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):
Here are some photos from my visit:
Photo: Red Fox
Photo: Red Fox
Photo: Green Woodpecker
Photo: Robin
Photo: Robin
Photo: Blue Tit
Photo: Blue Tit
Photo: Blue Tit
Photo: Woodpigeon
Photo: record shot of Goldcrest
Site totals to date (2021 totals in brackets):
Mammals = 6 (4)
Butterflies = 21 (4)
Dragonflies and damselflies = 7 (0)
Reptiles = 1 (0)
Amphibians = 0 (0)
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