TWIN TORTOISESHELLS

Up to ten small tortoiseshells have been attracted to the cotoneaster bushes near the buildings of the country park in recent days. In previous years there have been more red admirals than other butterflies around the cotoneasters but so far this year only the one has been spotted.
The first ruddy darters of the summer were seen along the seawall on the 1st and the sunny weather saw 2 adders basking on the 4th at the park.

Walked the Reeveshall seawall in the evening of Thursday 4th and my eye was caught by two brown herring gull chicks on top of this old building on Pewit Island in the Pyefleet Channel. Although there's been some gull interest in nesting on this Island's saltmarsh in recent years, it's a bit of surprise to see the nest with the chicks on the roof.

Along the mud on the Pyefleet waders of note were 45 black-tailed godwits, 10 bar-tailed godwits, 13 avocets, 75 redshank, 10 curlew and 10 turnstone. Four common terns and 8 little terns were also noted and amongst the 20 shelduck were the pair with ten ducklings. One common seal rested on the mud opposite Maydays.

A barn owl was hunting along the reed-fringed fleet on Reeveshall and then flew across the Pyefleet to hunt on Langenhoe. A short while later a second barn owl was watched also hunting the back of Reeveshall fields and ditches. A marsh harrier perched on a post near the Reeveshall fleet and a greenshank was feeding on the pool.

Twenty sand martins and 25 swifts flew over Reeveshall, while a male yellowhammer, reed warbler and 4 linnets were noted on Reeveshall. On Langenhoe a cuckoo perched up on a bush and there were also 3 marsh harriers flying around.

At the park at dusk a Mediterranean gull joined twenty black-headed gulls feeding on summer chafers which were flying off the ground to swarm round the tree tops.

A little owl perched on overhead wires beside Bromans Lane at dusk on Tuesday 2nd.

A little egret has this sailing dinghy to thank on Monday 1st as the sailors rescued it out of the river with an oyster clamped round its toes. Having been alerted by a visitor, I found the egret standing on the beach but when it flew away, it's leg dangled down with a muddy oyster attached to the toes. Maybe the egret dropped into the water hoping the oyster would loosen its grip. After ten minutes of sitting on the water, the bird seemed to be getting lower in the water and more immersed. Luckily this passing yacht were alerted and they scooped it out of the water and took it back to Brightlingsea where it would get sorted out.