzzard were seen over Reeveshall as was a pair of Mediterranean gulls. Four hundred brent geese were feeding in one of the fields as were 25 greylags and 4 Canada geese.

Along the Pyefleet a big colourful flock of 800+ black-tailed godwits were lined along the water's edge with 10 bar-tailed godwits also seen here. Two great crested grebes were in the channel.

A peregrine and two common buzzards were seen over Maydays by Steve Entwistle on Sunday while on the Langenhoe ranges a short-eared owl was seen by Andy Field and Richard Hull.