Date: 15th December 2020
Time: from 10:15 a.m.
Weather: dry, cloudy, light wind, 9°C
I had a rather later start than normal this morning.
I accessed the site as usual via the track from Larkins Tyres which proved to be very wet and muddy following recent rain.
With regard to birds, there were several highlights this morning.
Firstly, as the track from Larkins Tyres reached the clearing in the wooded area, I had brief restricted views of a small bird foraging in the trees. Initially I thought that it may have been a Goldcrest, a species that I have seen and/or heard fairly regularly in the last 2 months or so. However, when it emerged to provide a clearer view, it proved to be a Chiffchaff. Most guide books or online guides still describe the Chiffchaff as a summer migrant arriving in late March and departing in August or September although in recent years it is increasingly being seen during the winter months due to the milder temperatures. I have seen Chiffchaffs at various locations around the UK in January but I have never recorded one at my local patch sites during the winter months. Later during my visit whilst watching a Red Fox (see below), I heard presumably the same bird continually giving its short whistled call.
Secondly, it was an excellent visit for Redwings. I saw my first of these winter thrushes during my visit on 15th October 2020 and I had to wait until today for my next sightings. I saw 2 Redwings in the same area as the Chiffchaff, followed by 2 groups of 3 and 6 birds flying over the cemetery and finally around 10 birds coming and going in the hedges bordering the scrubland behind Larkins Tyres on my way home.
Thirdly, I saw 3 female Chaffinches, also in the hedges bordering the scrubland behind Larkins Tyres. This is a species that I see rarely at the site and the 3 together this morning is probably as many as I have seen during the rest of the year added together.
With regard to mammals, the highlight was a single Red Fox which emerged from the bushes surrounding the field and scrubland to the north of the site. I was able to watch and photograph it for several minutes from the usual watchpoint approached through the woodland at the end of the track from Larkins Tyres.
Grey Squirrels continue to be evident, either foraging for food or males chasing females around and through the trees as the mating/breeding season approaches. I saw 2 along the track from Larkins Tyres, 2 in the wooded area at the end of the track and 4 from the viewpoint whilst watching the Red Fox.
I also saw Santa and I have the photographic evidence to prove it 😀
Species recorded during this visit were as follows (heard only records in italics):
Here are some photos from my visit:
Photo: Red Fox
Photo: Robin
Photo: Robin
Site totals to date:
Birds = 50
Mammals = 6
Butterflies = 21
Dragonflies and damselflies = 7
Reptiles = 1
Amphibians = 0
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