Common Buzzards and Swallows 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.

Just this week on 29th September 2020 , I recorded 2 Sparrowhawks, my first for this species for several months.

After seeing 7 Common Buzzards since early July 2020 and the most recent on 12th September 2020, this species retuned to form today after the Sparrowhawk challenge.

At 2:05 p.m., I saw a single Common Buzzard soaring over the wooded area towards St. Nicholas Church before lazily heading in the direction of my flat. It then appeared to fly off north. Just a few minutes later, I briefly saw another Common Buzzard, again over the woodland before it drifted off south west. Therefore, I think there were 2 separate individuals.

These were my 8th and 9th records of Common Buzzard from my flat window with the last 8 since early July 2020.

I had a further notable record today when I was lucky to see 2 Swallows flying rapidly through at 4:15 p.m. Many Swallows will have now left the UK for their wintering range in South Africa although I also saw a few in Norfolk during the third week of September. It was no surprise that today’s birds were heading south .... only 8000 plus miles to Cape Town as the Swallow flies!

Until 108 years ago, the location of Swallows in autumn and winter was something of a mystery. As recently as the 18th century many observers, even great naturalists such as Gilbert White, hypothesised that they hibernated in mud by ponds. However, on 27th December 1912, a letter was received by bird ring supplier Harry Witherby from a hotelier in Natal, South Africa, confirming the amazing truth. It revealed that a Swallow found trapped in a nearby farmhouse had a ring on it marked Witherby, High Holborn, London. The bird had actually been ringed by John Masefield in Cheadle, Staffordshire, on 6th May 1911. Our knowledge of bird behaviour and migration had taken a huge leap forward.

💚🦆 🦉🦋🐝🦊🦡🌼 🌳💚

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

St Nicholas Church targeted by vandals

 St Nicholas Church targeted by vandals

There are some mindless and disrespectful idiots on the loose. Several villages have obviously lost their idiots.

I have seen evidence of the night before on some of my morning visits i.e. cans, bottles, nitrous oxide canisters, general litter, etc.

In addition, I have occasionally seen groups of youths around the church and in the cemetery on my evening visits but I have then turned round and returned home since the noise and activity is not exactly compatible with watching Red Foxes and Badgers.

Whilst I fully understand the calls for CCTV and additional lighting to try and deter anti-social behaviour, hopefully if the latter is installed it will not be too intrusive so as to affect the activity of particularly the Badgers and thereby reduce watching opportunities.

💚🦆 🦉🦋🐝🦊🦡🌼 🌳💚

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

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

Date: 29th September 2020

Time: from 6:45 p.m.

Weather: dry, clear/cloudy, dark, 15°C

This was my first visit, morning or evening, since my last very successful evening visit on 15th September 2020 . Early starts before dinner are required now (Badgers feed first 😀) and with the clocks going back on 25th October 2020, this will become even more apparent as autumn progresses in to winter.

As I arrived at the top of Church Hill, a large pink/orange full Moon was shining in the southern sky. As the southern sky darkened, I again noticed Jupiter shining brightly with Saturn in close proximity but much less conspicuous. As I left to return home, I noticed another bright object in the eastern sky. Looking through my binoculars, the reddish colour suggested that this was Mars and this was confirmed by the Sky Map app on my phone.

When I arrived at the site, I scattered some chopped apple, peanuts and dog biscuits at the usual location where the Badgers emerge.

Before settling down to wait for the Badgers, I sat at my regular location where I could watch the grassy strip that runs parallel to Church Hill down to St. Nicholas Lane, a normally reliable area to see Red Foxes. 

Between 6:55 p.m. and 7:15 p.m., I had 3 sightings of Red Foxes, the first a single animal and then shortly afterwards 2 animals together and then finally a single animal again, all of which I think were well grown cubs.

I was not very optimistic about seeing Badgers tonight. For the first time on my evening visits, St. Nicholas Church was open with lights on. Although there was no noise, I anticipated that at some point, people would emerge and disturb the Badgers. In addition, a noisy group of joggers ran up Church Hill and returned the same way some time later. Finally, there was a period when 2 young males were in the area talking and shouting loudly and listening to or watching music on their phones. It didn't feel like any of this was conducive to watching Badgers.

However, it did all eventually quieten down and at 7:55 p.m. the first Badger emerged. Judging by its size and the broad head, I think this was probably a boar (male). I was able to watch this animal continuously for 30 minutes as it gratefully munched its way through the “buffet” that I had left.

At 8:25 p.m., the Badger clearly panicked at something and bolted back in to the hedge. Moments later, a Red Fox (I think one of the cubs) appeared and started to enjoy the "buffet". However, the Badger quickly re-emerged and chased the Red Fox away and then resumed eating. 

