TINY TIGER

Who says moths are dull and brown, when you see such vivid colours as on this cream-spot tiger moth? This was the highlight of the moths found in the trap on the morning of Friday 4th. This is a largish moth with large creamy spots on the wings. It is quite scarce in Essex and only found mainly near the coast, often disturbed during the day where it might fly off from the grass where it hides up.

There can't be many moths that have such striking crimson underparts as this one has - and all this is without admiring the yellow hindwings with their tiger stripes! There should be several more sightings of these moths in the trap over the next month.

Other moths caught included the heart and dart, pale prominent, coxcomb prominent, yellow belle, flame shoulder, brimstones, hebrew character, shuttle-shaped dart and common quaker.

Almost missed the chance to capture the tiny little pink common storksbill flowers that have been adding a little colour to the areas of mown grass. The storksbills have passed their peak by about a fortnight and their once pretty little flowers have faded away, making it hard to even find the leaves.

Around the country park on Friday morning, the cuckoo and 2 nightingales were heard, as were several lesser whitethroats and common whitethroats.
Flying over the park were two sand martins, three house martins and one or two swallows. We still wait for the first swifts to be seen over the park, despite being back in West Mersea for over a week.

At the park pond the brood of week-old mallard ducklings has dropped in number to ten. Two pairs of tufted ducks snoozed under some willow branches while two male gadwall who had been quietly feeding, suddenly started a brawl and disturbing the tranquility.

MAY SPRAYS

The month of May started with the usual colourful display from the many hawthorn -or May bushes around the country park. You can see why this common tree is named after this month when many of the hedgerows are blanketed in white flowers. As both the pictures above and below show, there is hardly any room for any of the green leaves as they have to take a back seat this month.

Closer look at some of white "May-sprays" display a delicate pink tinge to some of the flowers. Many of the flowers were buzzing with all sorts of insects. One of the most noticeable insects drifting around in the slight breeze were the large and hairy flies known as St. Marks flies, which fly about with their long legs dangling down. These flies appeared about two weeks earlier than usual this sunny spring as they normally swarm in early May, usually missing the actual St. Marks Day on 26th April.

Mothing carried out on Tuesday night was thin on species but interesting for variety with about 18 moths of 9 species. Several new ones for the year included this comical looking chocolate-tip moth which looks like my Jack Russell Monty, when he wants to play!

Like waiting for London buses, I've waited for 20 years to see the adult emperor moth here - and then two turn up in the space of a fortnight! This is a different female to the earlier one as both have different edges missing. This one started to lay eggs so I shall monitor their progress if they like the cistus bush they have been placed in.

The strange camouflage and mimicry must work for this coxcomb prominent for it to have survived over time. The coxcomb refers to the similarity of a cockerel's comb on it's head.

Other moths included a waved umber and a yellow-barred brindle.

Whilst driving along the East Mersea road at dusk, I had to brake sharply to avoid running over a little owl who was standing in the middle of the road, possibly it had swooped down to catch a moth.

Martin Cock during the day had a pair of avocets feeding in the shallow lagoon near East Mersea Point, where they've never been seen before. Two spotted redshanks were also still here.

BLUEBELL DELL

Out of the glare of the sunshine and sheltered from the fresh easterly wind on Sunday 29th, this little patch of bluebells nestled in a little dell in the country park. The oak tree above cast a dense shade on the bluebells below and there was a powerful aroma of spring in the air. All these hot and sunny days will speed the season along and no sight or smell epitomises an English spring as standing amongst some bluebells in full flower. Here they were at their peak.

Normally a little insect like this one pictured above, would not interest a passer-by. However I was asked by one regular dog-walker what the swarm of "flies" were round some of the bushes. These "flies" were actually male Longhorn moths that have been around for a few days and catch the eye every spring with their dancing displays.

As they dance from leaf to leaf, fluttering around maybe a hundred to a bush, their extremely long thin antennae wave around in front of them. When they settle on a leaf, the sun is reflected off their shiny dark irridescent wings.

One of the dancing bushes was also where the green hairstreak was seen again, trying to do a spot of sun-bathing except that it was being pestered by the longhorn moths. Also seen was the first red admiral of the spring, small copper, several orange tips and speckled woods too.

The first dainty azure damselfly of the season was seen resting amongst grass.

On the park pond the highlight was seeing the first duck brood with a mother mallard watching over an impressively large brood of 13 tiny yellowish ducklings. A male pochard was seen flying off and strolling nervously over the nearby field during mid morning was a fox. Maybe it was doing some extra hunting to feed its young cubs somewhere. The first cuckoo seen at the park few high above the Sunday crowds.

