ROADSIDE JANGLER

This corn bunting was perched in its usual spot on the wires alongside Chapmans Lane near West Mersea in the early evening of Thursday 4th. I've often passed it here in the morning when the sun is behind it and not worth stopping to photograph. However by early evening the sun shines from a kinder direction and this bird posed nicely while traffic continued to whizz past.

Every so often the bird would sing its distinctive jangling song, pictured here in full flow.
Numbers of corn buntings have continued to decline on the Island, as they have nationally, with less than a handful of pairs present here this spring. This spot is one of two perches alongside the road to East Mersea where the song can be heard from the comfort of the car.
The bird was also seen in Chapmans Lane, singing on the wires on Friday 5th. There was a kestrel over Chapmans Lane too and another kestrel on a telegraph post near Fen Farm.

The park received a deluge of rain first thing on Friday morning when a thunderstorm passed over. The moth trap had to be hurriedly put away as the rain pelted down. One poplar hawkmoth was the highlight amongst a small collection of 18 moths, mainly marbled minors.

A Mediterranean gull was heard calling over the park, for the third day running. A pair flew over the park yesterday both calling out repeatedly to each other as they headed to the beach.

On Thursday a ringed plover's nest with four speckled eggs was found on the beach at the Point but at a different location to a nest found a fortnight previously. The swan family was still in the area with at least six young, maybe seven. An avocet was on the pools in the grazing fields.

Butterflies noted at the park in the last couple of days have included a red admiral, holly blue, small white and a speckled wood.

There was a report of a young badger being seen crossing a path at the park first thing in the morning a fortnight ago.