Date: 5th March 2021
Time: from 7:45 a.m.
Weather: dry, cloudy, light wind, 2°C
to 3°C
My last visit to the site on 26th February 2021 was a definite reminder of the imminent arrival of spring:
very sunny, a lot of bird song, the first Blackcap of the year, 2
additions to my site year list and 24 bird species in total.
This
morning was very different and it seemed more like autumn or winter again. When
I left home it was sunny but it quickly reverted to a cold, cloudy and grey
morning. There was very little bird activity and an almost complete absence of
bird song other than a Song Thrush which continually sang from somewhere
in the scrub area to the north of the site.
Nonetheless, there were 2 clear signs of spring since my last visit a week ago: the emergence of white Blackthorn blossom in a few areas around the site plus a few tiny Sweet Violets in one section of the cemetery. I have to confess that I am never sure about the identification of Blackthorn blossom and Hawthorn blossom. The autumn fruits, blue-black sloes and red haws respectively, are much easier! However, the Woodland Trust are very helpful …. see here.
Although generally quiet with
regard to birds, there were a few notable sightings.
On my last 2 visits, Great
Spotted Woodpeckers were active around and actually on the church. This
morning I saw a male and female close together in the oak trees just to the
north of the eastern section of the cemetery, the male noisily “drumming”. I
also heard a distant calling Green Woodpecker to the north of the site.
After adding Canada Goose to my site list for the year on my last visit, I
saw a further 3 flying in to and over the site from the north this morning.
With regard to mammals, I again saw 3 species.
I had a fleeting glimpse of a Red Fox in the
area immediately behind the church. I have seen them in this area before but neither
here or anywhere around the church or cemetery for several weeks. The field in the north of the site and the trees,
hedges and scrub bordering it has proved to be much more reliable lately.
This location in the north of the
site can also be a good one to see Reeves’ Muntjacs and this morning I saw
a single male as it slowly crossed the field before disappearing in to the
trees. It did emerge very briefly some minutes later and much closer to me but
it quickly turned round and disappeared again.
I also saw a single Grey
Squirrel in the same area as the Reeve’s Muntjac.
Species recorded during this visit were as follows
(heard only records in italics):
Great Tit
Site totals to date
(2021 totals in brackets):
Mammals = 6 (3)
Butterflies = 21 (0)
Dragonflies and damselflies = 7 (0)
Reptiles = 1 (0)
Amphibians = 0 (0)
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