HAIRY HAWKER

I was surprised to find this male hairy dragonfly along the Strood seawall on a dull early-evening on Friday 30th. Judging from reports elsewhere in the region, the dragonfly season has only just started in the last few days, so it's been nice to see this scarce Mersea dragonfly out so early here on the Island.

This individual was so obliging and confiding that it was happy to be transferred from the grass-stalk onto my hand, where this close-up photo of it's hairy body can be clearly seen in the picture above.


The big shiny eyes and the intricate network of veins and cells on the delicate wings show up well in this photo. Although it was first seen in flight as it settled back down into the long grass on the seaward side of the seawall, it had probably only recently emerged as an adult. The nearest water for it was just inside the seawall, a club-rush lined brackish dyke just 20 metres away.


Although the hairy dragonfly has been seen at the park at East Mersea in recent years, none have been recorded from west end of the Island as far as I know. The distribution of the hairy dragonfly has been spreading across Essex over the last couple of decades. The dragonfly survey of Essex in the mid 1980's revealed that the nearby Langenhoe Marsh was the only known Essex site for the hairy dragonfly.

While this dragonfly was being watched, a greenshank and a cuckoo were heard calling nearby. There weren't many waders along the Strood Channel despite the low tide with 4 whimbrel, 3 bar-tailed godwits and an avocet being the main ones of note.

In the fields 5 golden plover, grey heron, little egret, 150 starling and 2 linnet were noted with a kestrel near the caravan site. Ten house martins and 15 swallows flew over the reservoirs at the bottom of the Strood Hill as did a swift, although five other swifts flew over houses at the top of the Hill.



Nearly dismissed this corpse on the tideline as a "sea-gull" until I noticed the thin red bill. Judging by the state of the body, this poor common tern had been a recent light snack for a probable peregrine. Common terns have only just arrived back in the last few days from their wintering grounds in Africa, so it's a bit sad for it to fly the thousands of miles, making it back to the potential breeding grounds here near Mersea - and then end up as a meal for someone else within days of arriving!

BLUSHING MAIDEN

There were a few moths in the trap on the morning of Thursday 29th, although the catch seemed low in species and numbers. The moth pictured above is the very descriptively named Maidens blush, so called because of the pinkish smudge-marks on the wings like the colour of blushing cheeks. The moth is a regular visitor to the trap both in the spring and again later in the summer.

Although the recent nights have been still and the days warm, the nights have been chilly and the moon has been bright. Only about 20 moths of 8 species were noted including hebrew character, common quaker, red chestnut and frosted green.

There were three of these lunar marbled browns in the trap, the first individuals of the year here. Again a regular spring visitor to the trap here at the park.


This small and pale looking least black arches was resting on the trap in the morning. This is another moth recorded each spring, although normally only one or two individuals and usually much later into May or early June.

There was the welcome sight of a turtle dove in the car park of the country park on Thursday morning. It was also nice to hear it's soft purring song in the park again as none were heard here last summer - the nearest bird being 200 metres down the nearby Bromans Lane. On Wednesday morning this was where the bird was first heard singing from.

The two nightingales have been singing loudly and regularly near the park entrance with the occasional glimpse of one of the birds as it flits between bushes. Elsewhere around the park several common whitethroats are very much in evidence, while the chattering of a couple of lesser whitethroats can also be heard.

The flooded grazing field has become much quieter for birds in recent days with only a dozen black-tailed godwits and a few redshank being the only waders using it other than the several pairs of lapwing and oystercatcher pair. Amongst the wildfowl using it have been 2 pairs of greylag geese, several shelduck, teal , gadwall, shoveler and mallard. A little egret was noted on Thursday morning in the water, it's fine head plumes blowing in the breeze.

Two avocets were present on the saltmarsh pools near the Point on Tuesday. There was a report of 60 linnets in a field just north of the park on Monday and there was also a report of a marsh harrier flying over the park on Thursday. Two little terns were fishing just offshore from the park on Tuesday as were a couple of common terns. Three common terns also flew over the park on Wednesday, calling as they went.

Other sightings include a house martin flying near Chapmans Lane on Tuesday, 2 singing corn buntings near Bocking Hall on Wednesday, also a little owl at dusk near Bromans Farm and the rare sight of a East Mersea roadkill hedgehog near Shop Lane. Martin Cock saw 3 great northern divers off the West Mersea beach on Tuesday.

Several adders have still been seen around the park with 4 on Monday and 6 seen on Thursday. Butterflies enjoying the sunny days have been speckled woods, peacocks, small whites, large white and green-veined white while the first holly blue was seen just north of the park on Tuesday.

CUCKOO - VIEW

The recent run of clear and chill nights hasn't been very productive for moth-trapping, although this male muslin moth pictured above was discovered in the trap early on Sunday 25th. Close-up it has a striking yellow face, furry head and big feathery antennae.

