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through the winter months in our yellow programme card. So why not spend some of your
spare time this winter writing up all of your natural history sightings for the Club's
Recorders. It is surprising what important contributions can be made in this way. The
addresses of all the Recorders are to be found in the journal (note that the addresses for
Peter Harvey (spiders and Hymenoptera) and John Wright (mammals other than bats)
have altered since the programme card was published. Most Recorders are also quite
happy to identify or verify Essex voucher specimens in their chosen group. They will do
this for no fee, of course, but it would be polite to enclose return postage if you want the
material back again!
That's about all this time. I hope everyone has a good Christmas break and that I will see
you all at some of the Club's meetings.
Colin W. Plant
Mammal Recording in Essex
It is nearly 10 years since the Essex Museums Service published a Provisional Atlas of
Essex Mammals aimed at being the catalyst to stimulate further recording in the county.
Since then, until 1994, little happened but a new survey was launched by myself in
January 1994 that now totals over 6000 records of 40 species of mammal in Essex.
Records have been obtained by recording road casualties, examination of owl pellets,
live-trapping, recognition of signs (molehills, dreys, tracks etc) and the cajoling of friends
to document records of mammals seen whilst in the field.
All Species
Essex Field Club Newsletter No. 23, November 1997