May 2010

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May is an exciting month for local naturalists. It sees the return of summer breeding birds which have been spending the winter months in Africa and the Mediterranean region. These include swifts, turtle doves, spotted flycatchers and yellow wagtails.

Swifts are in decline nationally as the older buildings they favour for nesting are being replaced by new structures which do not have the holes, nooks and crannies the birds need though they can still find appropriate places in church towers, older cottages and historic buildings such as castles. In fact Colchester Castle can boast its swifts as well as pigeons.

There is some anxiety now for the turtle doves and spotted flycatchers. In the latest Essex Bird Report (published by the Essex Birdwatching Society) covering the year 2007 only 16 flycatcher nesting territories were found from 31 sites and throughout the UK it is in continuing serious decline. It is believed that it suffers casualties while on migration from climatic extremes and is persecuted by trappers and shooters. The turtle dove, still heavily persecuted by gunners on some Mediterranean islands and in Southern Europe, is now on the Red Data list of threatened declining species.

Adding to the rather gloomy picture for once common summer breeding birds is the yellow wagtail. It is now on the RSPB’s amber list as falls in nesting success are giving rise for concern. Although it’s another migrant facing hazards during passage it has also lost many of its favoured grassland habitats although some pairs have taken to nesting in cereal fields. Look for yellow wagtails at Abberton Reservoir in early May as they pass through on their way to nesting areas. You can also see birds of the blue-headed race.

May also sees the return of that dashing little falcon the hobby, which winters in Africa. There can be up to 40 pairs nesting in Essex. Although they can chase and catch martins and swallows they are mainly insectivorous with dragonflies and damselflies favourite prey. Look for them hunting in reedbed areas. With their sharply tapered wings they look like giant swifts as they speed overhead. Hobbies nest in trees, adapting abandoned nests of other birds, especially crows.

May sunshine will bring out many butterfly species. Orange tips, green-veined whites and speckled woods are emerging as are holly blues and green hairstreaks. A good place to look for green hairstreaks is at Colchester’s Hilly Fields Local Nature Reserve where there are plenty of the larval foodplants, broom and gorse. The upper side of the green hairstreak is brown but its underside is a beautiful green and when at rest on fresh spring green leaves it is spectacularly well camouflaged. Another prime site for this species is Essex Wildlife Trust’s Fingringhoe Wick Nature Reserve throughout May.

Common terns are back at Essex Reservoirs and lakes and there are usually 100 breeding pairs. Little tern nesting successes are worryingly small year by year. Their shingle nests suffer from human disturbance, bird and mammal predators and tidal erosion.

There have been a few reports in late April and early May of cuckoos in North Essex. This is another of our summer residents which is undoubtedly scarcer especially in wooded areas. Most records in recent years are from coastal and marsh areas as the female cuckoos select the nests of reed warblers in which to lay eggs. Another reason for the choice of reedy and marshy areas is the abundance of the hairy caterpillars of the drinker moth which is the favoured food of the cuckoo.

By the first week of May whitethroats were common in the Colchester area, the males leaping into the air above hedges with their scratchy songs. Also in very good numbers by early May in woods and large gardens were blackcaps and nightingales were reported from several of their usual nesting areas in the Roman River Valley woodlands, Fingringhoe Wick and woods at West Bergholt. Fingringhoe Wick Nature Reserve is the favourite place to hear the glory of nightingale song both night and day.

Some late April records I should report are a hummingbird hawk moth nectaring on flowers in Ian Rose’s garden at Mistley on April 26 and on the same day Ian saw a very early small copper butterfly. A grasshopper warbler was at Cudmore Grove Country Park in the last week of April and Philip Smith saw a honey buzzard and little ringed plover at Abberton Reservoir on April 25.

Hoopoe seen at Wivenhoe

In April and early May, several hoopoes were reported from eastern and southern counties and one was seen at Wivenhoe. These exotic looking birds winter in Africa and breed mainly in southern Europe and Mediterranean countries but also occasionally in northern Europe and Britain. These are wind-drifted migrants classified as ‘overshots’ from their usual breeding areas.

The yellow wagtail is one of the returning migrants to look for along the water's edge at Abberton Reservoir in may.

Whitethroats were common in the Colchester area in the first week of May having returned from winter in Africa. Male on right.

Little terns suffer badly from disturbance of their Essex nesting beaches as well as from bird and mammal predators and tidal erosion. Nesting pairs are down to a handful compared with the situation in past years.

A welcome sight in reedy and heathy areas is of a hobby chasing insects such as damselflies or dragonflies. This dashing little falcon winters in Africa. There can be as many as 40 nesting pairs in Essex.

Turtle doves are now scarce nesters in Essex. they suffer from gunners in the Mediterranean and Southern European countries while returning from Africa.

Swifts return from winter in Africa. Many traditional nest sites in old buildings are disappearing and replaced with 'bird proof' modern buildings.

The call of the cuckoo is no longer a common sound in May. Most records are from reedy or marshy areas as the female cuckoo chooses the nests of reed warblers in which to lay her eggs.

A special May butterfly is the green hairstreak. Good places to find them are Colchester's Hilly Fields LNR and Fingringhoe Wick Reserve.

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