Friday 26 February 2021

Visit to St. Nicholas Church and surrounding areas – 26th February 2021

Date: 26th February 2021

Time: from 7:45 a.m.

Weather: dry, sunny, light wind, 3°C to 8°C

What an excellent visit today!

With the lengthening days now, this was my earliest start to a visit since last summer. It was a beautiful sunny spring-like morning with hardly any wind although early on there was still some remnant ground frost to remind me that winter hasn’t quite left us yet.

This morning, I recorded 24 bird species, including 2 additions to my site list for the year, 3 mammal species and an identified bumblebee species …. plus a rather annoying flying drone! On 5th February 2021, I recorded 21 bird species and these totals during February are my highest since last spring and summer.














The 2 additions to my site list for the year were Blackcap and Canada Goose.

The Blackcap record was also my first anywhere for 2021 and totally unexpected. I generally record my first Chiffchaff of the year (mid to late March) before Blackcap (late March to early April .... 26th March last year) but both these species are now increasingly being seen during the winter months due to our warming climate. Therefore it is difficult to determine if any sightings of either species in February are of wintering birds or very early returning summer migrants.

Whichever is this case, it was wonderful to hear a singing male Blackcap in the extreme south west of the site where it borders Pound Lane. I listened to it for some 5 minutes but it failed to emerge from the trees/hedges where it was singing from. Despite a brief play of its song on my Collins Bird Guide app on my mobile phone, I was unable to tempt him in to view.

The Canada Goose record was far less exciting but the sight of c.10 birds flying high over the cemetery did at least get the species on to the site list for the year.

As on my last visit on 22nd February 2021woodpecker activity was very noticeable this morning and I saw both Great Spotted Woodpecker and Green Woodpecker.

Once again, I heard and saw a male Great Spotted Woodpecker “drumming” at the top of the spire of St. Nicholas Church. After about 5 minutes, he started calling very excitedly and the reason quickly became clear as a female Great Spotted Woodpecker flew in to an adjacent tree.

As I arrived at my access to the site by Larkins Tyres, I immediately saw a Green Woodpecker close by in the scrub area. Whilst watching the Reeves’ Muntjac (see below), there was also a loudly calling bird in the area of woodland between the clearing and the Laindon Park School playing field. As I approached the eastern end of the cemetery, I heard a calling Green Woodpecker again and this time it emerged and flew up the cemetery towards the trees around the church. I am not sure if this was the same bird throughout or different individuals.

It was also a good visit for finches although I didn’t actually see any! There was a singing male Chaffinch in the scrub area by Larkins Tyres, a calling male Greenfinch in the same area and another calling in the extreme south west of the site where it borders Pound Lane plus several fly-over calling Goldfinches.

The area behind Larkins Tyres also provided the sight of a Sparrowhawk rapidly flying through.

Bird song continues to increase as spring approaches and, in addition to the Blackcap and the Chaffinch, I recorded Song ThrushWrenRobinDunnockGreat Tit and Blue Tit. There was also noticeable evidence of pre-breeding activity with much chasing amongst the Blue Tits, display flights from a few of the Woodpigeons and wing-flicking and chasing of Dunnocks.

Ah, the xxx rated sex life of the Dunnock! …. “Google” it, this is a family-orientated blog! However, one website comments …. “The Dunnock has a most racy sex life which if replicated amongst the good folk of a country parish would be deemed as quite scandalous.

With regard to mammals, it was also an excellent visit which started off with 3 Reeves’ Muntjacs followed by 3 Red Foxes.

As I walked along the track from Larkins Tyres, I quickly glimpsed a Reeves’ Muntjac through the trees as it walked across Laindon Park School playing field.

When I reached the clearing, I then took the short track through the woodland to the fencing that provides a watchpoint to scan the field and the trees, hedges and scrub bordering it.

From here, I saw 2 Reeves’ Muntjacs emerge on the far side although they then moved off in different directions and disappeared for several minutes. The first then re-emerged much closer to my left followed shortly afterwards by the second which re-emerged much closer to my right. Both again disappeared from my view but I did see what was probably the second animal again walking slowly through the trees immediately behind me. I managed to get photos of both these Reeves’ Muntjacs.

After a walk around the site, I returned to this watchpoint and immediately saw a Red Fox lying in the sun straight ahead of me at the edge of the tree/hedge/scrub line. After a few minutes, it quickly sprang up and I thought it had either seen or heard me. However, what caused it to panic was another Red Fox appearing from behind it. The first animal quickly ran off across the field and disappeared from view whilst the second animal stood momentarily in the sun before it turned around and disappeared from where it had come from.

I then looked to my left only to see a third Red Fox also lying in the sun but much closer to me. It was quite obvious that it had seen me but the pleasure of sitting in the warm sun clearly outweighed any desire to run off. In fact, this particular Red Fox was so relaxed that it finally curled up and went to sleep.

I managed to get photos of all 3 of these Red Foxes.

I also saw 3 Grey Squirrels: 1 in the same area as the Reeves’ Muntjacs and the Red Foxes, 1 in the south west of the site where it borders Pound Lane and 1 along Church Hill.

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

Blackcap
Blue Tit
Great Tit
Long-tailed Tit
Robin 
Dunnock
Wren
Redwing
Song Thrush
Blackbird
Chaffinch
Greenfinch
Goldfinch
House Sparrow
Sparrowhawk
Green Woodpecker
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Magpie
Carrion Crow
Collared Dove
Woodpigeon
Herring Gull
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Canada Goose

Red Fox
Reeves’ Muntjac
Grey Squirrel

Here are some photos from my visit:  














Photo: Red Fox














Photo: Red Fox














Photo: Red Fox














Photo: Red Fox














Photo: Red Fox













Photo: Red Fox













Photo: Reeves' Muntjac













Photo: Reeves' Muntjac













Photo: Reeves' Muntjac














Photo: Robin













Photo: Robin













Photo: Dunnock













Photo: Dunnock













Photo: Blue Tit













Photo: Song Thrush













Photo: Great Spotted Woodpecker













Photo: Great Spotted Woodpecker













Photo: Magpie













Photo: Collared Dove













Photo: Collared Dove














Photo: Collared Dove













Photo: Bumblebee species

























Photo: Bumblebee species





























































































Site totals to date (2021 totals in brackets):

Birds = 51  (30)
Mammals = 6  (3)
Butterflies = 21  (0)
Dragonflies and damselflies = 7  (0)
Reptiles = 1  (0)
Amphibians = 0  (0)

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


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