Evening visit to St. Nicholas Church and surrounding areas – 30th July 2020

Date: 30th July 2020

Time: from 9:00 p.m.

Weather: dry, setting sun, dark, 23°C

Following the amazing experience with the Badgers last night, I again visited St. Nicholas Church for the third successive evening, primarily with the purpose of watching both them and Red Foxes. It was another memorable encounter.

When I arrived at St. Nicholas Church, I immediately saw my first Red Fox standing in the road towards the bottom of Church Hill towards St. Nicholas Lane. I was unable to deduce whether it was an adult or a cub but I think the latter.

Before settling down to wait and watch, I again placed some dog biscuits on the white concrete block at the edge of the church car park for the Red Foxes and then scattered some Chappie dog food and some peanuts around one of the entrances/exits where I have seen the Badgers emerge.

In the 20 minutes or so that I spent before moving location to watch the Badgers, I saw 3 Red Foxes, although possibly not different individuals, on the grassy strip that runs parallel to Church Hill down to St. Nicholas Lane. I think all sightings were of a cub or cubs. This was definitely more productive than last night when this area was continuously disturbed by people walking.

At 9:30 p.m., I moved to my Badger watching location and at 9:45 p.m. (15 minutes later than last night) I saw the first distinctive black and white head of a Badger at the bottom of the hedge where I had again scattered food. It very tentatively emerged and started to eat. It was then followed a few minutes later by 2 other Badgers. One of them moved back in to the hedge quite quickly but the other 2 continued to feed close together for the next 25 minutes. Like last night, they approached closer and closer to me (well within 15 feet) following the trail of peanuts that I had laid and I could easily hear them eating.

Eventually the Badgers returned to the hedge, presumably having eaten everything that I had left for them.

It was quite noticeable that tonight the Badgers were much more nervous and they often stopped eating to sniff the air. There were also a few occasions where they scampered back to the safety of the hedge although they quickly found their confidence again. Badgers have poor eyesight but an excellent sense of smell. I think what happened tonight was that they sensed my presence without actually seeing me. Unlike the last 2 nights when the very light wind was from the west and therefore blowing away from me, tonight it was from the east although again very light.  

After the Badgers had disappeared, I quietly left my watching location. I immediately noticed a Red Fox cub eating the dog biscuits from the white concrete block and also a Reeves' Muntjac slowly crossing Church Hill totally unconcerned by a car approaching it.

Before leaving for home, I scattered some more dog biscuits on the white concrete block for the Red Foxes.

With regard to birds, as on my previous visit, I heard a Song Thrush singing from the top of Church Hill and a Robin briefly alarm calling. In addition, I saw 2 Woodpigeons. However, tonight I additionally saw small groups of fly-over gulls (presumably Herring Gull or Lesser Black-backed Gull) flying east towards Pipps Hill. I see them regularly in the evenings from my flat and I suspect that they are probably roosting on the warehouse roofs.

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

Badger
Red Fox
Reeves' Muntjac

Song Thrush
Robin
Woodpigeon
Gull sp.

Site totals to date
Birds = 48
Mammals = 6
Butterflies = 20
Dragonflies and damselflies = 6
Reptiles = 1

💚🦆 🦉🦋🐝🦊🦡🌼 🌳💚

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

Visit to Noak Bridge Nature Reserve – 30th July 2020

Date: 30th July 2020

Time: from 9:15 a.m.

Weather: dry, sunny, light wind, 19°C to 22°C

Yet again, July has been producing several days of weather not typical of July: cool, windy, cloudy and rainy. This was hardly an incentive to get out and about. However, given that it was a warm and sunny morning, I visited the site for the first time in 10 days, primarily for the purpose of finding and photographing butterflies.

During this visit, I recorded 11 species of butterfly: Purple Hairstreak (2), Brimstone (1), Common Blue (2), Small Copper (1), Ringlet (3), Small Skipper (2), Speckled Wood (3), Gatekeeper (50+), Meadow Brown (3), Small White (c.5), Large White (c.5)

Having seen my first ever Purple Hairstreak on 17th July 2020 at my other site around St. Nicholas Church, I found 2 more this morning on the reserve. Obviously, this was my first record of Purple Hairstreak for the site taking my butterfly list for the site to 18 species. One of these individuals showed particularly purple upper wings although unfortunately they close their wings when they are not flying, hence my record photos are closed wing shots. They are also of rather tatty individuals.

