Visit to St. Nicholas Church and surrounding areas – 11th September 2020

Date: 11th September 2020

Time: from 8:00 a.m.

Weather: dry, hazy sunshine with increasing cloud, light wind, 11°C to 14°C

This was my first visit to the site during the day since 27th August 2020 and it proved to be the most interesting and rewarding for several weeks which was particularly surprising given the number of dog walkers, Mums and children walking to Laindon Park School and cars travelling up and down Church Hill, again presumably to and from the school.

Autumn fruits, berries and nuts were still very evident and included blackberries (Bramble), haws (Hawthorn), hips (Wild Rose), sloes (Blackthorn), elderberries (Elder) and Holly plus acorns (Oak) and conkers (Horse Chestnut).

With regard to birds, the undoubted highlight was a female Sparrowhawk which flew quickly across the church car park. In addition, I heard a very distant calling Common Buzzard but failed to see it.

Both Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs remain around the site. I heard 2 Blackcaps giving their harsh alarm call and heard 3 Chiffchaffs giving their soft whistled contact call. In addition, I also saw a Chiffchaff in the wooded area close to my flat. It remains to be seen whether all these birds eventually migrate south for the winter or whether some will remain as both species are increasingly doing in southern England now due to the warmer winters.

Whilst sat at St. Nicholas Church, I heard and then saw a Great Spotted Woodpecker fly in from the south at a great height. It landed and perched on the weathercock at the top of the church and I identified it as a male from its red nape patch. It was then joined by a female and both appeared to forage on the church spire before they were chased off by a Magpie. The Magpie was then in turn chased off by a Carrion Crow. The church spire hierarchy is clear 😀.

I also heard a single calling Green Woodpecker around the top of Church Hill.

With regard to mammals, last night’s Red Fox sightings were followed by another sighting immediately behind St. Nicholas Church and another, possibly the same individual, in the north west corner of the cemetery. The Badgers were presumably snoring away in the depths of their underground sett but last night’s buffet had all been eaten 😀.

I also saw a single Grey Squirrel in the wooded area after the entrance track to the site from Larkins Tyres.

I failed to record any butterflies, dragonflies or damselflies.

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

Blackcap

Chiffchaff

Blue Tit

Great Tit

Long-tailed Tit

Robin

Wren

Blackbird

Goldfinch

Sparrowhawk

Common Buzzard

Green Woodpecker

Great Spotted Woodpecker

Jay

Magpie

Carrion Crow

Woodpigeon

Collared Dove

Herring Gull

Lesser Black-backed Gull

Red Fox

Grey Squirrel

Here is a photo of the Red Fox in the cemetery and a heavily cropped record shot of the Great Spotted Woodpecker:

Photo: Red Fox

Photo: record shot of the Great Spotted Woodpecker at the top of St. Nicholas Church

Site totals to date:

Birds = 49
Mammals = 6
Butterflies = 20
Dragonflies and damselflies = 6
Reptiles = 1
Amphibians = 0

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