Visit to St. Nicholas Church and surrounding areas – 31st May 2021

Date: 31st May 2021

Time: from 7:45 a.m.

Weather: dry, sunny, light wind, 11°C to 13°C

After the distinct lack of spring weather in most of April and May, the sunshine this morning was noticeably warm.

However, like my last visit on 24th May 2021, it was relatively quiet this morning in terms of sightings although I still managed to record 26 species of birds.

There were a number of highlights, primarily involving summer migrants.

Firstly, I eventually heard my first Lesser Whitethroat at the site for the year, albeit a very distantly and briefly singing male in the scrub at the far side of the field whilst I was at the watchpoint at the end of the track from Larkins Tyres.

I saw 2 Common Whitethroats and heard another singing male, the highest number of the year recorded on a single visit: the singing male was again in the scrub area behind Larkins Tyres whilst the 2 non-singing birds were feeding in the scrub at the edge of the field and in the central section of the cemetery respectively.

I saw a single Swallow flying high in a westward direction over the top of Church Hill which I would have missed if it hadn’t called and I also saw 3 Swifts flying around the western edge of the site adjacent to Pound Lane.

Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs were still evident around the site but, as on my last visit, in much smaller numbers than earlier in the spring. I failed to see either species but heard 5 singing male Blackcaps and 2 singing male Chiffchaffs.

I heard a calling male Greenfinch when returning along the track to Larkins Tyres, saw a Great Spotted Woodpecker in the wooded area at the end of the track, heard a calling Green Woodpecker from the central section of the cemetery and heard and then saw 4 Greylag Geese flying high over the site in a north westerly direction.

Finally, with regard to birds, I there was a very approachable fledgling Magpie on the track by Larkins Tyres which I managed to usher away and in to the undergrowth to hopefully avoid it coming to any harm.

I also saw 3 Grey Squirrels this morning: 1 running along the fence adjacent to the track from Larkins Tyres and 1 running along the telegraph wires at the top of Church Hill.

The cold and often windy and rainy April and May weather has resulted in very few butterfly sightings this year to date (especially compared with 2020) with only singles of 5 species seen. This morning I saw a single Speckled Wood at the edge of the eastern section of the cemetery but this is one of the species that I have already recorded.

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

Common Whitethroat

Lesser Whitethroat

Blackcap

Chiffchaff

Swallow

Swift

Blue Tit

Great Tit

Long-tailed Tit

Robin 

Wren

Dunnock

Blackbird

Song Thrush

Greenfinch

Goldfinch

Green Woodpecker

Great Spotted Woodpecker

Jay

Magpie

Carrion Crow

Woodpigeon

Collared Dove

Lesser Black-backed Gull

Herring Gull

Greylag Goose

Grey Squirrel

Here are some photos from my visit:

Photo: fledgling Magpie

Photo: fledgling Magpie

Photo: Speckled Wood

Photo: Speckled Wood

Site totals to date (2021 totals in brackets):

Birds = 53  (42)

Mammals = 6  (5)

Butterflies = 21  (5)

Dragonflies and damselflies = 7  (0)

Reptiles = 1  (0)

Amphibians = 0  (0)

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There was no Self-Isolating Bird Club this morning

On 23rd March 2020, I first posted about the Self-Isolating Bird Club presented by the brilliant Chris Packham and Megan McCubbin .... see here.

Originally broadcasting via social media platforms on a daily basis, it eventually moved to every Sunday morning.

Very sadly, Self-Isolating Bird Club broadcasts (see here), which proved to be so informative, educational and inspiring over so many months with the contributions of Chris, Megan and a large number of guests, have now ceased as Chris and Megan move on with other projects.

Thank you so much Chris and Megan and Fabian and Cate behind the scenes for all your hard work and for bringing so much joy to so many people.

An emotional goodbye from us @ Team SIBC. Thank you so much to everyone who joined the community and made it what it is today.

Though to be clear this isn't the end–– we'll be back soon with other ways to keep up the fight for our wildlife ✊🐞🦉 pic.twitter.com/Pz963OOzhh

— Fabian Harrison (@fabianharrison_) May 23, 2021

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Trips away from SS15

From early evening 24^th May to early evening on 27^th May 2021, I had a rental car.

Although I used it to primarily get to and from medical appointments plus other things requiring a car, I was also able to have a couple of trips away from home.

As I posted here, after picking up my rental car in Chelmsford, I returned home via Hanningfield Reservoir in the hope of seeing my first House Martins and Common Terns of the year. I was successful with both species. There were large numbers of House Martins present, albeit much lower than the huge number of Swifts (100s and maybe 1000s), plus c.10 Common Terns on and around the nesting raft. 

The following day, I visited EWT Wrabness in the hope of adding Turtle Dove to my UK 2021 year list. This rapidly declining summer visitor (over 90% since 1970) can still be found at a few sites around Essex and EWT Wrabness is one of the most reliable. I was partially successful in that I heard the distinctive “purring” sound of at least 2 Turtle Doves although seeing them proved impossible in the dense scrub, bushes and woodland edges.

In addition to a range of common species, I also heard 3 singing Nightingales and saw 2 Chiffchaffs (plus 3 others heard), 1 Blackcap (plus 3 others heard), 2 Common Whitethroats, c.20 Sand Martins, a singing male Yellowhammer and a female Kestrel. The adjacent River Stour still surprisingly held c.50 Brent Geese plus a few Oystercatchers, Shelduck and Great Crested Grebes.