In addition to recording total butterfly numbers, I also recorded sightings over 15 minute periods at 2 separate locations within the site and submitted these to the Big Butterfly Count organised by Butterfly Conservation.

During this visit, I only managed to record 1 species of dragonfly but at least it was the UK’s largest species: Emperor Dragonfly (2).

With regard to birds, it was exceptionally quiet with few birds seen and only sporadic singing and calling and as such there is a relatively short list of species recorded.

The only notable records were single calling Green Woodpecker and Great Spotted Woodpecker plus a briefly alarm calling Blackcap, none of which I actually saw. I also heard the repeated calling of what may have been a Sparrowhawk or Kestrel but what ever it was, it remained stubbornly hidden in dense vegetation.

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

Blackcap

Blue Tit

Long-tailed Tit

Robin

Wren

Dunnock

Blackbird

Goldfinch

Green Woodpecker

Great Spotted Woodpecker

Jay

Woodpigeon

Collared Dove

Magpie

Purple Hairstreak

Brimstone

Common Blue
Small Copper

Ringlet

Small Skipper

Speckled Wood

Gatekeeper

Meadow Brown

Small White

Large White

Emperor Dragonfly

Here are some photos from my visit:

Photo: Purple Hairstreak

Photo: Purple Hairstreak

Photo: Common Blue

Photo: Common Blue

Photo: Common Blue

Photo: Common Blue

Photo: Small Skipper

Photo: Small Skipper

Photo: Gatekeeper

Photo: Gatekeeper

Photo: Gatekeeper

Photo: Gatekeeper

Photo: Emperor Dragonfly

Site totals to date:

Birds = 35
Mammals = 2
Butterflies= 18
Dragonflies and damselflies = 9
Reptiles = 1
Amphibians = 0

💚🦆 🦉🦋🐝🦊🦡🌼 🌳💚
Stay safe, stay well, stay strong, stay connected with nature

Grey Heron seen from the non-lockdown window

On 24th June 2020 I made a decision to cease recording sightings on a daily basis from what is no longer a lockdown window.

However, I also said that I would continue to post any interesting sightings as and when they arise.

I have continued to hear Green Woodpecker and Great Spotted Woodpecker reasonably regularly and I have occasionally seen the former just outside the flats where I live clinging to a tree. I have also continued to see Swifts, albeit usually single birds.

The sighting of a Common Buzzard on 9th July 2020 has been the most noticeable record since I ceased recording on a daily basis.

Today at 7:10 a.m., I heard a calling Grey Heron which eventually came in to view from an easterly direction as it passed over the flats. It then circled briefly, still calling, before deciding to fly off south.

Over the years, I have occasionally seen a Grey Heron from my flat or when visiting my St. Nicholas Church site. However, during the lockdown period, I recorded it on 3 separate occasions which suggests that it is perhaps a more numerous fly-over species than I had previously thought. During the lockdown period, I also saw this Grey Heron at Gloucester Park during the short time that I was visiting this site regularly.

💚🦆 🦉🦋🐝🦊🦡🌼 🌳💚
Stay safe, stay well, stay strong, stay connected with nature

Evening visit to St. Nicholas Church and surrounding areas – 29th July 2020

Date: 29th July 2020

Time: from 9:00 p.m.

Weather: dry, setting sun, dark, 19°C

As it was again fine and dry, I visited St. Nicholas Church for the second successive evening, primarily with the purpose of watching Red Foxes and Badgers. What an evening it turned out to be with both these mammals plus a surprisingly welcome bonus!

Read on ….

During my visit last night, I had scattered some Chappie dog food and some peanuts around one of the entrances/exits where I have previously seen a Badger emerge. I also speculated that the white concrete block at the edge of the church car park may also be a good baiting location for Red Foxes since I had previously seen them jump up on to this.

Therefore when I arrived at the site, I first placed some dog biscuits on the white concrete block for the Red Foxes.

I then checked the location where I had left the Chappie dog food and peanuts for the Badgers last night. Had it all gone? Stupid question! …. of course it had 😀. I therefore left some more in the same area with a trail of peanuts leading away from it in the direction of where I proposed to sit and wait.