The Red Fox obviously had no intention of leaving the area and I saw a head peer from behind one of the cemetery headstones watching the Badger. The Red Fox moved cautiously back towards the food and there was a stand-off between it and the Badger. An uneasy tolerance then ensued for a few minutes where both animals fed together in close proximity to one another but then the Badger decided again that it would not share the “buffet” with the Red Fox. It was chased off and did not reappear.

The Badger continued to feed alone for a few more minutes but, as I had expected, it was then disturbed by people coming out of the church, locking up and walking back to their cars. The Badger returned to the hedge but the stomach cravings and the lure of the “buffet” were far too much to resist and it very quickly re-emerged again to continue feeding.

Eventually, the Badger must have concluded that it had eaten everything since it started to forage for any last scraps and in doing so it moved closer and closer to me until it was within about 10 feet. Finally, the Badger turned round and calmly walked back to the hedge.

Whilst watching the Badger, there was some noisy and excitable “geckering” of Red Fox cubs which I assumed were in the cemetery. 

With regard to birds, I saw a Magpie and heard both a Jay and a Green Woodpecker as I walked up Church Hill at the start of my visit. I also heard several Robins both singing and alarm calling and saw a small group of flyover Carrion Crows.

As September ends, I am hoping that October evening visits will produce calling Tawny Owls (if they are resident in the area) and fly-over calling Redwings (as they arrive for the winter in the UK from Iceland, Scandinavia and Russia).

 

As I walked home, I had a quick scan of the playing field opposite Laindon Park School with my torch and picked up another Red Fox.

Finally, when I got home, I made my dinner. A Badger was well fed and I was very hungry 😀.

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

Badger

Red Fox

Green Woodpecker

Jay

Robin

Carrion Crow

Site totals to date: 

Birds = 49
Mammals = 6
Butterflies = 21
Dragonflies and damselflies = 7
Reptiles = 1
Amphibians = 0

💚🦆 🦉🦋🐝🦊🦡🌼 🌳💚

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

Sparrowhawks 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.

After seeing 6 Common Buzzards since early July 2020, another raptor species thought it should get in on the act today.

I recorded either a single or a pair of Sparrowhawks on several occasions during the spring when my flat window was actually a lockdown window and when this species was very active soaring over the wooded area towards St. Nicholas Church or actually flying over my flat.

Today at 11:05 a.m., I saw my first Sparrowhawk for several months as it drifted in slowly from the south. Almost immediately it was joined by another and they both soared together for a few minutes before heading off west.

In recent days, the long-staying Bearded Vulture which took up temporary residence from June 2020 in the Peak District and far from the usual range in the Alps or the Pyrenees (see here and here) was reported as moving through Leicestershire and then through Norfolk yesterday. With a huge amount of luck, maybe its reorientation back towards the high mountains of Europe will persuade it to fly over Basildon in Essex and provide a mega raptor record from my non-lockdown window! 

💚🦆 🦉🦋🐝🦊🦡🌼 🌳💚

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

Stop the cull

Graeme Bandeira is the cartoonist at The Yorkshire Post.

Another brilliant image from him following this.

💚🦆 🦉🦋🐝🦊🦡🌼 🌳💚

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

6 months have passed

Today marks 6 months since the implementation of the UK national lockdown which aimed to prevent the spread of the Covid-19 virus.

A lot has occurred since 23rd March 2020, most notably the tragic loss of so many lives and the huge impact on almost everyone due to the collapse of large parts of our economy. Political leadership, confident decision-making, clear communication and general competency seems to have gone missing which has directly resulted in worse health and economic outcomes for the UK compared with our European neighbours.

This blog post does not aim to comment further on any of that, much of which is self-evident to even those who only take a casual interest in what has occurred.

I want to try and explain what the last 6 months has been like for me personally.

First and foremost, I have fortunately remained safe and healthy, other than a broken tooth that has only just been dealt with by root canal treatment and the fitting of a crown at great expense!

The first few days of the new year started with some winter birding (as it usually does) in East Anglia and south west England to kick off my 2020 year list …. see here.

This was then followed by my first ever trip to the Republic of Ireland from 28th January to 7th February 2020 …. see here. Apart from wildlife watching and photography, I needed a self-designated "Bollocks to Brexit" trip in a bid to escape a nation in which a far too vocal minority were exhibiting narrow-minded and economically illiterate English nationalism at best and bigotry and racism and worst. I wanted to avoid all coverage of the inevitable Brexit triumphalism and celebrations of that minority on 31st January 2020.

I deduced that the famed Irish hospitality, Guinness and traditional music would live up to expectation (it did) and that it would provide a perfect distraction and antidote (it did). Furthermore, the timing of my trip ensured that I would be away on 1st February 2020 for Imbolc, a Gaelic traditional festival marking the beginning of spring and something far more meaningful and worthy of celebration than Brexit.

