SS15 wildlife watching: Visit to St. Nicholas Church and surrounding areas

Date: 24th April 2021

Time: from 6:15 a.m.

Weather: dry, sunny, light wind, 5°C to 6°C

This morning, after the significant Red Fox activity yesterday (sightings of a lactating vixen and a dog carrying a food item), I decided to stake out the area where I believe that there may be a natal den.

Fortunately, since sitting in one spot for some time was going to be necessary, it was marginally warmer this morning than it has been in recent days.

When I arrived at what I hoped would be a suitable location with a view of the blackthorn hedge, the obvious trails in the grass leading to it and the smeuses, I wrapped myself in my throw-over bag hide and sat down …. and watched …. and waited …. and watched …. and waited.

In around an hour, there was absolutely no sign of any Red Foxes which was very disappointing given the amount of activity yesterday morning.

Since cold and cramp were beginning to set in, I decided to move and walked back up to the church car park which provides a view of the grassy strip that runs parallel to Church Hill and down to St. Nicholas Lane.

After about another 15 minutes, I finally saw a Red Fox right down at the bottom of the grassy strip. It quickly moved out of sight but moving in the direction of the location that I had originally staked out. A heavily cropped and blurry photo reveals that it was carrying a food item.

That proved to be the one and only sighting of a Red Fox in this area. However, I returned home via my watchpoint at the northern edge of the site which overlooks a field and the trees, hedges and scrub bordering it.

When I arrived, I saw a Red Fox which was largely obscured in the long grass on the far side of the field. It appeared to be curled up and presumably asleep. After a while, it raised its head and then promptly resumed its slumber in the in the sun.

However, it eventually raised its head again and a squeaky noise on the back of my hand (this is known to alert Red Foxes) caused it to look in my direction.

Despite the distance, the acute hearing of the Red Fox picked up my small mammal distress call and it started walking across the field towards me, eventually breaking in to a rapid trot!

The Red Fox approached extremely close before finally realising that my half-hidden form was not a distressed Rabbit! I then received what appeared to me to be a somewhat disdainful look and it wandered off away from me and out of sight.

This was one of best encounters with a Red Fox at the site for a very long time and enabled me to get many good photos (see below).

With regard to birds, the fact that I forgot to take my binoculars with me plus my focus on one particular area meant that my species list was slightly shorter than that for my usual visits.

Nonetheless, when I arrived at St. Nicholas Church, I did see 3 fly-over Cormorants heading in an easterly direction, possibly towards Gloucester Park where I regularly see them.

In addition, whilst sitting at the edge of the church car park, again watching and waiting for Red Foxes, there was an extremely showy and loud singing male Wren which enabled me to get my best ever photos of this usually skulking and elusive species.

I saw 2 Blackcaps and heard 3 others and I saw 1 Chiffchaff and heard 2 others. The Chiffchaff sighting was of a continuously singing male in the south west corner of the site whilst I was watching and waiting for the Red Foxes to appear, presumably the same bird that I saw yesterday. Again, I was able to get some photos of this bird.

As I walked home along the track to Larkins Tyres, there were again 2 loudly calling Green Woodpeckers in the tall trees although I failed to see them.

After the complete absence of Grey Squirrels during my visit yesterday, this morning I saw 4, all from my watchpoint at the northern edge of the site.

Whilst on site, I also met Andrei, the vicar of St. Nicholas Church, which enabled me to discuss with him his success in sourcing grant funding for CCTV …. see here. Apparently, installation is not going to happen imminently since the proposal has to be considered by various bodies, not least since the church is a very old and historical building.

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

Blackcap

Chiffchaff

Blue Tit

Great Tit

Robin

Wren

Dunnock

House Sparrow

Blackbird

Song Thrush

Green Woodpecker