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)
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