However, particularly during the trip to the Republic of Ireland, worrying news was beginning to come out of China regarding a new emerging virus. In Europe, life seemed to carry on as normal before Italy and then Spain and then the rest of us quickly descended in to a dystopian nightmare that continues to this day despite the temporary respite during the summer months.

Eventually and belatedly (sorry, I was going to try and avoid the politics of the battle against Covid-19), after introducing advisory and then mandatory measures in respect of "social distancing" and "self-isolation", the Government announced a national lockdown including severe restrictions on all movement and travel.

The initial measures and then the complete national lockdown had an immediate impact for me …. see here. All my planned spring and early summer wildlife watching trips around East Anglia and to Somerset, Wales and the Scottish Highlands quickly disappeared from my calendar. Furthermore, a provisional itinerary in respect of a late August/early September trip across the Bay of Biscay (for cetaceans and seabirds) and around Asturias and Castille y Leon in northern Spain (for Iberian Brown Bear and Iberian Wolf) did not progress beyond the initial research that I had already done.

At least I saved some money to pay for my dental treatment!

I needed a Plan B .... see here and here.

Since mid-March 2020, I have visited 2 local patch sites within walking distance from my home: St. Nicholas Church and surrounding areas and Noak Bridge Nature Reserve.

If we were going to have to face the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic and the essential national lockdown, at least I was glad that it happened in spring since this is a time of hope and of rebirth and re-emergence. 

As I know has been the experience of many people, "the peace of wild things" proved to be a complete escape from the daily newsfeed and brought some enjoyment, peace and solace. It still does. "In times of crisis, the natural world is a source of both joy and solace".

Although I had visited St. Nicholas Church and surrounding areas occasionally over recent years, Noak Bridge Nature Reserve was a new experience for me.

During the lockdown period and since, both my local patch sites have enabled me to reconnect with my local area, substantially increase my knowledge and awareness of nature and wildlife within them and understand the seasonal rhythms (phenology) as the weeks and months have passed.

“Noticing nature is the greatest gift you can get from lockdown” .... this certainly proved to be the case.

My regular visits to St. Nicholas Church and surrounding areas since mid-March 2020 have enabled me to add 8 bird species, 2 mammal species, 6 butterfly species and 4 dragonfly and damselfly species to my site list totals bringing them to:

Birds = 49

Mammals = 6

Butterflies = 21

Dragonflies and damselflies = 7

Reptiles = 1

Amphibians = 0

At Noak Bridge Nature Reserve, all my records since mid-March 2020 are new for me and my site list totals are as follows:

Birds = 36

Mammals = 2

Butterflies= 18

Dragonflies and damselflies = 9

Reptiles = 1

Amphibians = 0

There have been so many highlights for me in the last 6 months.

In terms of one single visit, nothing really gets close to International Dawn Chorus Day on 3rd May 2020.

With regard to wildlife, there has been so much to enjoy in seeing a wide variety of birds and hearing their calls and songs during spring and early summer plus seeing many different species of butterflies and dragonflies and damselflies as summer progressed.

However, at St. Nicholas Church and surrounding areas, I have had so many wonderful experiences watching the Red Foxes and Badgers and these are unforgettable highlights.

On 9th May 2020, I discovered the location of a family of Red Foxes, a vixen and her 4 very small cubs, and I have continued to watch them regularly since that time although the cubs are now well grown and often hard to distinguish from an adult. Here are some of the many photos that I have managed to take, starting with 2 photos of the vixen and then several of the cubs:

Additional photos of the Red Foxes can be seen here.

After seeing my first Badger at the site on 3rd May 2020, I discovered the location of the sett on 8th June 2020. Since that time, I have seen Badgers on the majority of my evening visits, sometimes just a single animal but a maximum of 5 animals on 29th July 2020. Unfortunately, it has always been too dark to get any photos of the Badgers but here is a photo of a Badger that I took on a visit to the British Wildlife Centre in 2011:

Thank you Vulpes vulpes and Meles meles for all the enjoyment that you have given to me!

At Noak Bridge Nature Reserve, the highlight for me, amongst all the wonderful wildlife that the site supports, has been the many sightings of Common Lizards. I first recorded this reptile on 16th April 2020 and, since that time, I have seen Common Lizards on several visits, sometimes just a single animal but a maximum of 4 animals in the same general area around the boardwalks at the eastern end of the reserve.

