SQUIRREL SIGHTINGS

Up to thirty lapwings have been feeding on the park's grazing fields in the last few days. After dark they fly onto the main part of the park to feed after everyone with their dogs have left the place.

A pair of yellowhammers perched briefly on top of a tree behind the hide at the park, making a rare visit to here.

The Cetti's warbler was singing from the near side of the pond and actually showed itself briefly on Friday. In the nearby hedges up to six blackcaps and five chiffchaffs were enjoying the morning sunshine.
A common buzzard flew west over the park on Friday as did 300 golden plover flying over the car park.

An unexpected sighting at the beginning of Thursday 1st was this red squirrel seen scampering along Bromans Lane at 7.30am as I was driving to the park. It hardly paused to stop before leaping into the grassy verge and quickly disappearing.
Having since seen the Watkins family from the nearby Bromans Farm, they too have been enjoying seeing a red squirrel for several days feeding on their walnuts in their garden.
Another red squirrel was also reported crossing the East Mersea road at the end of Thursday near Weir Farm.

At the beginning of September two red squirrels were visiting several gardens along East Road near the end of the East Mersea road, this pair being photographed by David Bullock in his garden, as was the individual pictured below.

A badger was seen in Bromans Lane just after dark on Tuesday 29th, while two days earlier another badger was successfully rescued from one of the park's pillboxes by the RSPCA having been spotted by the Pickles family. The badger seemed in good health and was released back onto the park.

This comma butterfly was enjoying the morning sunshine on Friday at the country park. Also seen were speckled wood, small white and small copper.

Overnight on Wednesday 30th, forty-eight moths of fifteen species came to the trap including this L-album wainscot, a species that turns up each autumn in small numbers.

A couple of autumnal rustics were noted in the trap, an annual visitor each autumn in ones or twos.