FEEDERS AT COOPERS

This jay was photographed at Coopers Beach by John Feavearyear recently.

A goldfinch seen at a feeder at Coopers Beach by John.

A great spotted woodpecker at the nut feeder at Coopers, also photographed by John.

Recent wildlife sightings elsewhere on the Island include a male grey partridge calling again at dusk on Thursday 31st, earlier a cuckoo which had been calling near the park pond, flew over the car park towards the caravan site.

On Wednesday an avocet flew over the park, a 4-spotted chaser dragonfly was in the park, a green hairstreak was seen at the west end of Bromans Lane and a little owl was by Meeting Lane at dusk. Two Sandwich terns were seen by East Mersea Point by Martin Cock.

Four avocets were seen on the saltmarsh lagoons by the Point on Tuesday 29th by Kay Paul. Two common buzzards circled above Shop Lane.

A barn owl crossed over Bromans Lane as it hunted the fields at dusk on Monday 28th and earlier a green hairstreak was seen at the park. Other butterflies at the park have been small white, large white, green-veined white, orange-tip, holly blue, small heath, speckled wood and red admiral. On Sunday the first two common blues were seen at the park.

At West Mersea on Sunday 27th, a red kite was seen near Strood Hill by Steve Entwistle and two swifts and two house martins flew over the Firs Chase garden.
A hornet was seen in the park on Saturday 26th, the third sighting in the last week.

At Maydays farm two turtle doves flew north over the Pyefleet towards Langenhoe on Saturday 26th, seen by Martin Cock who also saw a hobby and yellow wagtail there.

This female red squirrel continues to make daily visits to the nut feeder in the Firs Chase garden, but has also been joined in recent days by two youngsters, recognised by their much bushier tails. On Wednesday 30th, three red squirrels spent over half an hour on the tree early in the morning, two of them racing round chasing each other including going in and out of one of the nestboxes.

Later that Wednesday morning, I was told of the sight of two grey squirrels seen in a Shop Lane garden near the East Mersea pub. Traps have already been set to try and catch these individuals - this is the first report of a grey on the Island since last autumn.
A red squirrel was also seen in East Mersea on Saturday 26th by Julie Rayner at the East Road-side near Church Lane.

The warmer nights recently have been better for moths, with this cream-spotted tiger one of four in the trap at the park during the night of Wednesday 30th. One also flew across the car park during the day on Sunday 27th.

This large privet hawkmoth came to the trap on Friday 25th.

The once scarce beautiful hook-tip has become a regular visitor at the trap in the last 3 or 4 years.

The aptly named blood-vein with it's red line across the wings, clung to some grass beside the trap.

A freshly marked bird's wing moth was a nice discovery in the trap after the mothing session on the 30th.
Some of the other moths recorded on recent nights have been common swift, sandy carpet, common carpet, green carpet, waved umber, cinnabar, latticed heath, common pug, figure of 80. clouded border, brimstone, light emerald, pale oak beauty, common wave, white ermine, orange footman, sand dart, silver Y, white point, pale tussock, shark, common wainscot, shoulder-striped wainscot, mottled rustic, marbled minor, buff-tip, spectacle, treble lines and vines rustic.