An account of the last 6 months would not be complete without a mention of lockdown window. With the national lockdown and restrictions on travel, many people started recording wildlife from the windows of their homes and their gardens. I did so too and I have managed to record 34 bird species from my flat including Common Buzzard, Sparrowhawk, Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Grey Heron and Cormorant plus summer migrants such as Swift, Swallow, House Martin, Blackcap and Chiffchaff and the usual common resident birds. In addition, I have seen Red Foxes and Grey Squirrels on many occasions and twice heard "barking" Reeves' Muntjac.

So, putting aside for one moment all the terrible impacts of Covid-19, the lockdown period and the time since has been relatively good to me.

I hope, we all hope, that the Covid-19 pandemic can ultimately be brought under control as quickly as possible. I also hope that lessons will be learnt and that going forward we can build a more sustainable, greener and respectful life for our planet and ourselves and the nature and wildlife that we co-exist with.

I will continue to visit my local patch sites during these challenging times. I have experienced and benefitted so much in the last 6 months by engaging with and appreciating my local area and its nature and wildlife. Therefore my visits to both local patch sites will carry on irrespective of whether or not I can eventually resume trips to other parts of the UK and around Europe.

💚🦆 🦉🦋🐝🦊🦡🌼 🌳💚

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

"The Wild Remedy - How Nature Mends Us - A Diary" by Emma Mitchell

I recently finished reading “The Wild Remedy - How Nature Mends Us - A Diary” by Emma Mitchell .... see her excellent Instagram page here. 

Emma describes herself as “an ex-biologist, naturalist, workshop-teacher, designer-maker, illustrator, mum, baker, gardener and keeper of guinea pigs” .... interesting CV!

I first saw Emma on BBC Springwatch and then subsequently a few times on the Self-Isolating Bird Club with Chris Packham and Megan McCubbin which I followed on a daily basis initially during the national lockdown and now every Friday morning. Her most recent appearance was today on the Self-Isolating Bird Club.

Emma’s book is remarkable in so many respects.

Emma provides a candid and honest account of her own mental health issues having suffered from depression for 25 years or, as she calls it, "the grey slug’". In 2009, the stresses of a city job became too much and she decided to move her family in to a cottage in the Cambridgeshire Fens. She swapped days in the office for walks in the countryside around her new home, photographing, collecting and drawing as she went. Each walk lifted her mood and she began to feel better, her encounters with nature and wildlife proving to be as effective as any prescribed therapy or drug.

Charting her own seasonal highs and lows and reflecting on how these encounters with nature and wildlife impact on her mental health, Emma explains the science and biochemistry behind such changes …. the “wild remedy”. Her book is a powerful testament to how reconnecting with nature may offer some answers to the mental health issues that so many people experience.

In essence, low moods, depression, etc. are often caused by high levels of the stress hormone cortisol combined with low levels of the feel-good neuro-transmitters serotonin and dopamine. This mix can be altered by walking among trees, plants and wildlife: cortisol decreases while serotonin and dopamine increase.

Serotonin is increased by sunlight, even in winter or when it is cloudy, and by gentle exercise. Dopamine levels can be boosted by encountering nature and wildlife and even by looking at scenes of nature and wildlife that you consider to be beautiful.

Most of Emma’s book is not about the science but instead it is a month-by-month diary of nature therapy. It describes her walks close to her home in the Cambridgeshire Fens with her much-loved dog Annie but also to places away from her home on the coast. 

Emma's diary records what she sees, hears and finds as she follows the paths and trails around her cottage and further afield, sharing her discoveries and tracking the lives of the local flora and fauna over the course of a year. It shows how being in the wild can benefit both mental and physical wellbeing. The nature and wildlife she records are very much the common species that are easy to find. On her lowest days when a walk is not an option, Emma remains in contact with nature and wildlife through time spent in her garden or just looking out of her cottage window.

The book is beautifully hand-illustrated with Emma’s own paintings and sketches and also includes some of her photos.

Emma's book is of relevance and interest for anyone whether they struggle with mental health issues or whether they just love discovering more about the natural world. It is a truly unique book for anyone who has ever felt drawn to nature and wondered about its influence over us and our general wellbeing.

Emma's book is highly recommended.

For Emma's interview with the Cambridge Independent see here.

Finally, I discovered a quote in Emma’s book from Alice Walker .... “I understood at a very early age that in nature, I felt everything I should feel in church but never did. Walking in the woods, I felt in touch with the universe and with the spirit of the universe."

This is particularly meaningful for me. For much of my life, I was sceptical but basically agnostic about the existence of any "god" and especially doubtful about the merits and motives of any organised religion given the evidence of human history. In recent years, I have been entirely comfortable in my position and beliefs as an atheist, humanist and secularist. However, that does not mean that I do not feel any spiritual experience from engaging with nature and wildlife or that I can not appreciate sacred music or the architecture of religious buildings.

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