RECENT MOTHS

The moth trap has been running at the country park over the last few nights, making the most of the settled night-time weather, before the cooler and windier weather sets in for the autumn. Over eighty moths of about 24 species have been turning up at the trap most nights.

A few migrant moths have continued to be noted such as this diminutive gem moth pictured above, which has not been recorded here before. Several have been noted in small numbers across southern England over the last week or so.

Other migrant moths noted over the last five or so nights  have included dark swordgrass, silver- Y as well as the micro migrants rush veneer and the diamond-backed moth.

This figure of eight moth pictured above, is a surprising first record for the park. It's a common moth across Essex whose foodplant is hawthorn, blackthorn and apple which all occur here at the park, so it's probably resident here but just not made it to the trap before at this time of year.

It's always nice to note the increasingly scarce dusky lemon sallow each autumn, as their foodplant the elm has suffered in recent decades.

Several mallow moths have been in the trap most nights, some with very pronounced markings.

There have been some autumns when the red-line quaker has not been recorded, so it was nice to see a couple in the trap one night this week. The first yellow-line quakers of the autumn have also been noted this week.

One of the commonest autumn moths has been the lunar underwing. This one pictured above is one of the paler forms, whilst many have been the darker grey colouring.

The beaded chestnut has also had a good season with up to a dozen in the trap over several nights since the start of October.

Other moths noted recently have been November moth, common marbled carpet, willow beauty, red-green carpet, white-pont, L-album wainscot, flounced chestnut, sallow, angle shades, snout, brindled green, feathered ranunculus, brick, rosy rustic, black rustic, dark-brown dart and frosted orange.

PEREGRINE PANIC

Up to 500 wigeon are feeding in the park's grazing fields with this group pictured above on the pools, along with 300 teal, 38 greylag geese and 100 brent geese also in the area. Fifteen shoveler were present on Thursday 3rd on the pools and pond along with a pair of gadwall and 50 mallard.

This group of redshank were on high alert after surviving a couple of menacing swoops by a peregrine on Thursday. The peregrine circled casually over the fields, along the middle ditch before launching itself into the waders and wildfowl around the pools. Amazingly all the birds flew into the middle of the water for safety, rather than fly off and risk being caught in the air. A quick count of the redshank revealed 350 birds still present.
 The birds were also nervous about a female sparrowhawk perched on a nearby fencepost while later in the day a male sparrowhawk flew low over the fields.
 
Also on the pools were 20 black-tailed godwit and at least 10 snipe, while on the fields were 120 curlew.
On Friday 4th a ruff was present all day feeding around the muddy margins of the pools.

This little egret roost during the morning high tide on Thursday totalled 56 birds - a fair proportion of them pictured above beside the park pond. In the evenings the little egrets head north from East Mersea to roost somewhere up the Colne.
Five song thrushes have been enjoying the rowan berries in the hedge near the park pond over the last few days.

Passage migration has been thin on the ground in recent days with ten swallows noted on Friday 4th, six on Thursday and eight on Wednesday. Blackcap was seen on both Wednesday and Thursday while a wheatear was on the seawall on Wednesday. In the estuary two common terns were seen from the Point on Wednesday and a rock pipit flew along the beach.

Andy Field and Martin Cock watched an immature little gull feeding in the mouth of the Colne on Tuesday 1st, before it drifted slowly out of the estuary. Also noted were 1000 golden plover on the nearby mud.
A peregrine was seen early on Tuesday morning in a field at Bocking Hall feeding on a wood pigeon.

On Tuesday evening a badger was seen in the car headlights trotting along Bromans Lane before it dived into the verge.

AUTUMN MOTHS

Having been away for the second half of September, I've been eager to get the moth trap going again at the country park for some late season moth species. There are some attractive resident autumn moths to be noted and the possibility of some continental immigrants turning up too if the weather is right. The moth lamp was on for Tuesday 1st when 85 moths of 20 species were noted followed by 110 of 26 species on the evening of Wednesday 2nd.

The most interesting moth on the 1st was this neatly marked male four-spotted footman pictured above - the first record for the park. It's a scarce immigrant and over recent nights there have been several reported from mainly coastal sites on the south and east coasts of England brought in with the southerly winds. The species is named after the female which shows the four spots on the wings.

Another first record for the park on the 1st was this feathered brindle which is also a rare immigrant on the Essex coast. There's a small resident population in the north-east of the county and the species is listed as an Essex Red Data species. I noticed that fellow moth-trapper Clive Atkins also trapped this species the previous night not too far away on the opposite side of the Colne estuary.

This dainty and delicate olive tree pearl ( Palpita vitrealis), was another interesting migrant in the trap on the 1st. The white wings of this micro-moth are so thin they're almost transparent but a strong flyer when it took to the air. This is the first record for the park. Quite a few have been reported in southern England over the last few nights, so a bit of an influx.

This pine carpet was another rare visitor to the trap, although it has been noted here a few years ago. It appears to be a scarce moth in Essex with only a few other records. There are some Scots pine trees here at the park so there could be the potential for breeding here.

Two or three nicely patterned flounced chestnuts have been in the trap this week, one pictured above.

