Friday 13 October 2017

GOLDIE IN THE GUTTER

There's been a small flock of goldfinches around the country park recently, and a handful of birds dropped into the gutter of the café to have a drink. This goldfinch pictured above was snapped through the nearby office window. A flock of 20 goldfinches circled round the bushes near the car park late afternoon before they roosted.

Also noted at the park on Friday 13th were ten swallows and 5 lesser redpolls flying west.

On Thursday five swallows and a total of 18 lesser redpolls flew over the park during the day, three of the latter seemingly looking to roost in bushes in the car park. Four goldcrests in the park too
In the grazing fields, 30 goldfinches, 12 skylarks and 10 meadow pipits were noted, tufted duck in the dyke, while 100 linnets were feeding near the Golfhouse.

From the Point 200 golden plover, 100 brent geese, 50 wigeon, 30 avocet and a common seal in the Colne were all noted on Thursday morning.

On Wednesday 11th there were 44 little egrets roosting at the park pond, two lesser redpolls flew over. A wheatear and 220 golden plover were seen by Andy Field at the Point and a little owl near the pond.

A peregrine flew from the beach and over the pond on Tuesday 10th, also blackcap, 3 lesser redpolls and four swallows noted. Seven red-legged partridge were in a field at Bromans Lane while at dusk a grey partridge called from Bromans Lane and a tawny owl called from Shop Lane.

A peregrine has been reported a couple of times recently over West Mersea by Ian Black.

A group of volunteers from Colchester Borough Housing Dept, helped on Wednesday with some wild flower meadow management by raking up the cut grass and barrowing it off to the side. This will hopefully encourage more of the knapweeds, scabious, bird's-foot trefoils, tufted vetches and ox-eye daisies to grow.

A walk around the fields by Rewsalls and Coopers Beach on Monday 9th produced a nice variety of sightings such as a peregrine, 3 sparrowhawks, common buzzard, 2 kestrels, Cetti's warbler by the Youth Camp, also little owl and water rail calling near the Youth Camp, kingfisher, little grebe, pair of stonechat, 20 swallows, 10 skylarks, 30 goldfinches, 20 linnets, 500 starlings, 2 goldcrests, 4 chiffchaffs. Offshore ten great crested grebes were on the sea and 200 golden plover on the mudflats.

A flock of 21 redwings was seen by Neil Mortimer flying west over West Mersea on Sunday 8th.

Two clouded yellow butterflies were seen along the park seawall on Thursday 12th by David Wallace.

My ninety-four year old mother in law Joice Bacon had a red squirrel make her day on Monday 9th when it scampered over her back doorstep at Hall Barn in West Mersea. Sadly another roadkill red squirrel was reported in Seaview Avenue by Christine Cobb on Thursday 12th.
David Bullock has reported several red squirrels sightings in his East Mersea garden recently.

This faded flounced chestnut was one of the moths in the trap at the park on the night of Tuesday 10th. Twenty-eight moths of 11 species of macro moth was the tally for the night. Other moths recorded were barred sallow, lunar underwing, large yellow underwing, lesser underwing, L-album wainscot, setaceous Hebrew character, square spot rustic, deep-brown dart and brindled green.

This beaded chestnut moth is the first one this autumn at the park.

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