The male pictured below has brown wings while the female has thin white wings that have the appearance of muslin. The muslin moth is a regular visitor to the trap each April / early May.
The other moth species noted on Sunday morning were hebrew character, common quaker, red chestnut, small quaker, early grey and the March moth.


There was no sign of the grasshopper warbler by the park pond on Sunday morning, so as expected it only stayed for the one day. There was a nice view of a cuckoo perched in a hawthorn tree by the pond in the afternoon. Having briefly cuckoo-ed a few times, it sat on the branch for several minutes allowing a view clear enough that the yellow in the eye could be seen through the binoculars.

Elsewhere around the park 2 male nightingales were singing very close to each other by the entrance, while lesser whitethroat and several whitethroats were also singing well near the car park. By the cliff 7 sand martins were seen, a male wheatear was seen in the fields, yellow wagtail flew along the seawall, 2 pairs of common terns called noisily as they flew past, while Andy Field had a little tern and a pair of Mediterranean gulls at the Point. Earlier in the day a Mediterranean gull was seen feeding over a field with other gulls near the village shop.

At Ivy Dock a reed warbler was glimpsed in bushes by the dyke, 12 linnets also noted, 2 whimbrel flew off the saltings calling but no sign of any avocets on the Golfhouse pools. On the grazing fields 20 black-tailed godwits and 15 redshank roosted at high tide and a pair of oystercatchers look as if they may stick around to nest. A male white wagtail was feeding along the edge of the water in the field and a snipe was seen in flight.

On the park pond a male pochard and 12 tufted duck were the main ducks of interest, although the first young coot chicks this spring were seen. During the morning shower of rain, the female sparrowhawk sat in a hedgerow at the back of the pond, upsetting many of the other birds.

Common lizards can be found anywhere in the park especially where there's dead wood or on fenceposts amongst the long grass. These two (with a third one out of shot) were soaking up the afternoon sun on an old tree stump, just inside the park entrance with lots of traffic zooming close-by. Two adders were also seen in the afternoon near the park entrance in their usual spot.

THE REELING FEELING

The reeling song of a grasshopper warbler was heard by the park pond on Saturday 24th although the bird failed to show. Peering through a thick hedgeline made it difficult to pinpoint which bush the bird was singing from, but it was somewhere just to the east of the pond. In the picture above, the bird's song appeared to be coming from the far side of the pond. The bird was heard singing several times during the day with the last burst being heard at 7.30pm.

This bird probably won't stay around and will just be stopping briefly at the park, before continuing on its migration to breeding grounds further north. No grasshoppers warblers were heard last year on the Island but the previous year one stopped off for one day at the park, while two others stopped off to the west of the park for 2 or 3 weeks and probably bred. The grasshopper warbler is a scarce visitor to the Island so its always a nice feeling hearing that reeling in the spring.

Another summer visitor joining in the bird chorus for the first time this year was the cuckoo, calling briefly near the pond in the morning. The nightingale was singing in loud bursts near the entrance, while a couple of lesser whitethroats joined several common whitethroats, blackcaps and chiffchaffs singing around the park. Overhead 5 swallows flew around while 7 sand martins were seen by the cliff and a yellow wagtail was heard as it passed overhead.

In the evening a sparrowhawk flew over the pond, while the pair of kestrels were by their nestbox at the back of the grazing fields. Four little egrets flew east to their roost at dusk presumably heading to St Osyth.

On the flooded field 15 black-tailed godwits and 20 redshank roosted at high tide while other wildfowl included 25 teal, 4 shoveler, 10 shelduck and 4 greylag geese. A white wagtail was also seen on the fields in the afternoon.

Other wildlife noted were 2 foxes mid morning by the pond, 7 adders in various locations, and the first speckled wood butterfly along with several peacocks, small white and green-veined white too.

Andy Field saw 2 swifts flypast his house in West Mersea during the morning although the first report for the Island this spring was on Thursday in Norfolk Avenue. On Friday evening 40 golden plover were feeding in an East Mersea field near the Pick-Your-Own, while a little owl perched up on a telegraph pole near Shop Lane.

SUNSET SERENADE

As the sun went down at the country park on Thursday 22nd, the rich and varied song of the nightingale could be clearly heard. During the day it has been singing regularly by the park entrance and one of the birds yesterday was watched unusually out in the open as it fed like a robin at the bottom of hedge. Elsewhere around the park several whitethroats, blackcap and chiffchaff have settled in.

On the grazing fields in the evening there were 30 teal, 4 gadwall, 6 shoveler, 5 brent geese, 12 lapwing, 5 black-tailed godwits and 2 redshank. Along the dyke there were 6 tufted duck, pair of little grebes, pair of swans and a grey heron stalking water voles.

