SS15 wildlife watching: Visit to St. Nicholas Church and surrounding areas

Date: 15th October 2020

Time: from 8:30 a.m.

Weather: dry, sunny, light wind, 8°C to 12°C

There was a definite hint of the coming winter this morning. In my blog post reporting on my evening visit on 29th September 2020, I anticipated the arrival of nocturnal fly-over calling Redwings (as they arrive for the winter in the UK from Iceland, Scandinavia and Russia) in future October evening visits whilst watching the Badgers. On still and quiet nights, Redwings can easily be heard flying overhead in the darkness.

However, my first sightings of Redwings for this autumn/winter were during this morning’s visit. I was in the south west corner of the site bordered by St. Nicholas Lane and Pound Lane when I thought I heard and then briefly saw what I believe was a Redwing. This was closely followed by a Song Thrush so I initially thought that the first bird may have actually been the same species. However, about 10 minutes later a small group of 8 Redwings flew out of nearby bushes and headed off in a north westerly direction. Shortly after that, another single Redwing flew in and perched momentarily in the berry-laden hawthorn bushes. Some time later I heard and then saw 2 more Redwings flying over me from the church.

I have seen both winter thrush species (Redwing and Fieldfare) on several occasions during the winter months around the site and here is a photo of a Redwing in a very snowy February in 2012 ….

Photo: Redwing at St. Nicholas Church cemetery

With regard to birds, there were several other highlights, most notably at least 1 Goldcrest calling and foraging in a Cypress tree in the central area of the cemetery. I also heard 3 Green Woodpeckers at different locations around the site and a single Great Spotted Woodpecker in the wooded area on my walk back home.

Corvid activity was very noticeable this morning, not just c.10 acorn-gathering Jays but also 2 groups of c.30 and c.10 raucously calling Magpies. The Magpie is often dismissed as a common species, even a pest, but it is a quite beautiful bird when the sun catches its iridescent plumage. The collective noun for this corvid species is known as a “parliament” of Magpies. I can think of another “parliament” which is somewhat less rewarding to watch!

With regard to mammals, I had another daylight sighting of an adult Red Fox this morning. I first saw it running through the western section of the cemetery and then, after briefly losing sight of it, I saw it again in the central section before it ran in to a hedge. Unfortunately, it was so quick running between the gravestones that I did not have an opportunity to get a photo.

I saw 7 Grey Squirrels this morning, the highest number that I have seen on a single visit: 3 separately along the track from the access to the site from Larkins Tyres, 1 in the south west area of the site bordered by St. Nicholas Lane and Pound Lane, 1 in the cemetery and 2 together along the grassy strip known as “Hilly Road” running south from St. Nicholas Church down to St. Nicholas Lane.

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

Blue Tit
Great Tit
Long-tailed Tit
Goldcrest
Robin
Redwing
Song Thrush
Blackbird
Green Woodpecker
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Jay
Magpie
Carrion Crow
Woodpigeon

Red Fox
Grey Squirrel

Here are some photos from my visit: