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Nightjars are rare in Essex. They arrive about the
middle of May and remain until possibly the end of
September. They were quite common in various parts
in the past, but their stronghold now is in Suffolk,
Norfolk and the southern counties of England.
If any members know of any other sites where the bird
has been heard in Essex, would they please inform
M. T. Parker, Ingatestone 3510.
M. T. Parker
GENERAL MEETING, LITTLE LEIGHS, 24th JULY, 1982
Meeting at Little Leighs Church, the party inspected
the contents of a moth trap set up in the garden of
Court Hill, Little Leighs the previous night. The
moths were identified by Col. Maitland Emmet before
release (see list).
We then walked up the footpath through the orchards
opposite Little Leighs Hall to Littley Green and the
welcome refreshment provided by 'The Compasses'.
Along the whole walk we were surprised by the
abundance of Small Tortoiseshell larvae and the
occasional single Red Admiral, feeding in its rolled
nettle leaf. Moving on to Leez Priory with its lake-
side walk and meadows sloping down to the River Ter
the party followed the river as it skirted the Leighs
reservoirs. On the Small Leaved Lime in the Priory
grounds we encountered Buccalatrix thoracella(Thunberg)
the larvae of which were swarming on the Lime leaves.
This is a very local species found mainly in the West
Midlands and Wales. In Essex it is present probably
as a relic from the time when Tilia cordata was a
dominant tree in the forests. Arriving at the
Thatched Barn Hall in Rectory Lane, tea was the next
item, but it was not long before Col. Emmet found a
dead example of Rhyracia simulans (the Dotted Rustic)