On my previous evening visits, I have watched the grassy strip that runs parallel to Church Hill down to St. Nicholas Lane for Red Foxes and I have always been successful with several sightings until it gets too dark to actually see anything.

Tonight, when I arrived at St. Nicholas Church, there were 2 young women walking down the grassy strip, back up Church Hill, down the grassy strip, back up Church Hill …. and repeat. Therefore, not surprisingly, I saw no Red Foxes but the young women were well exercised 😀.

I therefore moved slightly to my new Badger watching location. This still gave a view of the white concrete block. At 9:25 p.m., whilst intently looking out for Badgers in the gathering darkness, I glanced across to it and saw 2 Red Fox cubs, one eating the dog biscuits on top of the white concrete block itself and the other at the base presumably eating those biscuits that had fallen off. I think I can say that my guess last night that this would be a good baiting location turned out to be a inspired one!

At 9:30 p.m., I saw the distinctive black and white head of a Badger at the bottom of the hedge where I had scattered the Chappie dog food and peanuts. It very tentatively emerged and started to eat. It was then followed a few minutes later by another! I have seen a single Badger on each of my last few evening visits, and then only a brief sighting as it left the hedge and wandered off, but this was the first occasion that I had seen 2 together.

What followed was quite unexpected: another Badger emerged …. and then another …. and then another!

For about 15 minutes I was able to watch 5 Badgers together all eating my gifts of food and only about 25 feet away from me. They seemed oblivious to my presence although I stayed completely still and quiet despite a few biting insects and an aching back 😀. They also seemed unconcerned about the noise of occasional cars on nearby Church Hill. However, some Red Fox vocalisation did make them more alert and shortly after this 2 of the Badgers disappeared back in to the hedge.

However, the remaining 3 Badgers carried on confidently eating, not least a large individual (presumably a boar) who approached closer and closer to me (within 15 feet) following the trail of peanuts that I had laid.

These 3 Badgers could not have been unduly anxious with regard to the Red Fox vocalisation since a Red Fox actually appeared to join the feast for a few minutes. Neither the Badgers or the Red Fox seemed at all worried about each other’s presence and there was no interaction at all between them.

Eventually the Badgers must have deduced that they had scoffed every last scrap of Chappie dog food and every last peanut and they all returned to the hedge.

What an amazing experience!

After the Badgers had disappeared, I got up and very quietly left the area. I walked back down to the white concrete block which now had no dog biscuits left on it. I scattered some more on top and then left to sit and watch from the location that I usually use to watch the Red Foxes from in the evening. Unfortunately, they did not return in the following 30 minutes and I eventually left to walk home. I bet those biscuits are no longer there though 😀.

With regard to birds, as on my visit last night, I heard a Song Thrush singing from the top of Church Hill and a Robin briefly alarm calling. In addition, I saw 2 Woodpigeons. Yet again, I neither heard nor saw any groups of “screaming” Swifts flying overhead. However, I did hear 2 calling House Martins which I eventually saw flying very high in a southerly direction so these may well have been migrating birds following the assumed departed Swifts.

So what was the surprisingly welcome bonus?

I failed to see any Pipistrelles hunting for moths and other insects attracted to the street lights along Church Hill but when I arrived at the bottom of Church Hill just before Laindon Park School, I glimpsed a small mammal cross the road in the darkness. As I got closer, I turned on my torch to reveal a tiny Hedgehog no more than 6 inches long. Since adults can grow to about 7 to 12 inches in length, this animal was clearly a juvenile.

This was my first record of Hedgehog for the site bringing my bringing my site total for mammal species to 6. In the “site totals to date”, I have jumped from 4 to 6 but only because I failed to add Badger after my first record of that mammal on 8th June 2020. My apologies to all Badgers for overlooking the UK’s largest predator 😀.

This sighting of a Hedgehog was my first anywhere since June 2018 when I saw this rather large chap in broad daylight boldly going where ever Hedgehogs go in the village of Dervaig on the island of Mull. It is also indicative of the sharp decline in the population of this UK mammal …. see here.

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

Badger
Red Fox
Hedgehog

House Martin
Song Thrush
Robin
Woodpigeon

Site totals to date

Birds = 48
Mammals = 6
Butterflies = 20
Dragonflies and damselflies = 6
Reptiles = 1
Amphibians = 0

💚🦆 🦉🦋🐝🦊🦡🌼 🌳💚
Stay safe, stay well, stay strong, stay connected with nature

Evening visit to St. Nicholas Church and surrounding areas – 28th July 2020

Date: 28th July 2020

Time: from 9:00 p.m.

