Looking back on 2021, it was a mixed year for Maldon’s wildlife.
On the bird front, there was confirmation that a number of our previously regular birds were no longer breeding within the patch. Both Meadow Pipit and Redshank, two classic saltmarsh species, seem now to be lost to us, as is also the Willow Warbler.
Although one was heard calling from the back of the Dump Pool, the only Turtle Dove that seemed likely to be breeding were along the canal at Langford. Nightingale were only recorded from Hazeleigh Wood and nearby scrubby areas, but this population still appears strong, with double-figure counts of singing males.
The biggest surprise in terms of population decline was the complete lack of local breeding records of House Martin in 2021. House Martin declines were noted nationally and it is thought that their arrival was impacted by adverse weather systems encountered during their northbound migration in the spring. Hopefully 2021 was something of a one-off extreme and we will see some returning to breed again in 2022.
It always seemed likely that the successful breeding of Black Redstart around Chandlers Quay in 2020 might be a one-off event and so, although a male was seen and heard singing in May 2021, it was not too surprising that there were no further signs of nesting.
On the positive side, Cattle Egret again bred at Chigborough Lakes EWT and Nuthatch appear to be expanding into larger local woods (Mundon Furze and Kent Wood). Perhaps the most noticeable increase has been in the spread of Stock Dove. They seemed to have been calling everywhere in 2021, including as close to the high street as the trees along the north edge of the Plume School. Once again there were plenty of Red Kite sightings to the north and west of Maldon- it can’t be long before a pair choose to nest in the patch again (the last nesting record near Maldon was around the middle of the 19th century!).
Spring and autumn bird migrant records were disappointing. There were no flycatcher or Common Redstart sightings, though Simon Wood had a great patch tick when he found a singing Wood Warbler one April morning in Hazeleigh Wood. Passage waders were notable for their poor numbers- perhaps just one Curlew Sandpiper and Spotted Redshank seen and no Little Stint at all. The reasons for lack of records is not that clear but may be simply down to way that weather systems panned out, meaning that migrants wanting to break their journeys chose to stop closer to the coast. Hopefully 2022 will be more generous to Maldon’s birdwatchers!
There were no significant changes to butterfly populations noted in 2021 but it was a good year for dragonflies. Scarce Chasers were recorded from several new sites away from the traditional canal location, including Heybridge and Lofts Farm. After one being photographed in 2020, a number of Southern Migrant Hawkers were seen in 2021, reflecting their rapid increase across south-east England. Willow Emerald is now probably our most widely encountered damselfly species, especially towards the end of summer. It was good in 2021 to positively confirm the continuing presence in the patch of our two scarcest damselflies- White-legged and Scarce Emerald.
Simon Wood’s regular trapping of moths, use of lures and studies of leaf mines led to further increases in our patch moth list. It is clear that Box-tree Moth is now firmly established in and around Maldon. A very large number of box hedges were eaten out by their caterpillars in 2020. The damage in 2021 seemed less- it remains to be seen whether the long-term state will be an end to all the hedges or some level of natural equilibrium.
2021 saw a rise in records of Gypsy Moths and also of Oak Processionary Moths, seemingly of natural occurrence. They are both pest species and there is a worry that the latter may start having a significant impact on our oak trees.
To finish this review on a positive, in June 2021 there was a wonderful display of orchids along the sea wall at Heybridge Pits. This included Pyramidal and Bee and, best of all, some Lizard Orchids- found by Carla Davis and the first records in Essex in recent times (though subsequently, in clearly a good year for them- more were found elsewhere in the county).
