As we enter a spring drought on Mersea, I've made life a bit easier for the red squirrels in the Firs Chase garden by providing a tiny-trug of water for them beside the nut feeder up the tree. It has taken just over a week for the squirrels to start using it with this female having a quick drink before settling down for 15 minutes to feed on Wednesday 5th mid-morning. She later appeared again for a five minute feed late afternoon. (Apologies this video isn't working at the moment!)
The regular pale male red squirrel had his first drink of water from the tiny-trug the previous morning on Tuesday 4th. He then spent five minutes tucking into the mixed nut selection.
A red squirrel was reported being seen crossing Seaview Avenue on Wednesday.
The water levels on the park's grazing fields continue to drop each day. Late on Thursday 6th there were 35+ black-tailed godwits, 10+ redshank, 15+ lapwing, 50 teal, 6 shoveler, 18 wigeon present, also the pair of kestrels on the tree and the Cetti's warbler singing.
On the park pond a little egret and 14 tufted ducks were noted along with a few noisy little grebes.
A pair of chiffchaffs was gathering nesting material close to the park's horseride, while in the car park a blackcap was serenading visitors most of the day and a pair of linnets was nearby too. A red-legged partridge was calling from the field to the west of the car park.
A common tern was seen in the river Colne, also 5 common scoter flew past while two avocets were seen on the pools near the Point by Andy Field on Thursday 6th.
A sparrowhawk flew low across the park late on Wednesday afternoon.
A pair of greylag geese was present in the grazing fields on Monday 3rd and Tuesday 4th. Five house sparrows were chirping cheerily just inside the park entrance on Monday.
Two corn buntings perched beside the East Mersea road near Bocking Hall early on Wednesday. Two redwings perched in a tree briefly calling in Firs Chase on Monday.
A weasel was seen chasing a rabbit at the park by Annie Gordon on Thursday, also here two adders and also a recent sloughed adder skin. Two common lizards were seen in the long grass.
An orange-tip, green veined white, 2 peacocks and 2 small tortoiseshells were on the wing at the park on Thursday. A speckled wood was seen near the car park on Tuesday as was the first green-veined white butterfly.
It's been a bit quiet in the moth trap recently with the cold nights. This shoulder stripe was the only different moth at the park trap on Tuesday night out of only 15 moths.
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