News for December 2008

Jo Marshall. An appreciation

The recent death of Jo Marshall was particularly sad news for Janie Berry, who along with her husband Bill, now lives on Hayling Island but continues to follow the exploits of the CNHS. Janie has written this appreciation of Jo which will also appear in the new year edition of Cervus.

Jo Marshall and I first met at Ros Evans inspirational Botany class at Greyfriars in the l980s. With Terri Tarpey’s encouragement we ventured out ‘list-ticking’ together and spent many enjoyable hours keying out the species we found, gradually becoming more competent with the help of Terri and Jerry Heath and with the experience gained on the regular Tuesday recording sessions. Our most rewarding work took place at Holland Pits and HillHouse Wood, where we were joined by Anne Guiver, and we spent many happy days recording the abundance of interesting flora found at these sites.

Jo was always good company and we enjoyed many robust but good humoured discussions when keying out species new to us but reached a consensus in the end!

I shall always remember her with great affection and memories of happy days.

Janie Berry.

Hillhouse Wood loses a true champion

It was with the deepest regret that we learned of the death in the night of October 16, of Peter Johnson, for many years the chairman of The Friends of Hillhouse Wood and a long standing member of CNHS. He played an active role in championing the amenity and wildlife values of Hillhouse wood and carried out sometimes difficult negotiations with the Woodland Trust to secure these objectives.

Peter died peacefully at his home in Chapel Road after a severe illness courageously borne. We extend to Peter’s wife Marion and his family our sincere condolences with the message that the beauty and continuing quality of tranquility of this sanctuary for wildlife will be a permanent testimony to Peter’s devotion to the wood and its effective management.

Joe Firmin

The Rose Bowl Photographic Competition

Please get your entries in for the 2008 Photographic Competition. They can be any subject, as long as they have a natural history connection, and they do not have to be taken in the CNHS area. You can submit slides, prints or electronic files for consideration (preferably in JPG format).

All entries should be given to Peter Douch (this year’s judge) either by hand, post or email. Peter’s address is 41, Oaks Drive, Colchester CO3 3PS or email peter.douch3@btopenworld.com.

If you have any queries about file formats then please contact CNHS Mammal Recorder, Darren Tansley on 01621 862995 or email darrent@essexwt.org.uk. Closing date for entries is our Christmas Social on Friday 12th December.

Spoonbill at Abberton

There were excellent views of a spoonbill from the Layer Bretton causeway at Abberton Reservoir on October 14. These birds are not resident here but are present in some numbers in the near continent so are irregular visitors to south and eat England. This particular individual did not prove popular with the local herons who mobbed it for some time.

Barbara finds a rare vagrant moth

Barbara Lock, a member of Essex Moth Group, had a rare and exciting arrival to her Frinton-on-Sea garden light trap on August 25. It was a dark crimson underwing Cotacola sponsa, only the third confirmed Essex record for this rare vagrant. It is not a resident species in Essex but is found only in oak wodland in Hampshire and Sussex where it enjoys Red Data Status. Elsewhere it is considered a rare immigrant. The previous Essex records were Bradwell-on-sea in September 1951 and at Hainhault pre-1903.

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