Friday 16 April 2021

Visit to St. Nicholas Church and surrounding areas – 16th April 2021

Date: 16th April 2021

Time: from 7:00 a.m.

Weather: dry, sunny, light wind, 1°C to 5°C

After the excitement of seeing a male Pied Flycatcher on my last visit (see here), it was back to “business as usual” for this visit. Unfortunately, there was definitely no repeat sighting of the Pied Flycatcher.

As on my last visit, it was a lovely sunny morning although very cold and with some ground frost to begin with.

Blackcap and Chiffchaff song was again evident around the site but I struggled to see most of the singing males. I only saw 1 singing male of each species with a further 8 and 4 heard respectively.

In addition, I again heard and then saw a singing male Goldcrest in the area of tall conifer trees in the south west corner of the site. This is the third successive visit where presumably the same bird has been present.

This morning’s visit was remarkable for the number of Green Woodpeckers that I saw. As I accessed the site via the track from Larkins Tyres, I saw a loudly calling bird at the top of one of the trees along the track. In the same tree, albeit very briefly, there was also a calling Great Spotted Woodpecker. After this first sighting, I saw a further 2 Green Woodpeckers together in the trees at the top of Church Hill immediately opposite the church. One of these flew down to hammer away at the remains of a rotten timber post, enabling me to get some photos. Later on, I again saw 2 Green Woodpeckers in the south west corner of the site although I am not sure if this was the same pair or a different pair. Finally, I saw another Green Woodpecker as it flew over the field whilst I was at my usual watchpoint.

Additionally, I saw 2 or 3 Sparrowhawks this morning. The first flew through the woodland around the eastern end of the cemetery causing mayhem amongst the smaller birds before landing in a tree almost obscured from view. The second flew high over the field in an easterly direction whilst I was at the watchpoint. I saw the third from Larkins Tyres on my way home as it soared briefly over the Laindon Park School playing field. This may have been the same bird as the first since the cemetery and school playing field are adjacent to one another.

With regard to mammals, I saw a Red Fox run across the grassy strip which runs down from the church car park towards St. Nicholas Lane. During the next 30 minutes or so, I saw what I presume was the same animal in the same general area on a further 2 occasions and I am wondering whether it was a vixen moving to and from a natal den with cubs. I will be keeping watch!

This location also provided me with a sighting of a Reeves’ Muntjac which crossed the grassy strip almost immediately after my first sighting of the Red Fox.

Finally, I saw 3 Grey Squirrels this morning: 1 in the trees at my watchpoint overlooking the field, 1 in the eastern section of the cemetery and 1 in the south west corner of the site.

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

Blackcap
Chiffchaff
Goldcrest
Blue Tit
Great Tit
Long-tailed Tit
Robin 
Wren
Dunnock
House Sparrow
Blackbird
Song Thrush
Sparrowhawk
Green Woodpecker
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Jay
Magpie
Carrion Crow
Woodpigeon
Collared Dove
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Herring Gull

Red Fox
Reeves’ Muntjac
Grey Squirrel

Here are some photos from my visit: 















Photo: Red Fox















Photo: Red Fox
















Photo: Green Woodpecker















Photo: Green Woodpecker















Photo: Robin
















Photo: Robin















Photo: Robin















Photo: Robin
















Photo: Blue Tit















Photo: Blue Tit















Photo: Blue Tit















Photo: Blue Tit















Photo: Blue Tit














Photo: Woodpigeon














Photo: record shot of Goldcrest















Site totals to date (2021 totals in brackets):

Birds = 52  (38)
Mammals = 6  (4)
Butterflies = 21  (4)
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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