Colchester Natural History Society

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Watching Wildlife				Hillhouse Wood

September 2008

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September is the month for two-way bird movements. Our summer residents are heading south for their wintering quarters in Africa and the Mediterranean and some of our wintering species will start to arrive from northern and eastern Continental Europe. The real hot spot to be this month is Walton Naze where there is a good chance of seeing several southwards-bound species, some which have drifted to us from Scandinavia across the North Sea.

In the past I have seen wrynecks at the Naze, especially on the undercliff and in sandy areas where they can find ants and other invertebrate prey. More rarely a red-backed shrike may put in appearance and usually there will be warblers and pied flycatchers among the bushes and bramble clumps. Regular are lesser whitethroats which seem to like over-ripe blackberries as well as the plentiful insects and, if you are very lucky, you might come across a barred warbler which has drifted in from Denmark and northern Europe. Wheatears and whinchats are also regulars and flocks of starlings will be greedily feeding on elder berries. In fact you never really know what may turn up on this attractive headland!

Waders are the attraction along the shore as well as in the estuaries. Black-tailed godwits, some still in their cinnamon breeding plumage, are back along the Stour and Colne estuaries from their nesting quarters in Iceland while along the edge of local reservoirs, especially Abberton, you'll find common, green and occasionally wood sandpipers; ruff; greenshanks and little ringed plovers. Some spotted redshanks are still in their handsome black breeding finery and grey plovers may still sport their breedingtime black bellies.

Now is the time that fungi hunters come into their own. CNHS expert Ian Rose will be entering his busy period leading fungus forays until early November. Join him whenever possible on the advertised local meetings when you will get a real insight into a fascinating world of mushrooms and toadstools and their identification. Time for a cautionary word about picking "mushrooms" . You will have read in the press that a national literary figure while on holiday in Scotland with his family picked fungi to eat and must have included some poisonous species such as death caps. Spells on dialysis seem to have prevented fatality but never eat any species until you are absolutely certain of identification.

As Ian Rose is quick to point out, even handling toxic species such as Amanita phalloides (Death Cap) poses a risk if you lick your fingers or don't wash your hands before eating your sandwiches. Just join the experts and learn to identify. There are, of course, well-known and delicious edible species of fungi such as the Cep Boletus edulis; the Blewit and the Chanterelle as well as the marvellous pink-gilled field mushroom. I have enjoyed several feeds of the latter already.

Several people have contacted me about the disfiguring of horse chestnut trees by the horse chestnut leaf miner micro-moth Cameraria ohridella. Leaves are reduced to a shrivelled, dead state by the hundreds of mined tunnels caused by the moth’s larvae and the moths can be seen in clouds after emergence. This has been a particularly bad year for the spread of the moth which originally arrived in this country from the Continent. The trees are not killed but must be weakened by the moths' continuous ravagings.

Good news about small tortoishells as at last quite a few are being seen in NE Essex and Suffolk resulting from this year's broods. Up to five at a time have been reported from different sites nectaring on thistles, buddleia bloom and michaelmas daisies. They will hibernate and their appearance could at last herald a revival as they have been exceptionally scarce in past few years. A few painted lady butterflies also seen lately as well as hummingbird hawk moths and silver-Y moths.

Walton Naze is the best site to look for a wryneck on passage in September.

Lesser whitethroats frequently seen at Walton Naze and elsewhere in coastal Essex as they head south for winter.

The beautiful orange-yellow Chanterelle which when fresh smells of apricots. It's particularly loved in France where it is sold in large quantities in markets.

The Cep Boletus Edulis is a much prized edible fungus to be looked for in woodland.

The Blewit is another popular edible fungus which grows in pastures or on downs, often in large rings.

the leaf-mining micro moth Cameraria ohridella, the larvae of which have devastated leaves on horse chestnut trees leaving them shrivelled and dead.

It hasn't benn a big year for painted ladies but some are now being seen in gardens and feeding on wayside flowers. Some of these may head south into Europe on a return migration.