SMART SUMMER DIVER

A summer plumaged great northern diver was an unexpected sight for Andy Field from the Esplanade on Wednesday 16th. Mid May is quite late to see great northern divers here and it's not often the smart markings of the breeding plumage get to be enjoyed off Mersea.

The diver was close enough to the beach for Andy to take these photographs of it.

An immature great northern diver was also seen beside the adult great northern diver.

A pair of common terns was back on the saltmarsh lagoon at the park on Tuesday 15th, hopefully they're thinking about breeding again here, as they've bred here for the last couple of years.

A single brent goose was feeding on the saltmarsh near the Point on Tuesday 15th and a pair of greylag geese was in the grazing fields.

Three reed warblers were singing from the reeds along the park borrowdyke.

Half a dozen lapwing are still in the park's fields, some looking after their broods of young chicks, at least one brood in each field. Four redshank were on the saltmarsh on Tuesday.

There are three families of coots at the park pond each with chicks, also several tufted ducks and pochard whose numbers fluctuate each day, usually a handful of each.

The cuckoo has been heard calling from and near the park in recent days including calling from the middle of the car park on Friday 18th. A willow warbler was also singing at the park on the 18th. A little owl perched up by the car park at dusk on Thursday 17th. At Weir Farm on Monday 14th a little owl perched by the East Mersea road.
A willow warbler was heard singing by Martin Cock, from the wood near the Oyster Fishery on Wednesday 16th, also on Monday 14th and possibly the same bird first heard on April 24th.

The first green hairstreak at the park this spring was on Tuesday 15th, enjoying the sunshine out of the northerly breeze. It was also seen again along the same path near the hide on Thursday 17th as were the first small heath and small copper butterflies of the spring. Also that day a hairy dragonfly and lots of azure damselflies.

The "woolly bear" caterpillar of the garden tiger moth was found basking in the sunshine amongst the long grass at the park on Tuesday 14th. The adult moth will be on the wing in a couple of months time.

An eyed hakwmoth was a nice find in the moth trap after the night of Tuesday 15th. A hint of the colourful eye markings on the hindwing just visible. Thirty moths of 15 species were noted by the next morning.

A couple of light brocades were also in the trap.

The distinctive green coloured V pug was also noted. Other moths that night included heart and dart, shuttle-shaped dart, white ermine, common carpet, red-twin spot carpet, Chinese character, latticed heath, clouded silver, least black arches and brimstone.