GREENFINCH AT THE GROVE

A male greenfinch was singing from the top of a bush near the car park at Cudmore Grove on a sunny Thursday 19th. Also in this same hedge at dusk a little owl perched up briefly before flying off. A whitethroat was singing near the car park too and a second bird in the middle of the park.
A little owl also perched at dusk beside the East Mersea road near Bocking Hall farm while earlier in Chapmans Lane a mistle thrush and a pair of red-legged partridge were seen near to the road.


On Wednesday 18th the first whitethroat was heard singing from a bush in the middle of the park and a willow warbler in the car park.
At Rewsalls marsh the sedge warbler was seen singing by Andy Field on Wednesday while at Maydays Farm an Egyptian goose was seen by Martin Cock. Two swallows were seen by Blue Row.


At the park on Tuesday 17th there were 3 blackcaps and a reed bunting at the pond, also 3 pochard here while on the fields were 6 teal and a pair of shoveler.
Two swallows were seen flying about near Meeting Lane on Tuesday.


A pair of Mediterranean gulls flew west over the Cudmore Grove car park calling on Monday 16th.
At the Strood there were 3 whimbrel and a greenshank seen by Martin Cock.

This common lizard was one of three basking in the morning sunshine beside a park hedgeline on Tuesday 17th.

Also on Tuesday a couple of peacock butterflies were making the most of the sun.

A multi-trap mothing evening was held at the park on Tuesday 17th with a total of 12 traps dotted about the park. Most of the traps belonged to Chris Williams from Staffordshire, with a couple from Graham Ekins along with my three traps - the Gardiner trap pictured above at dawn on Wednesday.
The main focus of the night was the sloe carpet one of which eventually came to one of the Chris's traps in the early hours. By the end of the session about 700 moths of about 25 species had been recorded. A heavy dew had settled by dawn under the clear night-time skies.

Another interesting moth was the Northern Drab, a spring speciality of the Essex coast.

A colourful streamer was a nice addition to the evening and the first one of the year here.

One or two powdered quakers were found in the traps.