SINGING SKYLARKS

The skylarks at the country park are still singing loud and long. If you're lucky, one might sing for you while it perches on the back of one of the seats, as pictured above. Saves you from craning your neck to look up at a distant speck singing in the sky.

On the pools in the grazing fields on Saturday 18th about 70 black-tailed godwits and 80 redshank were gathered at high tide. On and around the pond were a dozen little egrets.

A green sandpiper flew west over the car park calling early on Friday 17th. A tawny owl could be heard calling from Manwood Grove in Shop Lane just before daybreak on Friday.

During the high tide roost on Thursday 16th, 36 little egrets were noted as were 82 black-tailed godwits while a hobby, kestrel and 6 yellow wagtails were reported by David Selley.
There were 25 little egrets seen feeding on the mudflats from the park at low tide as were 250 black-tailed godwits on Wednesday 15th.

At least fifty swifts passed west over the park during Wednesday as well as 25+ swallows.

At Reeveshall on the north side of the Island, a green sandpiper and the avocet family with two young were seen by Martin Cock on Saturday, and also 30 little terns on Langenhoe Point.
On Thursday a wheatear was on the seawall to the north of Shop Lane and at least one hobby, maybe a second, seen by Martin.

There are probably a couple of hundred gatekeeper butterflies around the park at the moment, especially along hedges and bramble bushes. This male pictured above was one of several seen basking in some evening sunshine.
Other butterflies noted in the last few days have included meadow brown, ringlet, speckled wood, red admiral, comma, peacock, small white, large white and holly blue.

Also on the wing amongst the long grass are the skippers such as this Essex skipper photographed by Andy Field at the park.

Andy and I enjoyed watching a purple hairstreak, the first for the season, high up in some oaks near the overflow car park on Wednesday 15th.

This female emperor dragonfly was photographed by Andy Field as it was egg-laying in the park dyke on Wednesday. Also seen was a banded demoiselle by the dyke, the second sighting at the park in the last week.

An adder was seen at the park on Wednesday and also on Thursday too.