Weather: dry, setting sun, dark, 19°C

Although I had visited the site earlier in the day, the success of recent evening visits prompted a second visit of the day.

My visit tonight was “bookended” by 2 Red Fox sightings close to home.

As I closed the communal external entrance door to the flats where I live, there was a Red Fox (presumed adult) standing very close by on the grassy track at the end of the road. It watched as I watched it and then eventually walked (me, that is) down to Basildon Road.

When I arrived on site, I scattered some Chappie dog food and some peanuts around one of the entrances/exits where I have previously seen a Badger emerge and then settled down to quietly wait and watch.

At 9:10 p.m., I saw 2 Red Foxes cross the grassy strip that runs parallel to Church Hill down to St. Nicholas Lane. Given their similar size, I think they were probably cubs.

At 9:25 p.m., a Red Fox appeared in the grassy strip and seemed to be quite intent on scratching around or digging in a particular spot. At the same time, another appeared at the edge of the church car park and jumped up on to the white concrete block. In the gathering darkness, this individual was much easier to see since the area was partially lit by one of the street lights. This Red Fox was definitely one of the cubs.

I have seen a Red Fox cub previously jump up on to this white concrete block so this is probably a good location to bait with dog biscuits.

Between 9:35 p.m. and 9:40 p.m. there was a lot of loud vocalisation, a mix of screaming and “geckering”, from the direction of the dense hedged area where I used to watch the Red Foxes on my morning visits. Those animals then evidently moved since the vocalisation continued briefly over by the western edge of the cemetery.

At around the same time, I had 2 brief sightings of Red Foxes crossing the grassy strip but it was far too dark to determine whether they were adults or cubs or indeed the same animal.  

At 9:40 p.m., I heard some movement from just along from where I had scattered the dog food and peanuts and moments later I saw a Badger walking up through the church graveyard gravestones. It stopped briefly and then continued along the path past the main church door before it ambled off in to the darkness.

I was hoping that the Badger would have emerged where I had left the food and therefore allow more extended views. Unfortunately it didn’t but I bet that food was eaten at some point during the night given the acute sense of smell that a Badger has.

Since, I saw tonight’s Badger in the same area and follow the same route as on my previous visit, I think I will try another baiting and watching location next time. It is just a question of learning habits and behaviour to be rewarded!

At 10:05 p.m. I saw a Red Fox cub appear at the lit edge of the church car park before it continued walking and off in to the darkness.

The final encounter with Red Foxes was I think the eyeshine of at least a single animal caught in the light of my torch at the bottom of the grassy strip.

With regard to birds, I heard a Song Thrush singing from the top of Church Hill and a Robin briefly alarm calling. Unlike on my last 2 evening visits, I neither heard nor saw any groups of “screaming” Swifts flying overhead. My last 2 morning visits have also failed to produce any sightings so it appears that these short-staying summer visitors have now left the area.

It was largely a cloudless night and, apart from a large half Moon, both Saturn and particularly Jupiter showed well in close conjunction.

Again, unlike my 2 previous evening visits, I failed to see any Pipistrelles hunting for moths and other insects attracted to the street lights along Church Hill. 

On my return home, I noticed a small Red Fox (possibly a small vixen or cub) emerge between Laindon Park School and the flats in Basildon Road. I stood still and it stood still. As I slowly walked on, it did the same moving between the parked cars in the parking area of the flats. Each time I stopped, it also stopped and it seemed to very confident, to the extent of being “tame”, in my presence. It allowed an approach of just 5 to 6 feet, in stark contrast to the Red Foxes at my usual watching locations around St. Nicholas Church which generally run off at the slightest sight of a human being. It occurred to me that either it was “tame” through being fed or maybe it had defective vision.

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

Badger

Red Fox

Song Thrush

Robin

Site totals to date

Birds = 48

Mammals = 4

Butterflies = 20

Dragonflies and damselflies = 6
Reptiles = 1

💚🦆 🦉🦋🐝🦊🦡🌼 🌳💚
Stay safe, stay well, stay strong, stay connected with nature