This sallow moth is a common moth and one of the few "sallow species" whose caterpillars actually feed on sallow.

The striking black rustic pictured above has become a commoner moth in recent years. Half a dozen were in the trap on Tuesday night's session.

This red-green carpet is a pretty addition to the assemblage of moths, although this one was discovered resting underneath the wooden light base across the Skinner trap.

One or two autumnal rustics have been noted but this one caught the eye with the unusual pink tinge to the wings. Normally they're just a pale grey colour.

Another member of the sallow family, this barred sallow is a common moth in the autumn with its caterpillars here at the park probably feeding on field maple.

Other moths that were noted over the two nights included light emerald, brimstone, willow beauty, mallow, large yellow underwing, lesser yellow underwing, broad-bordered yellow underwing, square-spot rustic, setaceous hebrew character, white-point, L-album wainscot, beaded chestnut, rosy rustic, frosted orange, feathered gothic, lunar underwing, satellite, silver-Y, copper underwing, angle shades, feathered ranunculus and dark-brown dart.

OUT TO SEA

Six of us went out to sea in Ray Hempstead's Sorcerer boat on Sunday 29th in search of birds. We headed out from West Mersea early on a nice sunny morning in the hope of seeing some seabirds and maybe some passage of birds flying over the water.

 

There was very little bird activity despite the fresh easterly winds. We anchored just beyond Colne Point and Ray tried to lure some birds in by tossing some fish scraps into the water. A few herring gulls and great black-backed gulls came in but there didn't seem to be many gulls around. About ten common terns were noted just off from West Mersea and an eider.

Inside the Blackwater a peregrine flew over the boat near Bradwell, another eider and two great crested grebes were the only birds of interest noted in the river. There was more bird activity along the north side of the estuary and alongside Tollesbury and Salcott creeks with brent geese, wigeon, teal, marsh harrier, little egrets and the typical variety of waders too. Around fifty brent geese were feeding in various parts of the muddy creeks with another 30 being seen later in the day near the Monkey Step beach.

 

Back on dry land a walk along the Strood Channel on Monday 30th provided views of a common buzzard drifting south down the Ray Channel, 300+ redshank, 30 golden plover, 30 wigeon and 25 teal were of interest. Only one swallow was seen near the caravan site while 4 linnets and two pied wagtails were the only small birds seen. Four chiffchaffs were calling from various hedges and a sparrowhawk glided over Firs Chase. Twenty swallows were flying around the Dabchicks area on Friday 27th.

The yellow-legged gull has been seen a few times recently along side the Strood causeway, most recently Saturday.

Three common lizards were seen along the usual path near the Feldy cemetery field.

The fishing lakes by the Strood Hill were surprisingly devoid of waterfowl other than a few moorhens. This large and very hairy fox moth caterpillar was resting on one of the wooden platforms. A silver Y moth was seen during the day while yesterday a hummingbird hawkmoth was seen flying from valerian flowers in Mersea Avenue.

At the country park on Saturday 28th, there was a good number of wigeon in the grazing fields with 450 seemingly a recent influx. No sign of the garganey seen earlier in the week, although 300 teal were mostly sleeping and also 38 greylag geese were busy grazing. Also ten snipe and 10 black-tailed godwits noted.
Sixteen brent geese flew over the Point while another 70 were on the east side of the Colne. Seventy avocets flew off the mud near Langenhoe Point.
Twenty linnets flew around the seawall near the Point and 25 swallows were flying over houses near the Golfhouse.

Two small coppers were seen inside the seawall at the park on Saturday, keeping low down in the fresh breeze. Also on the wing were comma, red admiral, speckled wood and small white.

SEABIRDS AND SEALS

Several interesting birds continued to be found on the Island whilst I enjoyed a two week break-away.
Glyn Evans took these set of photos during his Wetland Bird count along the north side of the Island on Monday 23rd September.

This Sandwich tern pictured above and below was seen fishing in the Pyefleet Channel.

Sandwich terns are sometimes hard to see from the Island during the summer, so a noteworthy sighting.
Three Sandwich terns were also seen from the East Mersea Point by Andy Field and Martin Cock on the 17th.

Another noteworthy seabird seen from East Mersea on the 23rd was this immature gannet seen flying in the Colne estuary.

Also found during the walk was a Cettis warbler singing near the Oyster Fishery and a Mediterranean gull too.

One or two common seals can usually be seen in the Pyefleet and these two were photographed on the saltmarsh near Maydays farm.

Common seals often show an iron oxide reddish colouration to parts of their body.

This robin was in full song as it enjoyed the autumn sunshine in the Cudmore Grove car park, posing nicely for some photos for Glyn.

Other notable bird sightings over the last couple of weeks or so included a garganey found by Andy Field on the 17th at the park's grazing field pools. The bird was also seen on the 18th and the 22nd.
Also on the 17th a great skua was seen from the Park by Martin and Andy sitting on the water. Two wheatear. peregrine and six blackcaps were on the Park this day too. At Maydays farm Martin noted a hobby, 3 curlew sandpipers, 2 wheatears and 2 whinchats. The following day six wheatear and two gannets were seen at the Park by Andy.