Local Mersea birders Richard Hull and Andy Field strayed "off-piste" and had a very productive (and authorised!) visit to the normally restricted firing ranges of nearby Langenhoe - just opposite the north side of Mersea Island. Amongst the highlights were a ring ouzel, common buzzard, hobby, 8 marsh harriers (incl. 4 females), 7 Mediteranean gulls, 2 stonechat, 2 cuckoo, nightingale, 25 whitethroats, 20 lesser whitethroats, 15 sedge warbler and 20 reed warblers.

Meanwhile Richard Allen on the West Mersea beach noticed three groups of bar-tailed godwits totalling 250 birds flying east. This is a record count for the Island and it appears that lots of other bar-tails have been passing through parts of coastal Essex this week. Two Mediterranean gulls were also seen on along the beach.

It is interesting to speculate what may have flown past Mersea this weekend if people had been watching. A pair of common cranes were seen at nearby Colne Point and also apparently Fingringhoe, so they could have flown past East Mersea. Similarly a spoonbill which was at Holland Haven appears to have turned up at Old Hall Marshes near to West Mersea, so it may've flown over the Island to get there.

GOING GREEN

Fresh breeze all of Saturday 28th but at least the sun continued to shine. The highlight of the day was walking past an oak bush on the park cliff-top and seeing this beautiful green hairstreak butterfly fluttering around. This is the most attractive butterfly on the park with its irridescent sheen on the green underside to the wings.

Luckily the butterfly was extremely obliging for once and even if it folded its' wings, it was still easy to locate amongst the green foliage. The hairstreak name is a bit of a misnomer as the "streak" on the wing in this species is actually only a line of white dots(as seen in the photo).

The green hairstreak first appeared on the Island about ten years ago when it was first seen in the park. Sightings are scarce each year, so the population must be very small. This sighting is at least three weeks earlier than expected. The butterfly seemed very put out by a large group of newly emerged longhorn moths, which danced in the air, waving their very long antennae around.

Other butterflies seen were small copper, peacock, orange tip, large white, small white, holly blue and up to ten speckled woods.

Walking along the seawall there were two newly returned reed warblers who sang their lazy and effortless warble from the reeds. Bird numbers on the park grazing fields have dropped off as the water levels drop. At least three lapwings could be seen nesting, one redshank was shouting loudly at a carrion crow as if it had a nest too, while 24 shelduck snoozed as they waited for the tide to recede.
As well as the usual linnets, skylarks and meadow pipits there were 3 mistle thrushes, a grey heron, pair of stock doves and a male kestrel which hovered nearby on the seawall and successfully dropped onto a mouse.

At the Point there were three linnets and a couple of singing reed buntings but a sedge warbler doing its aerial display flight seemed a bit out of place.

On the saltmarsh lagoons below the Golfhouse there was the very unusual sight of three spotted redshanks wading through the water feeding up to their sooty-black chests. Two greenshanks, whimbrel, golden plover and 5 black-tailed godwits made it an interesting pool to look at.

On the main park two sand martins, swallow, 3 lesser whitethroats and three common whitethroats were noted. At the pond there were still 3 pochard and 2 pairs of tufted duck, while a cracking male yellowhammer lit up the opposite bank with its bright yellow head.

Evening walk to the Reevshall pool was a pleasant end to the day if somewhat chilly with the easterly breeze. Two brown hares sat in a field as I arrived but soon galloped off while on my return, I passed within ten metres of a very obliging or a rather petrified young hare crouching down on the bare earth. As I reached for my little camera, it made its' dash for freedom with its long legs carrying it rapidly away.

On the Reeveshall pool a pair of avocets were still showing interest in the site with an inquisitive carrion crow being subjected to a fierce aerial bombardment from one avocet. Three spotted redshanks bickered away with each other, while two pochard and little egret were also of interest.

A smartly marked male wheatear hopped along the nearby seawall and a yellowhammer spent some time perched in a bush. Amongst the vast sheep flock a few lapwings could be seen as were 10 golden plovers dodging the many frisky lambs.

As the day drew to a close, the cuckoo started calling from the plantation near the Oyster Fishery - bang on eight o'clock, as if timed like a cuckoo clock. Returning to Bromans Lane there was the interesting sight of the tawny owl dropping down into its nest-box - a good sign they're breeding.

On the moth front the picture above shows the tent web of the brown-tail moths whose caterpillars strip bushes of their leaves. They can be real pests and not just because of their appetite. Their hair can be extremely irritating on the human skin and as a result some big infestations in other public sites, are eradicated by spraying them off.

