Second Blackcap of the spring!

After my first spring record of Blackcap on my St. Nicholas Church local patch site on the remarkably early date of 25th February 2026, I had my second spring record this morning.

As I was walking over to my local Asda, I heard a male Blackcap singing briefly from a hedge at the junction of Basildon Road and Upper Mayne.

As with my first record, this was a "heard only" record and I failed to see the bird in the dense vegetation. However, there is plenty of time to actually see my first Blackcap of the year with many birds still yet to arrive for the spring and summer.

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Visit to St. Nicholas Church and surrounding areas – 14th March 2026

Date: 14th March 2026 

Time: from 8 a.m.

Weather: dry, sunny, light wind, 3°C to 7°C

It was a beautiful sunny morning for my visit, albeit much colder than recently with remnants of ground frost in shaded areas.

The main purpose of my visit was to try and see and photograph Red Foxes. This proved to be very successful.

As I arrived at my location in the northern section of the site, I had a very brief view of a Red Fox at the back of the main pond.

After laying out my “buffet” of chicken carcass remains, gravy and other food, I sat down to wait to see if my offering would be welcomed. I waited …. and waited …. and waited .... until I realised that I was being closely watched by a Red Fox from way over the other side from where I was sat, presumably the same animal that I had originally seen.

Photo: distant and heavily cropped photo of Red Fox

This Red Fox finally decided that the wafting smell of my “buffet” was too hard to ignore and it came closer and closer enabling me to get several photos. I finally left the area when the Red Fox had disappeared into the hedge but, as I looked back, it had again emerged to feed.

Photo: Red Fox

Photo: Red Fox

Photo: Red Fox

Photo: Red Fox

Photo: Red Fox

Photo: Red Fox

Photo: Red Fox

Photo: Red Fox

Photo: Red Fox

I recorded 22 species of birds during my visit this morning including 4 additions to my 2026 site list: Common Buzzard, Stock Dove, Canada Goose, Pied Wagtail

The record of Canada Goose was my first since 2021.

The notable bird records during my visit were as follows ….

Common Buzzard: single bird seen very distantly towards the church but later a presumed pair seen soaring together and interacting over the northern section of the site

Stock Dove: a presumed pair seen in the tall trees in the far north-west corner of the northern section of the site

Canada Goose: 2 birds seen flying high over the northern section of the site in an easterly direction

Pied Wagtail: 1 heard calling but unseen flying over the northern section of the site

Chiffchaff: 1 singing male seen and another singing male heard, both in the northern section of the site

Chaffinch: female seen and 2 other birds heard calling in the northern section of the site

Green Woodpecker: loudly calling bird heard in the wooded area at the eastern end of the cemetery and another loudly calling bird heard in the tall trees in the far north-west corner of the northern section of the site

Great Spotted Woodpecker: male initially heard distantly “drumming” and 1 seen, both in the northern section of the site

Jackdaw: 2 presumed pairs seen flying separately over the northern section of the site

My Merlin app claimed to have picked up Blackcap, Meadow Pipit, Siskin and Lesser Spotted Woodpecker during my visit, none of which I heard or saw. Blackcap was very likely given that I have already recorded this species this spring and I have previously recorded Meadow Pipit flying over the site. However, Siskin and Lesser Spotted Woodpecker are both extremely unlikely records.

With regard to mammals other than Red Fox, I had a very brief view of a Reeves’ Muntjac behind the pond and I saw a single Grey Squirrel in the woodland adjacent to the access track from Larkins Tyres and another in the tall trees at the far end of the northern section of the site

Species recorded during this visit were as follows (heard only records in italics):

Chiffchaff

Common Buzzard

Stock Dove

Canada Goose

Pied Wagtail

Chaffinch

Green Woodpecker

Great Spotted Woodpecker

Jackdaw

Blue Tit 

Great Tit

Robin

Dunnock

Wren

Blackbird

House Sparrow

Goldfinch

Jay

Magpie

Carrion Crow

Woodpigeon

Herring Gull

Red Fox

Reeves’ Muntjac

Grey Squirrel

Here are some other photos from my visit ….

Photo: pair of Common Buzzards

Photo: Common Buzzard

Photo: Robin

Photo: Robin

Photo: Seven-spot Ladybird

Site totals for 2026 to date (2025 and 2024 totals in brackets): 

Birds = 27 (50) (49)

Mammals = 3 (4) (3)

Butterflies = 0 (23) (17)

Dragonflies and damselflies = 0 (11) (11)

Reptiles = 0 (0) (0)

Amphibians = 0 (0) (0)

Total species list for the site 

Birds = 70

Mammals = 8

Butterflies = 26

Dragonflies and damselflies = 14

Reptiles = 1

Amphibians = 0

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Visit to Noak Bridge Nature Reserve – 11th March 2026

Date: 11th March 2026

Time: from 8 a.m.

Weather: dry, cloudy/bright, light/moderate wind, 9°C to 11°C

I had a relatively quiet visit this morning with only 12 species of birds recorded, although this did include a further addition to my 2026 site list: Chiffchaff

Having recorded my first 3 singing male Chiffchaffs of the year at my St. Nicholas Church local patch site on 3rd March 2026 and another singing male at Wat Tyler Country Park on 5th March 2026, I was fully expecting to record my first at the reserve this morning.

