Trust News

Trust News

The autumn migration has come to a close at Gunners Park with a wide variety of migratory birds passing through Gunners on their way south. Pied Flycatcher, Spotted Flycatcher, Redstart, Willow Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat, Garden Warbler and a steady stream of Hirundines have all been recorded. The star of the show was a group of eight Spoonbills that were seen flying south high over Gunners Park on the 13th September. This represents the highest total in one sighting at Gunners Park and in South East Essex. These birds were seen later that afternoon heading south over Dungeness towards the Continent. This is a fantastic record for the Park. Also seen in the late migration period was a solitary Yellow Browed Warbler in Bunker Wood. This Siberian leaf warbler is a rare visitor to the park and a cracking site record. The winter waders have arrived from up north with Dunlin, Sanderling, Ringed Plover and Turnstone all showing well on Barge Pier. Redshank numbers are also up with circa 60 roosting on the island scrape this weekend. The Brent geese have arrived back from Russia and they have juveniles with them! This is a great sight as the last two years has not been good for breeding, with the adults arriving back unaccompanied. They can be seen feeding and squabbling by the Heavy Quick Firing Battery as the tide recedes.

The park has continued to show great diversity in invertebrates with several Wasp Spiders, Willow Emerald damselfly, Southern Migrant Hawker dragonfly and the very rare Firebug all being recorded in the Park.

The Tuesday Volunteer Group has worked tirelessly to keep the park in good order. Recently the group has painted both the Spotlight Encasements as they had a significant amount of graffiti. Upcoming tasks will include wildflower meadow management including clearing the butterfly transect, Bramble reduction in the SSSI and park furniture maintenance.

There has been a spate of unauthorised ‘shrimping’ in the park this autumn/winter. An individual/s has been seen in the ditch and the lake with a large net harvesting all the aquatic life. This is not only unauthorised but illegal. If anyone sees an individual wearing chest high waders in the ditch or the lake at Gunners Park with a large net then please contact the Ranger immediately on 07738 458 916.

A big thank you to all the Gunners Rise residents who did not disturb the House Martins nesting on their properties this summer. It’s a wonderful sight to see these declining birds thriving in the park due to the relationship they have with the new Garrison development. There is still unfortunately a few incidents of residents disposing of their garden waste/grass cuttings into the park, either over their back fence or by walking into Gunners and tipping it into the park. Please be aware that this constitutes fly tipping, for which there are legal penalties involved.

Finally, I would like to thank all the residents and members of the Garrison for their continued support of the work we are doing at Gunners Park. The Park is constantly changing and evolving with the creation of wildflower meadows and the work we are doing in the SSSI. We are constantly looking to improve the visitor experience with guided walks and summer activities (weather depending!) so hopefully I will see everyone in the coming months enjoying the Park.

Kindest regards

Andrew Armstrong