Wildlife and conservation review 2003 To continue the port development theme, a planning application was lodged for the Bathside Bay container port proposal on the Stour Estuary. This will result in the land-claim (ie destruction) of some 69 hectares of precious intertidal mudflats and salt marsh, although if permitted on grounds of national interest the developers will be required to provide a substantial area of replacement habitat by way of compensation. It eventually went through its Public Inquiry in the summer of 2004. The first three weeks of May rather bucked the trend, weather-wise: unsettled weather, with occasional late frosts, and sporadic heavy, thundery downpours, leading to a reversal of fortunes for many insects and birds in particular. But as the month drew to a close, it once again became very warm and settled, and indeed remained like that for much of the summer. Three more Red-rumped Swallows, at Ardleigh, continued this species' good showing, and a Red-spotted Bluethroat appeared at Leigh. Montagu's Harrriers were at Rainham and Bradwell, where there were also 3 Dotterel, and Osprey and Black Kite were seen over Dagenham and Chelmsford respectively. Hainault Forest produced Quail and Golden Oriole, while single Spoonbills were seen at Holland Haven and Colne Point, and the last vestiges of winter included a Glaucous Gull at Rainham and Long-tailed Duck at Holland Haven. Most unusual, if confirmed, was a report of a House Crow in a corvid roost at Walthamstow. This is an African species, which, as a result of ship-assisted passage, is beginning to colonise the Low Countries. Its arrival here is therefore not too unlikely, although one would imagine the environs of a port may be a more 'typical7 habitat. Hairy Dragonflies were observed emerging from ponds in Epping Forest as early as the 5th, and towards the end of the month, a significant invasion of Painted Ladies started to become apparent, especially in coastal areas. A Harbour Porpoise managed to strand itself, alive, in the River Colne at Colchester Hythe; fortunately, it was rescued successfully and then released off Mersea Island. Given our focus on ports issues, the question of airport expansion plans had rather taken a back seat over the past few months. But in May, the British Airports Authority voiced its opposition to the Cliffe Airport proposals in Kent, citing concerns about its commercial viability and the safety risks of siting an airport in close proximity to hundreds of thousands of over-wintering watcrbirds. While pleasing on one level - Cliffe Airport would be a disaster for wildlife - it rather played into the hands of those promoting expansion at places like Stansted. Summer June was settled and warm throughout, with every day exceeding 20°C as we were under the influence of a southerly airstream. Inevitably, there were thundery breakdowns, most notably on the 17th, but any rain was very localised and many places remained effectively dry all month. It ended up as the warmest June since the long-remembered summer of 1976. Good weather for butterflies! While the Painted Ladies from May naturally faded out, homegrown species largely fared well. To take just one example site of Hadleigh Great Wood, Heath Fritillaries which were reintroduced there in 1997 peaked at a good daily count of 150 on the 13th, and this was also reflected in a second brood, between 11th and 20th September. Furthermore, both Ringlet and Wall Brown were seen at the site for the first time since the 1990s. And to continue the theme of recolonisations (or rediscoveries?), the large, wasp-like hoverfly Doros profuges (RDB2) was found at Pitsea, close to its former known site of Hadleigh Downs, where it was last recorded in the early 1970s. Essex Naturalist (New Series) 21 (2004) 31