21
Sanderling stepping daintily along the foreshore with several
dunlin in gorgeous chestnut and black summer plumage feeding
alongside turnstone, ringed plover and oystercatchers. On our
return, at least one sighting of a willow warbler brought our
bird total to 37 species for the day. In between the birds we
had found time to admire a comma butterfly, several peacocks
and a small tortoiseshell basking in the warm sunshine, while
on the sea wall there was Anthriscus caucalis, Bur Chervil, a
low perennial Umbellifer which wasn't yet in flower.
One of the joys of a visit to the Naze is that it gives
some of us the excuse to visit other areas en route. Fingringhoe
Wick hardly needs an excuse to be visited and on this occasion
rewarded us by fine song from a lesser Whitethroat and several
nightingales, both personal firsts for 1981. A few miles away,
Abberton reservoir had lost the flocks of duck present only a
few weeks before but had gained a large complement of sand
martins, swallows and a fine chorus of sedge warblers singing
along the southern shore (another 1981 first). Finally, although
they might be accused of gilding the lily, we spotted a pair of
little owls perched in an old dead elm as we left Abberton
bringing our total to 59 species for a remarkable day.
Chris Sherman.
Amphibians - Epping Forest - April 26th 1981.
A recording meeting for Amphibians was held on Sunday,
26th April, by kind permission of the Forest Conservators and
with the much valued help of the Conservation Centre. Twenty
members set out, each with nets loaned by the Centre, and made
for Baldwins Pond. Here much dipping took place resulting in
the following:-
Numerous Common Toad Tadpoles
Two Common Newts
Two Palmate Newts
Two Adult Toads near the pond
Also many invertebrates including:-
Wandering Snail
Ramshorn Snails (Several different species)
Flatworms and Leeches
Caddis Fly Larvae (numerous)
Great Diving Beetle (Adults and Larvae)
Mayfly Larvae