At the park pond at dusk there were 4 tufted ducks, 2 pairs of little grebes and the pair of nesting mute swans. As darkness descended a passing fox scattered some rabbits as it crossed the field, while 3 badgers were also glimpsed in the fading light and lastly a couple of pipistrelle bats flew past the hide several times.

Over the last few days a cuckoo has been seen feeding in bushes by the Golfhouse on Tuesday and in the park on Wednesday. A Mediterranean gull flew past the park calling on Wednesday, while on Tuesday 2 willow warblers were still present for the second day at the park.
Andy Field saw a wheatear by Coopers Beach on Tuesday while Ian Black was lucky enough to see a red kite near the Strood on Monday 19th. In recent days Martin Cock has seen 3 Mediterranean gulls flyover his West Mersea house and he reported a greenshank at Maydays Farm.

The adders have started to become restless, shedding their skins and moving from their regular basking spots, although 5 were still seen on Monday, 3 on Tuesday and 6 on Wednesday.



Not much mothing has taken place recently because the nights have been clear and chilly. Over Wednesday night, this frosted green moth pictured above, was the only different moth of the spring on a poor night's trapping. Only 14 moths noted including common quaker, powdered quaker and hebrew character.

READY TO LEAVE

This dark-bellied brent goose was one of a handful feeding on the saltmarsh by Reeveshall at East Mersea on Monday 19th and probably ready to leave any day soon. Most of the geese have already left our shores, making the long journey to their Siberian breeding grounds. Looking over the nearby Langenhoe marshes another flock of 100 birds flew along the Geedon Channel, probably the last main group still in the area.

Along the Pyefleet Channel with the tide coming in, 5 whimbrel, 50 black-tailed godwits, 70 dunlin were the main waders of note. Three great crested grebes were in the channel while along the mud were 100+ shelduck. A couple of Mediterranean gulls were heard calling as they flew around the Pyefleet.

There wasn't much to see on the Reeveshall pool with only 2 yellow wagtails, 5 teal and a pair of mute swans present. A handful of swallows were seen over the fields, 4 stock doves, sparrowhawk and 20 greylag geese were also noted. High up in the sky was the faint speck of a male marsh harrier displaying, flying around calling, while below the female appeared to be doing her own display over the Reeveshall reedbed.

There was no sign of the common crane that Martin Cock had seen yesterday morning, circling in the sky and briefly calling near the East Mersea Oyster Fishery. The bird was seen to drift northwards over Langenhoe heading up the river Colne where it was not seen again. Martin saw 2 lesser whitethroat, 2 sedge warblers, 2 nightingales and 4 blackcaps on his circuit of the east end of the Island.

Andy Field and Richard Hull couldn't see the crane while they were visiting Langenhoe MOD land in the morning. They did have good views of spoonbill at the western end of the ranges and also noted cuckoo, Cetti's warbler, several sedge warblers, common whitethroats and lesser whitethroats as well as 5 pairs of marsh harrier and common buzzard.

Steve Entwistle watched 2 little gulls fly along the Pyefleet Channel on Saturday evening at Maydays Farm.

STROOD SLOW-WORM

Here's a close-up look at a slow-worm that was discovered on the Strood seawall path near the caravan site on Saturday 17th. The picture below shows it on the dried out ground where it seemed to have exhausted itself trying to burrow downwards, regularly pressing its head against the hard ground. It started to wriggle about more when it was handled, so it seemed healthy enough. After one or two photos were taken, it was lifted off the path and put into the vegetation on the side so it wouldn't get trodden on.


The harsh chattering songs of a couple of sedge warblers were heard from bushes by the dyke. One of them showed briefly as it sang before skulking inside the bramble bush. A male reed bunting was also seen while a couple of corn buntings perched up singing. Three swallows flew over the saltings near the bottom of the Strood Hill.

Along the channel were 4 avocets, 2 whimbrel, 20 black-tailed godwits, 13 knot, 30 grey plover, 5 dunlin as well as a few redshank and oystercatchers. A little egret was noted and a pair of Mediterranean gulls flew over calling. As the tide came in late morning, a flock of 30 curlew flew high northwards calling loudly to each other, possibly on their way to northern breeding grounds.

In the distance over the mainland to the north a common buzzard soared round before it appeared to drop down into a small wood to the east of Peldon. A marsh harrier flew over the Ray Island saltings in the afternoon as it headed north-east.

One or two birds noted near Firs Chase during the day included singing chiffchaff and blackcap as well as a grey heron flying low over the gardens.

Not sure if the orangey haze to the sunset is a result of the volcanic dust in the atmosphere but it made a colourful end to the day anyway, pictured above next to the jetty at the West Mersea Hard.