Visit to St. Nicholas Church and surrounding areas – 22nd July 2026

Date: 22nd July 2026

Time: from 9 a.m.

Weather: dry, sunny, light wind, 17°C to 19°C

This morning I visited only the northern section of the site with butterflies being my main focus. It proved to be very successful with 3 further additions to my 2026 site list: Small Copper (1), Brown Argus (1) and Gatekeeper (at least 150!)

My year-to-date site list for butterflies has now increased to 22 species, just a single species short of the highest year total of 23 species in 2023 and 2025.

In addition to the butterfly species mentioned above, I also recorded the following: Painted Lady (7), Small Heath (2), Common Blue (7), Holly Blue (2), Meadow Brown (at least 20)

The remarkable profusion of Knapweed, plus to a lesser extent Ragwort, proved to be particularly attractive to many of the butterflies but autumn is coming with the first blackberries and sloes evident.

I also saw 2 day-flying moth species: Silver-Y (2) and Cinnabar (1 caterpillar)

Dragonflies and damselflies continue to be scarce this year both in terms of the number of species and abundance and I recorded just one male Ruddy Darter.

With regard to mammals, I recorded Red Fox (1 along the access track from Larkins Tyres), Reeves’ Muntjac (very brief views of 2 in the northern section of the site) and Grey Squirrel (1 along the access track from Larkins Tyres)

It was remarkably quiet for birds with only 7 species heard and/or seen, the notable records being:

Blackcap: 3 birds heard alarm calling at various locations in the northern section of the site but none seen

Green Woodpecker: 1 heard calling in the northern section of the site but not seen

Great Spotted Woodpecker: 1 heard calling in the northern section of the site but not seen

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

Blackcap

Green Woodpecker

Great Spotted Woodpecker

Long-tailed Tit

Carrion Crow

Woodpigeon

Herring Gull

Small Copper

Brown Argus

Gatekeeper

Painted Lady

Small Heath

Common Blue

Holly Blue

Meadow Brown

Silver-Y

Cinnabar

Ruddy Darter

Here are some photos from my visit ….

Photo: Painted Lady

Photo: Painted Lady

Photo: Painted Lady

Photo: Painted Lady

Photo: Painted Lady

Photo: Common Blue

Photo: Common Blue

Photo: Common Blue

Photo: Brown Argus

Photo: Holly Blue

Photo: Small Copper

Photo: Small Heath

Photo: Small Heath

Photo: Gatekeeper

Photo: Gatekeeper

Photo: Gatekeeper

Photo: Gatekeeper

Photo: Gatekeeper

Photo: Silver-Y

Photo: Cinnabar caterpillar

Photo: Buff-tailed Bumblebee

Photo: Red Fox

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

Birds = 39 (50) (49)

Mammals = 3 (4) (3)

Butterflies = 22 (23) (17)

Dragonflies and damselflies = 6 (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 = 15

Reptiles = 1

Amphibians = 0

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Visit to Noak Bridge Nature Reserve – 21st July 2026

Today's visit was principally the work party for the reserve rather than as a wildlife watching and photography opportunity.

However, it did provide some very notable records: Common Buzzard, Kestrel and Jersey Tiger

The Common Buzzard was being mobbed by a very noisy Kestrel for several minutes high above the reserve. These are my first records of the year for both species. I have recorded Common Buzzard in 4 out of the 5 previous years but this is only my second record of Kestrel, the first being in 2021. Seeing both species together and interacting was an amazing sight!

Jersey Tiger is a scarce but increasing daytime moth with striking colours and definitely not a "little brown job". This was my first record for the reserve. 

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Visit to Noak Bridge Nature Reserve – 18th July 2026

Date: 18th July 2026

Time: from 8:15 a.m.

Weather: dry, sunny, light wind, 16°C to 19°C

My first visit to the reserve in July was relatively quiet with very few species seen or heard, as expected for mid-summer, but it did produce some exceptional records.

During my visit, I added a new species to my all-time site list: Reed Warbler.

I also added 4 other species to my 2026 site list: Common Tern, Brown Argus, Small Copper and Gatekeeper.

I saw a single Reed Warbler moving through the reeds in Meadow Pond although, frustratingly it was impossible to get a photo due to the dense vegetation. This bird seemed to have very “fresh” plumage and I am guessing that it was a juvenile from this year that had dispersed from its natal area (maybe Wat Tyler Country Park?) prior to migration.

I fully anticipated recording my first Gatekeeper of the year during my visit (at least 10 seen) but Common Tern, Brown Argus and Small Copper were all totally unexpected and only my second annual records after first records in 2023 for all 3 species.

Unfortunately, I failed to see, let alone photograph, at least 2 loudly calling Common Terns overhead due to being in the area between the storage shed and the eastern section of the reserve where there is a dense tree canopy.

I saw at least 4 Brown Argus, all in the Thorny Wood area, but it took a review of my photos to confirm the identification as opposed to the Common Blues also in this area.

I saw 2 Small Coppers, the first alongside the path adjacent to Thorny Wood and the other in the Thorny Wood area itself.

During my visit, I recorded 6 species of butterfly. In addition to the 3 species mentioned above, I also recorded Common Blue (2), Speckled Wood (1) and Meadow Brown (at least 10).

Yet again, there was a complete absence of any dragonflies and damselflies on Meadow Pond but I did see 3 Common Blue Damselflies in the vegetation adjacent to the path before reaching the Thorny Wood area and the storage shed.

The only other notable bird species recorded during my visit was Chiffchaff, with 2 calling birds heard but not seen in the eastern section of the reserve.

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

Reed Warbler

Common Tern

Chiffchaff

Blue Tit

Great Tit

Robin

Goldfinch

Woodpigeon

Collared Dove

Magpie

Carrion Crow

Brown Argus

Small Copper

Common Blue

Speckled Wood

Gatekeeper

Meadow Brown

Common Blue Damselfly

Here are some photos from my visit ….

Photo: Brown Argus

Photo: Brown Argus

Photo: Brown Argus

Photo: Brown Argus

Photo: Common Blue

Photo: Common Blue

Photo: Small Copper

Photo: Small Copper

Photo: Gatekeeper

Photo: Common Blue Damselfly

Photo: Common Blue Damselfly

Photo: Hornet Mimic Hoverfly

Photo: Hornet Mimic Hoverfly

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

Birds = 30 (34) (39)

Mammals = 1 (3) (3)

Butterflies = 15 (17) (12)

Dragonflies and damselflies = 5 (7) (11)

Reptiles = 0 (1) (0)

Amphibians = 1 (1) (1)

Total species list for the site:

Birds = 52

Mammals = 5

Butterflies = 24

Dragonflies and damselflies = 15

Reptiles = 2

Amphibians = 3

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