PROWLING AT THE POINT

Andy Field took this photo recently of a grey heron fishing in the shallow waters near the East Mersea Point.

During a couple of walks to the Point during Sunday 8th, various small waders were seen close in as the tide receded. About 50 dunlin and 50 ringed plover fed alongside 5 sanderling and a turnstone. On the nearby saltmarsh pools were 3 avocets and a brent goose while 10 linnets and a reed bunting were also present close-by. Offshore 3 little terns were seen flying out of the river, the 4 eider were still present and a kestrel flew west over the Colne from Brightlingsea.

On the fields 4 gadwall, 2 wigeon, 6 greylags, 5 Canada geese, 12 lapwings, 3 redshank and 2 shoveler were noted. Two reed warblers, lesser whitethroat, yellow wagtail were noted around the fields. The first house martin over the park was seen flying west, the cuckoo stopped by in the afternoon to call and the two nightingales sang by the entrance.

Andy Field on a walk along the Shop Lane seawall on Sunday noted 22 little terns on Langenhoe Point and also 2 hobbies over the ranges. An avocet and a greenshank were on the Reeveshall pool, with a pair of marsh harriers on Reeveshall and a sedge warbler and yellowhammer singing near the Oyster Fishery.
Martin Cock had a hobby fly over his West Mersea garden during the day and 20 whimbrel over the house on Saturday.




Lots of damselflies have been seen along the path close to the fields and the pond with lots of the azure damselflies one pictured above, and also blue-tailed damselflies. A couple of hairy hawkers were also seen at the park during the day.

Amongst the usual variety of butterflies were 4 green hairstreaks, two on the cliff-top and two near the hide. Andy also saw one along the footpath west of Shop Lane towards Meeting Lane. Also had a report of one in a West Mersea garden recently at the top end of Oakwood Avenue.

Saw three adders in the morning including one of last summer's youngsters and also received sightings of two others including one near the east end of the seawall.


Masses of Alexanders cover big areas around the park especially lining the path along the seawall in the photo above. Each year the Alexanders spreads into more of the open grassland and along the nearby roadside verges.


The hawthorn bushes, or May bushes, are laden with masses of flowers. Many of these bushes at the moment around the park are buzzing with all sorts of insect life whenever the sun comes out.


Recent strong winds appeared to have washed up masses of the egg-cases of whelks. Looking like clumps of bubble-wrap, there were some big clusters lying along the high-tide line on the park beach. Also found was a mermaids purse, the washed up egg-case of a skate or similar fish.

MAY MOTHS

This poplar hawkmoth was one of the 30 species of moth noted over two nights of trapping atthe country park. It's usually the commonest of the hawkmoths at the park, sometimes turning up in double figure counts. It's also got the strangest posture when resting, looking like a piece of loose bark.


The pebble prominent has a striking wing pattern with a large oval "pebble" shape on each wing. One or two of these moths are noted each year at the park during the spring.


The waved umber pictured above, is another annual spring visitor to the trap. Very distinctive brown markings on pale wings which are held very flat to the surface its resting on.


The mullein moth is a widespread moth although only noted at the park each spring in ones or twos. The big white caterpillars with black and yellow spots are often found in gardens eating the big leaves of the mullein plants.

One or two rustic shoulder knots visit the trap during the spring, their caterpillars feeding on grasses such as cocksfoot.

Other moths noted over Thursday and Friday nights were least black arches, common white wave, maidens blush, yellow-barred brindle, brindled pug, chinese character, red twin-spot carpet, common carpet, brimstone, cinnabar, yellow belle, coxcomb prominent, hebrew character, common quaker, nutmeg, turnip, early grey, white-pinion spotted, common swift, chocolate-tip, shuttle-shaped dart, white ermine and buff ermine.

The warmth on Saturday 7th brought the usual variety of butterflies out at the park including 4 green hairstreaks and a brimstone, along with the usual whites, holly blue, red admiral and speckled wood. An adder was seen briefly alongside the track before heading back into the vegetation.

A male marsh harrier was seen over the park fields, the pair of kestrels were seen by the nestbox, little egret, two avocets flew over the fields and out to sea to Colne Point, 2 eider in the Colne and 50+ sand martins were flying around the cliff. Waders noted were 70 dunlin and 10 ringed plovers on the mud, while 15 black-tailed godwits roosted in the fields. The cuckoo stopped off to call during the day, lesser whitethroat and 2 nightingales, joined the other warblers singing in the park. At dusk a little owl perched on telegraph wires near Weir Farm.

Richard Hull's visit to the nearby Langenhoe ranges was worthwhile when he found a bittern in the lagoon at the Point and then watched a female red-footed falcon hunting insects for ten minutes in the middle of the afternoon, before it headed off west. By Rat Island 100+ bar-tailed godwits were also noted.

WASHED-UP PORPOISE

Was asked by Ian Black to check out a report of this harbour porpoise washed up on the beach by St Peters at West Mersea on Thursday 5th. It was found not far from the house-boats and at first glance seemed in reasonable nick. However a closer look revealed a facial injury on the right-side of the body, probably caused by a blow from a boat or its engine.