I was eventually successful, first hearing the distinctive song of a male Chiffchaff, then having distant and obscured views and then finally having closer views enabling me to get some photos ….

Photo: male Chiffchaff

Photo: male Chiffchaff

Photo: male Chiffchaff

Photo: male Chiffchaff

This year's first record of Chiffchaff for the reserve is slightly later than that last year (9th March 2025), although I suspect if I had visited during the previous week I would have heard and/or seen a singing male earlier, but earlier than the 2 years prior to that (20th March 2024 and 5th April 2023).

The notable bird records during my visit were as follows ….

Chiffchaff: 1 singing male heard distantly from the bench by Willow Pond and then located in the bushes opposite the storage shed and adjacent to the path up to the Eastfield Road gate

Mallard: male and female seen flying over the path between the storage shed and the Eastfield Road gate, possibly landing on Willow Pond

I also saw 2 Grey Squirrels: 1 in the wooded area near the Spanish Steps and 1 in the wooded area between Puckles Pond and East Meadow.

Species recorded during this visit were as follows (heard only records in italics):

Chiffchaff

Mallard

Blue Tit

Great Tit

Long-tailed Tit

Robin

Wren

Song Thrush

Woodpigeon

Jay

Magpie

Carrion Crow

Grey Squirrel

Here are some other photos from my visit ….

Photo: Blue Tit

Photo: Blue Tit

Photo: Robin

Photo: Robin

Photo: Robin

Photo: Grey Squirrel

Site totals for 2026 to date (2025 and 2024 totals in brackets):

Birds = 17 (34) (39)

Mammals = 1 (3) (3)

Butterflies = 0 (17) (12)

Dragonflies and damselflies = 0 (7) (11)

Reptiles = 0 (1) (0)

Amphibians = 0 (1) (1)

Total species list for the site:

Birds = 50

Mammals = 5

Butterflies = 23

Dragonflies and damselflies = 15

Reptiles = 2

Amphibians = 3

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Visit to St. Nicholas Church and surrounding areas – 3rd March 2026

Date: 3rd March 2026 

Time: from 8:15 a.m.

Weather: dry, sunny, light wind, 7°C to 9°C

Spring is now officially here! …. Chiffchaffs have returned!

I recorded 20 species of birds during my visit this morning including 2 additions to my 2026 site list: Chiffchaff and Cormorant

After unexpectedly recording my first Blackcap of the year during my visit on 25th February 2026, I was confident of recording my first Chiffchaff of the year on this visit. This proved to be the case with a singing male seen and photographed and 2 other singing males heard.

This is the earliest spring Chiffchaff since I started recording, previous first dates being 8th March 2025, 14th March 2024 and 20th March 2023.

My other new site record was that of 3 Cormorants flying high over the northern section of the site in an easterly direction. This is a species that I have seen every year since 2021 but always as a rare fly-over record.

The notable bird records during my visit were as follows ….

Chiffchaff: 1 singing male seen and 2 other singing males heard, all in the northern section of the site

Redwing: c.5 individuals seen in the northern section of the site

Chaffinch: 1 heard calling from bushes along the access track from Larkins Tyres plus 1 also heard calling and a male seen briefly in flight in the northern section of the site

Great Spotted Woodpecker: 2 (presumably a pair) seen flying together several times in the northern section of the site and possibly the male of this pair heard “drumming” plus 1 heard calling in close proximity to the church

Jackdaw: 4 seen flying over the northern section of the site

Black-headed Gull: summer-plumaged individual seen flying over the northern section of the site

With regard to mammals, I saw a single Grey Squirrel in the tall trees at the far end of the northern section of the site

In addition, I again saw several individual bumblebees across the site, most likely Early Bumblebees.

Species recorded during this visit were as follows (heard only records in italics):

Chiffchaff

Redwing

Chaffinch

Great Spotted Woodpecker

Jackdaw

Cormorant

Black-headed Gull

Blue Tit 

Great Tit

Robin

Dunnock

Wren

Blackbird

House Sparrow

Goldfinch

Jay

Magpie

Carrion Crow

Woodpigeon

Herring Gull

Grey Squirrel

Here are some photos from my visit ….

Photo: male Chiffchaff

Photo: Blue Tit

Photo: Robin

Site totals for 2026 to date (2025 and 2024 totals in brackets): 

Birds = 27 (50) (49)

Mammals = 3 (4) (3)

Butterflies = 0 (23) (17)

Dragonflies and damselflies = 0 (11) (11)

Reptiles = 0 (0) (0)

Amphibians = 0 (0) (0)

Total species list for the site 

Birds = 70

Mammals = 8

Butterflies = 26

Dragonflies and damselflies = 14

Reptiles = 1

Amphibians = 0

Love nature .... act now

Restore and rewild our natural world

Please help save and enhance our laws that protect our environment and wildlife

💚🦆 🦉🦋🐝🦊🦡🌼 🌳💚

Stay safe, stay well, stay strong, stay connected with nature