WALKABOUT WEST

Some more warm weather on Sunday 4th brought the butterflies out, like this suitably named green-veined white with the pronounced venation showing up nicely on the wings. Other butterflies out and about around parts of West Mersea were speckled wood, peacock, large white, small white and holly blue.

The area of St Peters Meadow pictured below, is often a good site where several different kinds of butterfly can be seen. At the moment there is a dense stand of cow parsley at one end, which gives the area a bit of colour. A blackcap and a couple of singing reed warblers were singing, along with some noisy house sparrows.

The real sound of spring in the general area of Coast Road was the distinctive song of the cuckoo. The bird was seen flying from the direction of the church, towards Victory Road, where it perched at the top of a tall poplar tree, cuckoo-ing loudly for a reasonable period in the afternoon. However the bird quickly fell silent after the two lifeboat maroons whizzed into the sky nearby and exploded loudly. Lots of frightened wood pigeons flew around a few times too.

The old fishing boat pictured below, by the Dabchicks sailing club isn't just a favourite for photographers but also some swallows too. Four swallows were flying around the boat, perching on the old ropes and checking the old structure for nesting potential.

WALKABOUT WEST

Sunday 3rd was another warm and sunny day. Gentle circular stroll of about a mile round the western edge of West Mersea in the afternoon delivered a nice variety and all within earshot of the built up part of the village.

This common blue butterfly posed perfectly several times low down amongst the meadow of the Feldy Woodland cemetery. The tall grasses and the low flowering white clover suited this colourful common resident. Several holly blues were seen today too but usually in the gardens or beside bushes. The common blue prefers the grassland areas.
The underside of the common blue is more heavily marked with a pretty row of orange spots showing up well. The only other butterfly enjoying the sun was a small heath.

The Feldy field / woodland-to-be, is a tranquil corner on the top of the slope with sweeping views down to the Strood Channel. Ox-eye daisies have taken over this little corner of this woodland cemetery. Whitethroats sing their scratchy songs from nearby hedgerows and on the overhead wires below the slope the corn bunting jangled monotonously away, whilst in the distance a skylark could be heard. Hawking insects over the fields here were groups of swifts, swallows and lots of house martins from the nearby houses.
In a couple of spots the hedge woundwort has recently come into flower with its dark red flowers, pictured below. Although it is commonly found in hedges, woods and other shady places on the mainland, it has a restricted range here on Mersea.
The West Mersea church of St Peter and St Paul, located close to the hub of the village, is another tranquil oasis. I scanned the area in case any spotted flycatchers may have taken up residence but without luck. This is the last place where the birds nested on the Island about five years ago. Sadly the population has declined across most of southern England and Mersea has to make do with seeing birds only on passage now. A couple of blackbirds hopped across the grass looking for worms and a greenfinch called from the trees above.
Walking along the St Peters meadow not far from the church, a reed warbler sang from the reedbed, a whitethroat flitted along some bushes and a blackcap could be heard with its loud fluty song. A pair of linnets flew over the saltmarsh and a house sparrow joined in the bird chorus too.
The typical birds noted on the walk along quiet streets and leafy avenues included several goldfinches, greenfinches, chaffinches, robins, blackbirds, song thrushes, wrens, dunnocks, house sparrows and even the high pitched song of the tiny goldcrest.
Lots of interesting wildlife on our doorsteps and lots more we don't realise is living beside us!