The porpoise seemed a young one that had been born last year as it measured only 1.1 metres. It seemed thinner than previous ones seen washed up and the underside and flanks also appeared whiter than other recent ones. Two porpoises were washed up at East Mersea last year, one alive and successfully refloated back into the water while a second one had been dead for some time before it came ashore.


Lots of tiny sharp teeth can be seen in the porpoise mouth. The porpoise was lifted into a bag and removed to the back of the beach. It was then collected later in the day by Emma Webb, the local representative of the British Divers Marine Life Rescue Unit, who will pass the corpse on to experts to look into the possible cause of death and other studies too.


From the hide by the pond a male marsh harrier was seen hunting over the fields late in the afternoon. A male sparrowhawk was also seen heading into nearby bushes, while a short while later, a second sparrowhawk was seen over fields by Bromans Farm. The kestrel has been hovering over the long grass of the main park during the day.

Amongst the usual mix of pochard, tufted ducks, mallard, teal, shoveler and gadwall on the pond were two coot families with small youngsters. On the pools there were similiar wildfowl along with 5 greylag geese and 6 shelduck. Not many waders although a snipe and a black-tailed godwit were noted amongst the redshank and lapwing.

A yellow wagtail and 2 common terns flew over the park and the cuckoo was heard late in the day as well as the two nightingales and a lesser whitethroat. Flying around the park were lots of sand martins with about 40 birds seen. On the saltmarsh pools near the Point 3 avocets were seen on Tuesday.

A green hairstreak was seen near the hide on Wednesday, another one seen nearer the car park on Tuesday when a different one was found north of the park along a footpath. There have also been a couple of recent sightings of an adder close to the car park but not at their usual spots.

ORCHIDS IN BLOOM

Made the annual visit to admire the wonderful display of green-winged orchids in a back garden by the Esplanade in West Mersea on Monday 4th. Following the kind permission of the family to visit, along with a small group of friends, we marvelled at the few hundred wild orchids at the peak of their blooming.



The numbers of flowering spikes looked the same as previous years with over 400 spikes on show. They seemed shorter stalked than previous years and maybe the dry conditions have played a part. This patch of orchids is the last remnant of many that used to grow beside the Esplanade up until 25 years ago. Fifteen thousand green-winged orchids used to grow in a small field up until 1984, now occupied by a block of flats called "Orchid Court!"



The orchid gets its name from the green-coloured veins on the hood of the flower, although many of the flowers in the picture above show purple veins.

Several common spotted orchids were also recognised by their spotted leaves, although they seemed a fortnight away at least from flowering. A quick look in the nearby Willoughby Car Park, revealed at least six common spotted orchids waiting to flower amongst the grass.


Andy Field took this photograph of a wheatear at East Mersea Point on Sunday 3rd that looked big enough to be of the Greenland race. This race heads north later in the spring than the more usual Northern wheatear race. This bird was later seen in the grazing fields near the Point. A muntjac deer was reported seen on Sunday crossing a grass field to the north of the park.

On the pools in the fields on Monday morning a green sandpiper, greenshank, ruff, 3 snipe, 10 black-tailed godwits were noted along with the resident lapwings and redshank. The previous day a bar-tailed godwit had been seen along with 6 black-tailed godwits. Four eider were still present in the mouth of the river Colne.




This male orange-tip butterfly has lost part of its tip, maybe a bird tried to catch it. One or two of these butterflies enjoyed the sunny Firs Chase garden away from the strong breeze. The other white butterflies noted were large white, small white and green-veined white.

Several holly blues fluttered around the garden especially near big clumps of ivy and holly bushes. A speckled wood was also seen as were a couple of large red damselflies.

The high pitched song of a goldcrest was heard coming from the Firs Chase garden on Sunday morning.

GARDEN DRAGON

The continuing sunshine is great for the butterflies and this red admiral was enjoying some late afternoon sun in my Firs Chase garden in West Mersea on Sunday 1st. Looking a bit tatty after hibernating through the winter, it's only the second one I've seen so far this year. Other butterflies seen in the garden during the day were speckled wood, holly blue, large white, small white, orange-tip and green veined white.


Finding this hairy dragonfly resting low down amongst the garden plants was very unexpected. I've not seen them in West Mersea before although they do appear to have got closer in recent years. An afternoon walk by St Peters meadow provided views of another hairy dragonfly hawking along a ditch beside the saltmarsh.


Another surprise were at least three large red damselflies, one pictured above, in the Firs Chase garden during the day. One of them basked close to a water feature in the garden. Like the hairy dragonfly, they seem to be spreading across the Island. David Nicholls found one in his Queen Anne Road garden last week.

The bank alongside the St Peters meadow path is covered in cow parsley - one of the few stands not dominated by masses of Alexanders plants. During a very windy walk 2 common whitethroats, reed warbler, blackcap were singing while song thrush, juvenile blackbirds were out feeding and a cock pheasant flew to the edge of the saltmarsh.

