Thursday 17 November 2016

WARY WATER RAIL

The water rail emerged from the thick cover of the reedmace at the side of the park pond, on Wednesday 16th. It walked along the recently cut marshy edge in the nice sunshine, although typically very wary and nervous. It wasn't long before it soon scuttled back into cover.

A flock of six siskins were flying around the alders by the park pond on Wednesday as was a flock of 40+ goldfinches. Forty little egrets gathered to roost while 2 tufted ducks and 4 gadwall were present.

The waxwings at the country park have been very elusive, showing only briefly over the last few days in the car park. They were first seen on Sunday afternoon, then again on Monday morning a couple of times up until 10.30am.
On Tuesday two waxwings were heard calling and seen perched on a bush beside the car park for a couple of minutes at about mid-day. They flew off north but half an hour later they were seen flying back over the car park and landed briefly in a tree in the south-west corner of the park. The two birds then flew west towards the caravan site and weren't seen again.

There was a report that five waxwings were seen on Wednesday afternoon at the park at 2.30pm, although there hadn't been any sign of them in the morning or at the end of the afternoon.

The greylags were enjoying a good splash around in the main pool in the grazing fields on Wednesday, now that it is filling up with water. Also in the fields were 1000 wigeon and 300+ brent geese feeding.

On the mudflats from the park a big flock of 1000 knot circled round a couple of times before landing to feed.

Very surprised to see this freshly marked painted lady in mid November by the park beach on Wednesday morning. The area by the concrete ramp down onto the beach was just sheltered enough from the wind, that the butterfly could enjoy some nectaring on some golden samphire flowers.

A few moths were noted after the mild night on Tuesday with this sprawler found resting on the leaves outside the trap the next morning. The only other record for sprawler at the park was seven years ago. Other moths noted were large yellow underwing, feathered thorn, November sp and red-green carpet.

A red squirrel was seen crossing the East Mersea road into the old PYO field carrying a nut, early on Monday morning as I was driving along. A red squirrel was also reported being seen near gardens on the East Mersea road near the Oyster Fishery lane. A red squirrel was also seen by my wife Nolly feeding at our nut feeder in Firs Chase on Thursday afternoon.

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