Birds

28/06/14

Before the storms this morning a Cormorrant was seen flying W, 2 Grey Heron were noisly calling, as they circled to the rear of Morrisons. Herring Gull's and Black- headed Gull's all flew E .

22/06/14

In Area 4 adjacent to Smiths Walk the balancing pond is currently still flooded. This has meant that some water birds have now taken up residence. Whilst watching early this morning between 06:30 and 07:30, Mallard with ducklings , at least 3 Coot and a pair of Moorhen were all seen. The highlight for me and a first for the Emm was a Little Grebe briefly seen diving for food. A Swift was swooping and picking insects off the water. A Buzzard was chased from the adjacent trees by a Carrion Crowand 2 Red Kite were riding the thermals above the pond

21/06/14

A FOTEB walk aroud Area 1 ( Heath lake and Gorrick Woods this afternoon was very productive, a total of 25 birds were heard and seen. Highlights were Grey Heron flying from the island , a Grey Wagtail feeding in the outlet from the pond. Mute Swan with cygnets. Buzzard and Green Woodpecker were heard in Gorrick Woods.

19/06/14

In Area 10 at the Lavells Lake car park field, families of Swallows were seen alighting on the telegraph wires by Fraser Cottington. He managed to get this picture of a juvenille.

18/06/14 The biggest goup of Swifts seen in Area 5 so far ,with a noisy 20+ screaming in the skies over my house.

15/06/14 Young Starlings are currenty, noisly flying around Area 5 and frequently visiting my garden feeders, eating anything that they can find.

14/06/14 In Area 4 at the flooded Balancing Pond near Smiths Walk are Mallard , Coot and Moorhen have all breed succesfully and all can currently be seen with with young, swimming across the pond.

08/06/14 Swift numbers reached 6 this afternoon over Area 5.

06/06/14 At 22:00 in Gorrick Wood Plantation (Area 1), 2Nightjar , but probably 3 were heard churring by Peter Kendall. They were also seen in flight.

02/06/14 Sitting out in my Area 5 garden this morning paid dividends with a Swift swooping through at treetop level and a fly over Oystercatcher heading NW. I was alerted to its presence by its distinctive loud peep-ing call

01/06/14 Area 5 behind Morrison’s and Area 8 off Old Forest Road were visited early this morning. Area 8 is mostly grassland with nearby fields of crops. This proves ideal for Skylark and 2 were singing high in the sky. Several Whitethroat were singing from the field hedgerows along with Chiffchaff and Blackcap. Area 5 produced a total of 30 species highlights were, Coal Tit and a female Bullfinch. A Buzzard was being pursued by 3 noisy Carrion Crow. At 19:50, Paul Bright-Thomas had 2 Common Tern fly SE over his Area 4 garden and 2 Grey Heron flying back and forth along the Emmbrook.

Insects & Spiders

29/06/14 A walk arond Area 4 & 5 this morning produced an unexpected Lepidopterian feast. In Area 4 by the balancing pond several Meadow Browns Maniola jurtina ,were in the longer grass ,along with the years first RingletAphantopus hyperantus . Alongside the Emm in Area 5Red AdmiralVanessa atalanta and RingletAphantopus hyperantus . Were seen. The Wildflower meadow held Meadow Brown Maniola jurtina and another first of an Essex SkipperThymelicus lineola. Near Dragon fly bridge, on the Nettles was the day flying micro moth rEsperia oliviella. ,

21/06/14 A FOTEB walk arond Heathlake in Area 1 at lunch time today produced a good assortment of Dragon and Damselflies. Seen were Azure DamselflyCoenagrion puella , Beautiful DemoiselleCalopteryx virgo, Blue- tailed DamselflyIschnura elegans,Common Blue DamselflyEnallagma cyathigerum ,Black-tailed SkimmerOrthetrum cancellatum and what must have been a Brown Hawker Aeshna grandis .

15/06/14

In the Wildflower Meadow in Area 5 severalMeadow BrownManiola jurtina were seen also the grass moth Crambus pasculla.

12/06/14

Another warm afternoon and a visit was made to the flooded balancing pond in Area 4. Dragonflies were on the wing with firsts of Four-spotted ChaserLibellula quadrimaculata and Broad-bodied ChaserLibellula depressa. Also seen were a Small TortoishellAglais urticae. e.

07/06/14

After this mornings rain the sun came out in the afternoon and so did the bugs. In Area 8 off Old Forest Road a first for the FOTEB list was the Longhorn BeetleGolden-bloomed Grey LonghornAgapanthia villosoviridescens. Also seen were a Small TortoishellAglais urticae and the first Common Blue Polyommatus icarus butterfly of the year. The mothYellow Shell Camptogramma bilineata was on a roadside tree. In Area 10 at the Sandford Lane Car Park field Damselflies were everywhere, seen were male and female Banded Demoiselle Calopteryx splendens,Common Blue DamselflyEnallagma cyathigerum and a Blue-tailed Damselfly Ischnura elegans. The day flying mothBurnet CompanionEuclidia glyphica was also seen.

01/06/14

Today the sun came out and with it out came the Insects. The first Dragonfly of the year was seen on riverside vegetation in Area 5. It flew off before it could be identified. Day flying moths were out with large numbers of the tiny Nettle TapAnthophila fabriciana. A Silver YAutographa gamma was disturbed from the grass and several Silver YAutographa gamma In my garden a Celypha lacunona flew from the shrubbery and a Light Emerald Campasa marganitatawas observed on my kitchen ceiling. Butterflies included Speckled Wood and the first Red Admiral of the year were also seen in Area 5 .

Spiders were also enjoying the sun. The "Crab spider" Xysticus ulmi was seen on the riverside vegetation. These spiders spends much time sitting still, with their fore-legs spread wide, waiting for insects to blunder into them. Predatory on other invertebrates, including ants, which most other spiders avoid, and often taking prey much larger than themselves.

Plants/Trees

15/06/14 Along the Emm you can now see the edible nuts of HazelCorylus avellana emerging . They are held in green, leafy cups and then turn brown when ripe.

On the banks of the Emm you can now see Hedge WoundwortStachys sylvatica. This is a common, perhaps unremarkable, plant with one defining feature - its unpleasant and astringent smell. This smell is particularly apparent when the plant is crushed. Magenta flowers appear between June and October and are pollinated by bees.

Molluscs

Other Wildlife

Mammals

21/06/14 This afternoon in Area 1 (Gorrick Wood ) a young Roe Deer Capreolus capreolus bat was seen crossing the path before disaperring into the woods.

18/06/14 In Chas and Fran Sticklers Area 5 garden this morning a tatty Red Fox Vulpes vulpes bat was seen wandering about.

05/06/14 At 21:45 in Area 5 by Arthur Road a Common Pipistrelle Pipistrellus pipistrellus bat was seen flying around the street lights.

01/06/14

At 06:45 in Area 8 off Old Forest Road a male and female Roe Deer Capreolus capreolus were seen.

Fish

Amphibians

For a review of the sightings along the Emm for the first 4 months of 2014 click here 2012 Sightings

For a review of 2012 sightings click here 2012 Sightings

For a review of 2013 sightings click here 2013 Sightings