Date: 1st December 2020
Time: from 8:30 a.m.
Weather: dry, sunny, moderate/strong wind,
3°C to 5°C
It is the first day of December
and extremely cold! Despite the sun, the temperature when I arrived on
site was only 3°C and with the moderate/strong wind the wind chill must have
brought it below 0°C. However, the chill air today provided clear views of Canary Wharf, The Shard and the City of London some 30 miles away to the west.
It was a relatively disappointing visit especially for birds with very few passerines seen or heard (a singing Song Thrush being the highlight) although there were plenty of fly-over Carrion Crows, Magpies, Woodpigeons and Herring Gulls. I think maybe the wind had an effect on the numbers of birds seen and heard. The other bird-related highlight was the sight of several colourful nestboxes which have apparently been put up in the trees at the rear of the church.
I accessed the site via the track from
Larkins Tyres and immediately saw 2 Grey Squirrels together. On my way
back home, I saw 3 together in the same area. I also saw 2 additional Grey Squirrels,
the first in the wooded area at the end of the track from Larkins Tyres
and the second in the wooded area fringing the field to the north.
That field in the north of the site is
approached through a wooded area and from a fence there is an extensive open view
of the field itself and the scrub and trees that border it. It is where I have had
several Red Fox sightings in the past but not today or indeed anywhere else around the site.
When I arrived at this viewpoint this morning, I
very quickly spotted a distant Reeves’ Muntjac before it disappeared out
of view. I spent another 30 minutes or so at this viewpoint before returning home
and I had one of those chance encounters when it takes both an animal and me a
few seconds to register what is directly in front of them. Whilst the viewpoint at the
edge of the woodland provides an almost 180 degrees extensive view, the
immediate view to left and right is obscured by scrub. As I was keeping watch
over the field, a Reeves’ Muntjac walked in to view to my left, probably
no more than 15 feet away. After the initial surprise that we both experienced,
it bolted but not too far and it remained in view for several minutes enabling
me to get some photos before it eventually wandered off.
Species recorded during this visit were as follows
(heard only records in italics):
Blue
Tit
Great Tit
Robin
Blackbird
Song Thrush
Starling
Jay
Magpie
Carrion Crow
Woodpigeon
Herring Gull
Reeves’ Muntjac
Grey Squirrel
Here are some photos
from my visit:
Photo: Reeves' Muntjac
Photo: Reeves' Muntjac
Photo: Reeves' Muntjac
Photo: nestboxes go up
Birds = 50
Mammals = 6
Butterflies = 21
Dragonflies and damselflies = 7
Reptiles = 1
Amphibians = 0
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