February 2007

February brings some encouraging signs that spring is on the way. We may get some cold spells which are a chill reminder that it’s still winter despite those precocious blooms of aconites, snowdrops, crocuses and hellebores.

Until the winds shifted to northern quarters in the third week of January and frosts and snow showers came with them, day and night temperatures sometimes reached double figures. Red admiral butterflies were still being reported on sunny days. Ernie Wells told me of two watched in High Woods Country Park, Colchester on January 19 and Ian Rose reported others in his garden at Mistley.

Probably the most remarkable unseasonal record was the hummingbird hawk moth watched by Peter Pearson in his garden at Chalfont Road, Colchester, on January 9. The moth was feeding on blossoms of Viburnam tinens. There was a big immigration of these dashing little hawkmoths last year and the Colchester specimen was almost certainly one which attempted to overwinter because of the continuing mild conditions rather than being an exceptionally early immigrant from southern Europe. Peter’s moth beats my own earliest “hummer” record which was one feeding on wallflower blooms at Manningtree on February 14 several years ago.

Colchester Natural History Society member Maria Fremlin is making a study of minotaur beetles and stag beetles in Colchester and she tells me that minotaurs started 'nesting' in the Hilly Fields Local Nature Reserve by mid January. On January 14 she saw many of their small, mole-like hills with the plugs still in good shape. Minotaurs are found mainly in sandy places where they bury rabbit droppings on which adults and larvae feed. Most people have no idea the burrows are the work of a dung beetle. Maria says "this is understandable as minotaurs are very elusive. They usually emerge in the autumn and are then active until the beginning of June. By late summer they will all have died. Other known sites are Friday Woods, Stanway and Alresford." You can find more details at Maria's website - http://maria.fremlin.de/stagbeetles

In the milder January days bumblebees and hover flies were flying and frog activity had already been recorded in local ponds and lakes. Peregrine falcons are being reported in coastal areas and occasionally at Abberton Reservoir. I watched one stooping at a flock of dunlin at Cudmore Grove Country Park, east Mersea on January 14. Merlins were reported at Mersea and Tollesbury.

Look for smew at Abberton Reservoir and Ardleigh Reservoir. The dashing little white, black-marked drake may look like a gull on the surface at a distance but you’ll know it’s him when he dives and you can get a focus with binoculars and telescope. There has been a drake and some “red-head” females at Abberton recently.

A great northern diver has been off Mersea Island and in the Blackwater estuary lately and a Slavonian grebe sighted at Rolls Farm, Tollesbury.

Moth recorders, including myself, will begin operating our mercury vapour/actinic garden traps in February and can expect some early moths; spring usher; pale brindled beauty and chestnut and dark chestnut, the latter out of hibernation on mild nights.

If you are interested in moths you may care to note that Essex Moth Group’s annual meeting and exhibition will be at Venture Centre 2000, Bromley Road, Lawford on Saturday March 10 (10.30 to 5pm). A full day of illustrated talks and discussion plus lots of photos, specimens and latest apparatus such as moth lamps and traps for recording. Admission £5 which includes lunch and refreshments. Please let me know if you are attending on 01206 241389.

STOP PRESS 13/02/07

Red admiral butterfly sightings on warm sunny days continue to amaze. I’ve received many reports from the Colchester area and throughout NE Essex and over the border in Suffolk. On February 3 when the day temperature rose to a remarkable 15°C in some places I counted 9 red admirals in the Marks Hall Estate, Coggeshall’s woods and arboretum. Most were nectaring on flowering shrubs and 3 were on blooms of Viburnham tinens. Obviously these are overwintered specimens and not immigrants.

Hummingbird hawk moth: one seen in garden at Chalfont Road, Colchester on January 9. Possibly a record early sighting?

Male 16mm (L) and female 18mm (R) minotaur beetles Typhaeus typhoeus. The female is the largest but size varies considerably. Photo © Maria Fremlin

A fresh burrow of a minotaur beetle, hole at the top and a wing case next to it. Photo © Maria Fremlin, taken on Jan 14, 2007.

Peregrine falcons seen at several coastal sites including East Mersea; St Osyth; Tollesbury and Walton Backwaters - also occasionally at Abberton Reservoir.

A drake and some female smew seen at Abberton Reservoir, and a drake at Ardleigh Reservoir. Illustration shows drake (front) and female.

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