On Thursday 19th a spotted flycatcher, 2 sanderling, wheatear and a record roost count of 73 little egrets were at the park. Martin saw two common buzzards, peregrine, kingfisher, whinchat and wheatear at Maydays on Saturday 21st.
Interesting autumn passage was seen by Martin on the 15th with 200 meadow pipits passing west and then 500 swallows passed west over East Mersea on the 22nd. Steve Entwistle saw two little stints and 8 curlew sandpipers in the Pyefleet at Maydays that same day.

The kingfisher was seen at Maydays by Martin on the 23rd along with a greenshank and curlew sandpiper there too. The Cetti's warbler was still at the Oyster Fishery on the 24th while the first autumn siskin was seen in Martin Cock's West Mersea garden on the 25th. Mark Dixon reported seeing a hobby taking young swallows recently from the area of the Dabchicks.

FLYCATCHER-GATE

This gate just inside the country park entrance has become known in recent years as the Flycatcher-gate because each autumn a spotted flycatcher is usually spotted from here. On a breezy morning on Wednesday 11th, a spotted flycatcher was indeed watched from the gate, along the opposite hedge across the field catching flies. This may be the same bird that was first seen further along the field on Sunday and again on Monday.

Andy Field caught a fleeting glimpse of a wood warbler just inside the park entrance early on Wednesday morning as it foraged through the trees in a mixed feeding flock. The bird didn't show again although later on it was heard to call three times from dense foliage. Also feeding here were up to ten willow warblers / chiffchaffs along with long-tailed tits, great tits and blue tits. Nearby whitethroat, lesser whitethroat and blackcap were also feeding along hedges.

Offshore Andy watched an Arctic skua fly upriver, briefly chasing a common tern as it headed into the Colne. A short while later the same dark-phase bird or maybe a second bird was found resting on the sea opposite the park beach. It rested here for several minutes before flying off west towards West Mersea.
A marsh harrier was reported flying over the park during the morning.

At Rewsalls marshes Martin Cock found a spotted flycatcher and a common buzzard at the back of the fields. A wheatear was also noted near here and 200 house martins flying west, some house martins were also being noted earlier passing over the park.

DODGING THE DELUGE

The heavens opened for several minutes in the afternoon of Sunday 8th. This was the view of the pond taken whilst sheltering from the rain in the hide, as it hammered down on the water. The white shapes of three little egrets are in the top left of the picture.

Just before the rains came down, a pied flycatcher was unexpectedly discovered feeding in this hawthorn tree in the pond-field. In typical flycatcher fashion it would fly out from its perch low down in the bush to catch an insect before returning to either the same branch or another one nearby. The bird had the very distinctive white wing panel and very clean underparts too with a very rounded and darkish head.

The bird flew to the hedge at the bottom for a minute or so before coming back to the hawthorn where it seemed to enjoy the company of long-tailed tits, great tits, blue tits, lesser whitethroats, common whitethroats, blackcaps and even a great spotted woodpecker flew in.

All the birds cleared off when the rain pelted down for ten minutes. Joining in the search for the pied-fly were Martin, Steve and Andy and after another ten minutes we were surprised to find a spotted flycatcher along a nearby hedge. This is the first one seen on the Island this year.
The spotted flycatcher was still present along the same hedgeline near the bird hide the following day on Monday 9th along with five willow / chiffs, 4 blackcaps and lesser whitethroats and  whitethroats too.

The little egret roost in the trees near the pond was about 65 birds on Sunday. On the pond were 40 mallard and a gadwall too. On the pools in the fields 200 teal, 12 wigeon, 50 redshank and 30 black-tailed godwits with 5 snipe. Five wheatears were reported at the Point on Sunday.

Martin Cock had a common buzzard perched in a tree near Meeting Lane on Sunday morning.

There was good light late in the afternoon on Monday 9th with a clear view across the mudflats from the park. The tide was on its way out and lots of waders were arriving to feed. Of interest amongst them were 3 greenshank, whimbrel, sanderling, 25 knot, 100 dunlin, 100 black-tailed godwit, 10 bar-tailed godwit, 50 golden plover and 100 ringed plover. Offshore four common terns were fishing.

A male marsh harrier flew up river to the evening roost at Langenhoe. Earlier a juvenile marsh harrier circled over the pond and nearby pools scattering all the birds including 14 little egrets from the trees. A sparrowhawk also flew past the pools upsetting some of the birds as it sped by. In the fields 20 yellow wagtails were feeding beside the cattle. A Mediterranean gull flew over the park in the morning.

At the Point 4 wheatears were feeding on the grass and also on the beach and twenty linnets were noted. Offshore two common seals were watched heading upriver in the morning. One great crested grebe was offshore from the park.

Three of these feathered gothics were of interest in the moth trap after Monday night's session. This individual was one of 50 moths of 15 species, after a much colder night and a drop in moth numbers. Some of the other moths noted included white-point, rosy rustic, square spot rustic, flounced rustic, setaceous hebrew character and large yellow underwing.

The only butterflies noted on Sunday were several speckled woods, small heath and a small white.

A badger was seen dead on the East Mersea road early in the morning near Haycocks riding stables.