This strange fluffy looking little fellow is a male muslin moth - one of only a few species caught last night. Only 18 moths of 7 species seemed quite disappointing although bright-line brown-eye was the other new one for the year.

CUCKOO FLOWER

Had to do some fence repair in the field by the park pond on Friday 27th and it was a good opportunity to get a bit closer to some of the inhabitants on the pond. The mute swan continues to sit tightly on her nest with the male keeping a watch from nearby. Two coot families have already hatched out with parents tending to their red-headed little chicks.

Other ducks on the pond included two pairs of tufted ducks, male gadwall, pair of ruddy ducks and more interestingly three pochard. One was a female which bodes well for a possible nesting attempt of this rather scarce British breeder, later in the spring.

The first member of the dragonfly family was seen fluttering into a hedge, this being the common blue-tailed damselfly. Clinging to some rushes by the water were several caddis flies with their large smoky brown wings. Peering down into the water of the pond revealed it to be absolutely heaving with microscopic life - the very common and numerous daphnia.

Before the cattle are let loose in the fields for the summer, there is an opportunity for the dainty cuckoo flower or lady's smock to flourish in this meadow. It is the only place on the Island where it grows and only when the pale lilac flowers emerge, is the plant easy to find amongst the long grass. Called the cuckoo flower because it comes out at the same time that the cuckoo is heard. On this particular morning it may have been more apt to name it after the loud nightingale that was in full song from a nearby hedge.

Earlier in the day a search was made of the beach to see if a common seal was still around. Several dog walkers on the beach on Wednesday noticed the seal on the beach close to the high tide but seemingly it was quite content out of the water. It was seen heading back into the water and has not been seen since.

Ian Black on Thursday 26th had a good view of a hen harrier flying over fields near the East Mersea road in the middle of the Island. It has been a poor year for hen harrier sightings.

BUTTERCUPS AND BRIMSTONES

More sunny weather on Tuesday 24th and the spring marches on. Something different catches the eye every day and this carpet of buttercups in the country park is not a scene that has been eyecatching in previous years. Maybe the wet winter and the sunny spring have provided ideal conditions.

The surround-sound chorus of summer migrants on the park today included the regulars such as the two nightingales, one or two lesser whitethroats, blackcap, chiffchaff and the first of the common whitethroats back from Africa last night. The first view of one was from by back door as it perched up on a bush as it let out its scratchy little song.

The peace and serenity on the pond was rudely shattered briefly in the middle of the day. The resident crows spotted an approaching male marsh harrier which was out for a leisurely hunt around fields and ditches. This striking male had a pale sandy-coloured head and with pale grey wings that it flapped effortlessly.
The harrier disappeared behind the trees and out of view but there soon followed some very loud distressed coot calls as if an attack had taken place. The harrier soon flew past with nothing in its talons but interestingly the male swan looked very angry and flew across the water with some very deliberate beating of the water with its wings, as it "chased" the harrier off.

Moth trapping had a few interesting species such as several of these colourful brimstone moths. Also seen were lunar marbled brown, common carpet, first latticed heath, several brindled pugs, first two Chinese characters and a pair of spectacles!

LATEST ARRIVALS

A walk along the Strood Channel on the 23rd showed that all sorts of creatures have been arriving onto the Island - and not just the migrants from Africa. Washed up on the tideline along the seawall were the empty shells of thousands and thousands of shore crabs. As most of them are quite small and recent tides have been quite calm, these crabs look as if they have undergone a mass moult, shedding their old casings.

There were several migrants seen on the short walk with the noisiest being five common terns climbing high in the air, pursuing each other with lots of high pitched grating calls. There were few waders in the Channel although a greenshank flew off the mud calling, a pair of avocets stood motionless snoozng with their curved bills tucked under their wings and a couple of ginger coloured black-tailed godwits.

Of the small birds a colourful male wheatear was having a short stop-over on Mersea before continuing its migration north. A yellow wagtail and swallow that flew past may decide to hang around Mersea as some usually do each summer. At least two sedge warblers sang loudly from the reedbed along the dyke and there was also the jangling songs of a couple of corn buntings.

Several different kinds of white butterfly were seen including this male orange-tip butterfly seen resting on a stalk of grass. In flight it flashes its bright orange tips which make it very eyecatching. The underneath pattern is very different with this mottled green colour that makes the butterfly blend in with its surroundings. The Large white, Small white, Green-veined white were also seen fluttering along the seawall.

Later in the day a swift was seen flying around with a group of house martins over the houses of West Mersea. I know that the first swifts back were seen yesterday by two local birders, Steve and Martin from differing places.