A quick evening walk near the Strood Channel provided views of one swift, common tern, reed warbler singing, summer plumaged bar-tailed godwit, whimbrel, 2 reed buntings. Hardly any waders along a large section of the Channel at low tide except for 2 curlew, 4 oystercatcher, redshank and a turnstone were seen.

At East Mersea the little owl was seen on telegraph posts along Bromans Lane at dusk on both Friday and Saturday nights. A house martin was seen flying over Mersea Avenue on Saturday morning.

NESTING SEASON

This long-tailed tit nest was found lying on the ground at the country park. It's a real feat of engineering and construction, comprising moss, lichens, spiders silk and lined with reputedly, nearly 2000 feathers. It would appear a crow, jay or magpie may've discovered the nest and pulled it out of a bush and then discarded it.

Athough it's stayed dry since the very sunny Easter weekend, the breeze has added a fresher feel to the air. Birdsong around the park is getting to its peak as more migrants return from Africa. More whitethroats have come back to most corners and hedgerows although lesser whitethroats seem aptly named with fewer of them around. Nightingales and cuckoo have been in fine voice during the week. A sedge warbler and reed warbler were singing by the dyke on Tuesday 26th and a yellow wagtail and whimbrel flew over the car park.

A pair of pochard were with several tufted duck on the pond, while gadwall, shoveler and 25 teal were on the pools in the fields. A little egret was seen a couple of times during the week, over the fields and also over the car park. A female sparrowhawk was seen on Tuesday although it's possible its nesting away from the park this year. A mistle thrush has been busy in the park collecting food for its family nesting nearby. Three swifts flew above West Mersea on Tuesday morning.

The warm weather provided views of 2 green hairstreaks in the car park on Monday with a further sighting near the hide on Thursday when red admiral and small copper were also noted for the first time this year. A brimstone butterfly was seen again by the park entrance on Monday. Two adders were seen on Monday at opposite ends of the car park.

Other local reports of green hairstreak was one in David Morris' garden in Fairhaven Avenue on Thursday and also a couple on Ray Island recently by David Nicholls. Ray Island is also host to two nightingales at the moment. A dead grass-snake was found by Peter Banks, run over whilst it tried to cross Firs Chase in West Mersea.



The moth trap produced the first brightly coloured cinnabar moth of the year - the first of many that will come to the trap this spring. The trap operating over two nights had a low number of moths presumably due to the colder nights recently.


This chamomile shark pictured above, has not been noted at the park before despite it being recorded frequently elsewhere in north Essex.

This prettily marked and dainty looking red twin-spot carpet was a lively moth in the collecting jar but once it flew to the nearby bush, it settled down under some leaves where it could be photographed. There was the very unexpected sight of a nationally scarce sloe carpet discovered resting on my jersey, whilst I examined the trap. Other moths noted included white-pinion spotted, brimstone, hebrew character, clouded drab, common quaker, and powdered quaker.

BLUEBELL BLOOMS

The glorious sunshine beat down on the park on Easter Sunday bringing out the masses of visitors to the park, as well as lots of the bluebells in various corners of the park. The sunny spring has brought the bluebell season forward a fortnight at least. This picture above shows the last remnant of the bluebells in the Cudmore grove on the clifftop. Much of the original grove has collapsed into the sea.


This patch of bluebells in the small dell near the car park enjoys some of the shade under the big oak tree. Elsewhere in the park small clumps of bluebells continue to spring up under trees, along hedges and out in the grassland.

Visitors arriving in their droves to the park this morning were greeted by the cuckoo and two nightingales near the entrance. The cuckoo has been doing its regular circuit in recent days, perching and calling from trees near the pond. A pair of Mediterranean gulls circled over the car park calling in the morning, a sparrowhawk flew off with some prey and a yellow wagtail flew east over the park. Offshore at least 5 eider were seen in the early evening as the tide receded.

Over the weekend 2 pairs of pochard and 5 pairs of tufted ducks have been present while on the fields, 2 pairs of shoveler and a pair of gadwall were noted along with 25 teal and a male wigeon. A pair of Canada geese have been near the pools in recent days and a little egret was also noted.

Near the village shop in the morning a marsh harrier was seen off by one of the local crows. The previous day Steve Entwistle saw and heard a garden warbler at Gyants Marsh near Meeting Lane.

One adder was seen alongside a path on Sunday, most of the others have retreated from view in the last fortnight. A green hairstreak was seen around some bushes near the hide on Saturday.



There have been impressive swarms of thousands of green longhorn moths around the park in the last few mornings. The biggest gatherings have been around the oaks on the clifftop, which was in the morning sunshine and sheltered from the breeze.


The male green longhorns have extremely long antenna that are waved around as they dance around the bush-tops. At rest the fore-wings show a metallic green sheen which reflects the bright sunshine.

There were two of these maidens blushes in the moth trap on Saturday morning amongst a catch of about 38 individuals of 12 species. Other moths included lime-speck pug, brindled pug, oak-tree pug, herald, lunar marbled brown, common quaker, early thorn, early grey and common carpet.