Colchester Natural History Society

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Watching Wildlife				Hillhouse Wood

May/June 2008

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May is always an exciting month for naturalists. More summer breeding birds are arriving from wintering quarters in Africa and the Mediterranean and there is a brilliant display of wild flowers in woods and waysides. Spring butterflies are on the wing both freshly-emerged species such as orange tips, green-veined whites, speckled woods, green hairstreaks and holly blues and those out of hibernation such as peacocks, commas, small tortoiseshells and brimstones.

There were some very warm days in the early part of the month with temperatures reaching 26°C on some days but there were also days of very cold north-east and east winds which meant hurriedly donning fleeces and sweaters and producing a slow-down of growth and wildlife activity. However bluebells continued to hold centre stage in the local woods especially at Hillhouse Wood, West Bergholt where Philip Smith and I led a ’dawn chorus’, birdsong walk on May 11 which was attended by 25 hardy souls who enjoyed with us the virtuoso performance by a male nightingale before first light. The first non-nightingale songster was a robin at 4am followed by a blackbird and cuckoo. By dawn break there was a lively chorus of other songsters led by blackcaps and chiffchaffs, summer nesters in the wood which return from winter in Africa. This is proving a very good year for blackcaps and nightingales are also in good numbers as usual in the Roman River valley, especially Friday Wood, and at Fingringhoe Wick where there can be as many as 20 nesting pairs.

May has proved to be exceptional nationally for unusual immigrants and wanderers from southern Europe and Mediterranean. Numbers of bee eaters, whiskered terns, hoopoes and cattle egrets delighted birders. The continuing influxes of cattle egrets gives rise to speculation that this worldly—widespread species may possible soon join the little egret as a British breeding bird, there was a scattering, too, of red-rumped swallows and even a spectacled warbler at Westleton, Suffolk, while at Abberton Reservoir some black-winged stilts briefly caused a flutter of excitement for local birders. Up to four black-necked grebes were at Abberton Reservoir in the first half of May and hobbies were seen catching some of the early— emerging damselflies and dragonflies. There was a sizeable passage of whimbrels heading north for moorland breeding quarters. A few turtle doves reported from Fingringhoe Wick, Langenhoe and Fordham.

There are continuing encouraging signs of the spread of otters in
North Essex. Two were seen along the stream bordering Hillhouse
Wood, West Bergholt on the Fordham side in early May plus tell-tale
spraints (droppings) and further activity has been noted along the
Colne at Fordham. A survey of the River Colne by CNHS mammal Recorder Darren Tansley and volunteers from up and down the river has revealed the widest distribution yet, with otters as far west as the Hedinghams.

Colchester Natural History Society is carrying out surveys for the Borough Council of a number of sites and open spaces in and near Colchester and on May 13 a team of 13 surveyed Colchester Cemetery where they recorded more than 80 plants including the notable discovery of flowering plants of the meadow saxifrage which represents only the third record of this locally—uncommon plant for NE Essex. Cold conditions inhibited invertebrate activity but a female lesser stag beetle was discovered under a rotting log and a couple of St George's mushrooms were noted.

May Rare Bird News

During may there were some interesting rare bird records: two black-winged stilts (see below) were seen at Abberton Reservoir as well as a cattle egret (one of many reported from southern England) and a red-rumped swallow.

June

The ups and downs of weather and, especially, temperatures are having a serious effect on populations of insects. Moth recorders continue to report low counts at lamps and moth traps. Night temperatures have, in the main, been disappointing and frequent chilly downpours have added to gloom.

Butterflies are suffering from too few warm sunny days for courtship, pairing, egg laying and nectaring on wild and garden flowers. In north Essex there has been a fairly good spring brood of the holly blue as well as first—brood speckled woods. A good number, also, of red admirals some of which are obviously overwintered specimens though some of very fresh appearance could be immigrants.

There is growing anxiety regarding the slump in small tortoiseshell numbers continuing the dramatic decline of this once-common butterfly of the past five or six years. In the Colchester area spring sightings of hibernated small tortoiseshell reported to me, or my own records, don't even make double figures. There is a new theory that groups of larvae on stinging nettles are being heavily parasitised by ichneumon wasps or flies. Naturalists are being asked to find egg batches on nettles and carrying out safe controlled rearing of Larvae through to pupation and subsequent release of adults.

STOP PRESS

Two spoonbills were seen near Cudmore Grove, West Mersea on June 2. Groups of spoonbills are often seen in eastern counties, especially Suffolk and Norfolk coastal nature reserves, and there are breeding colonies in Holland giving rise to speculation that this species may join the growing number of colonists from mainland Europe.

Illustration: Joe Firmin

A male beautiful demoiselle. A new colony of this uncommon damselfly was found by Philip Smith at Copford on May 14, an early date for the species which is found in the Roman River valley south of Colchester and also along a stream bordering Hillhouse Wood, West Bergholt.

The turtle dove is an increasingly scarce Summer resident and nester. It suffers much persecution from shooters in the Mediterranean area while migrating north from Africa. Sightings in early May at Fingringhoe Wick, Langenhoe and Fordham.

Otters are increasingly being seen or presence noted in Essex. Recently two were seen on a stream bordering Hillhouse Wood, West Bergholt.

There was a big movement of whimbrel along the Essex coast in early May as these waders headed for nesting areas on moors to the north. The old Essex name for them was “May Bird” or titterel from their multi-note call.

Hobbies seen at Abberton Reservoir and elsewhere in Horth Essex in first two weeks of May feeding on early-emerging dragonflies and damselflies. These dashing little falcons winter in Africa and up to 30 pairs breed in Essex.

Common blue butterflies are appearing in reasonable numbers in flowery Meadows and waysides where their larval foodplant, bird's foot trefoil, flourishes. Photo of male by Joe Firmin.

There's continuing alarm over the crash in populations of the once—common small tortoiseshell butterfly. Naturalists are being asked to rear this species from egg stage to adult to avoid wild parasitism by wasps and flies. Photo: Joe Firmin.