Spring is at last getting a move on round here. At Poors Piece/Pheasanthouse Bog, Danbury last Saturday there were 2 Brimstone, 2 Comma and a Small Tortiseshell on the wing and at Blue House Farm, North Fambridge, 7 Peacock and a Small Tortiseshell yesterday. Inbetween times, 20+ Black Oil Beetles (provisional ID only)were counted along the Dengie coast between Bradwell St Peter's and Howe Outfall on Sunday. Set the moth trap at Blue House for the first time this year on 22nd and caught 4 Small and 2 Common Quaker, 2 Hebrew Character, and single Dotted Border, Clouded Drab, Twin-spotted Quaker and White-shouldered House Moth. The garden trap (a 40WUV) here at Ingatestone has been averaging 10-15 moths a night, mostly the same as Ben's been catching + a few Double-striped Pugs. Birds have been very slow to move north though. There are a few Chiffchaffs around and I have heard of several Wheatears, Black Redstarts, Firecrests and Sand Martins but no big push from the continent as yet.
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This forum has now been more or less replaced by the Club's Facebook page at 
The weblog below is for naturalists to use to report interesting sightings, ask questions, report on field meetings and generally post pictures and any information or questions generally relevant in some way to the wildlife and geology of Essex. You will need to register and be logged-on to post to the forum, and you need to upload pictures first, for use in posts. Find out more
The weblog below is for naturalists to use to report interesting sightings, ask questions, report on field meetings and generally post pictures and any information or questions generally relevant in some way to the wildlife and geology of Essex. You will need to register and be logged-on to post to the forum, and you need to upload pictures first, for use in posts. Find out more