On the way home, I passed by Abberton Reservoir where there was a huge flock of Swifts which was considerably larger than that at Hanningfield Reservoir. They could be seen easily from both causeways without binoculars and then even greater numbers visible by looking through binoculars or telescope.

On my final day with the rental car, I drove up to east Suffolk to visit Westleton Heath NNR and RSPB Minsmere. I picked both these sites due to the good prospects of adding further species to my UK 2021 year list.

I left very early at 4:30 a.m. and I had already seen a Red Kite over the Essex/Suffolk border before arriving at Westleton Heath NNR.

The highlights at Westleton Heath NNR were 3 or possibly 4 male Woodlarks in display flight and 2 male Dartford Warblers, both easily located by their distinctive songs. Both species were additions to my UK 2021 year list.

The other notable species that I recorded were Cuckoo (1 seen and 1 heard), Nightingale (1 singing male seen and 1 singing male heard), Yellowhammer (a singing male), Stonechat (a male and female), Common Whitethroat (1 singing male), Blackcap (1 singing male seen and 1 singing male heard), Chiffchaff (2 singing males seen and 1 singing male heard) and Green Woodpecker (1 calling).

RSPB Minsmere was just amazing! I recorded 61 species in total, of which 9 were additions to my 2021 year list: Bittern (“booming” male heard only), Little Tern (5), Sandwich Tern (5), Kittiwake (c.200 presumably from the nearby Sizewell breeding colony), Sanderling (3), Turnstone (5), Common Sandpiper (3), Hobby (1) and Marsh Tit (1).

The other notable species that I recorded were Great White Egret (1), Little Egret (2), Grey Heron (2), Avocet (c.100), Black-tailed Godwit (c.20), Lapwing (c.10), Oystercatcher (6), Dunlin (11), Common Redshank (1), Gadwall (c.50), Mallard (c.50), Shelduck (c.50), Shoveler (c.10), Barnacle Geese (c.15 but presumably feral), Mediterranean Gull (1), Reed Warbler (heard only), Sedge Warbler (3 seen and others heard), Cetti’s Warbler (4 heard), Cuckoo (1 heard), Common Whitethroat (7), Blackcap (3 seen and others heard), Chiffchaff (1 seen and others heard), Swallow (1), Sand Martin (small numbers), Swift (large numbers), Marsh Harrier (2), Reed Bunting (3), Bearded Tit (heard only), Linnet (6) and Great Spotted Woodpecker (1).

The strangest record was a pair of Bar-headed Geese with goslings. This species is found in central Asia so somehow a pair of escapees from a wildfowl collection have successfully established themselves.

I returned home via EWT Wrabness to try again and see a Turtle Dove. On this occasion, I heard 4 “purring” males but also saw another both perched in a dead tree and in display flight. I also saw a similar range of species to my first visit but this time I actually saw 2 male Nightingales, one of which sang very visibly in close proximity to me with the background “purring” of a Turtle Dove. A perfect spring/early summer soundscape provided by 2 rapidly declining species.

So, my brief trips away from home resulted in 13 additions to my UK 2021 year list taking it to 128 species but still a long way off the 194 species for 2019 and the more normal 220 to 230 species in the years prior to the Covid-19 pandemic when there were no travel restrictions.

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Stay safe, stay well, stay strong, stay connected with nature

Ridiculous media hysteria over Red Kites

Did anyone see the ridiculous media hysteria with regard to Red Kites in Henley?

A Red Kite lifted a custard cream biscuit from the hand of a 2 year old boy in Henley and accidentally scratched the back of his hand. Here’s how the media responded with complete over-reaction ....

The boy was not "attacked" and nor are the town or its residents being "terrorised" by Red Kites, which the Daily Mail says "resemble eagles".

This is lazy, ill-informed journalism!

Red Kites are skilled opportunists and, if there is an easy meal to be had, they will take it. The situation in Henley (and in other areas in the highly successful Chilterns reintroduction area) with Red Kites approaching close to humans has been exacerbated by some residents providing food to the birds in their gardens, despite this being discouraged. 

This is yet another example of humans creating the problem and then blaming the wildlife.

The UK media needs to take a look at how it reports such issues and stop demonising Red Kites, other birds of prey and other wildlife generally. 

Actually, instead of this nonsense, why don't the media give much more attention to wildlife crime in the UK, not least the industrial scale illegal killing of birds of prey by trapping, poisoning or shooting.

The media has a responsibility to inform and educate rather than push out headline-grabbing and ill-informed rubbish.

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Record from my flat - male and female Mallard

I think this must be one of the strangest and most unexpected records from my flat.

Whilst I occasionally see Mallards flying over, this morning I woke up at 5:45 a.m. to see a male and female Mallard walking around in the street outside. I watched them for a few minutes before they flew off south east in the direction of Gloucester Park which provides much more suitable habitat. 

It was a good job one of the local Red Foxes wasn't around, otherwise a "bumper breakfast" may have been enjoyed!

Here are some photos which are not particularly sharp as they were taken through my (dirty) windows.

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Record from my flat - Sparrowhawk

At 9:20 a.m. this morning, I saw a Sparrowhawk fly slowly past my flat window.

Given the absence of sunshine (still) and the cool temperatures (still), it clearly was not going to find a thermal to enable soaring!

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Record from my flat - Swifts

After recording my first Swifts from my flat for the year on 21st May 2021, I saw a further 2 birds this morning at 7:40 a.m.

However, whilst small numbers of Swifts seen from my flat or over my local patch site around St. Nicholas Church are always welcome, they pale in to insignificance when compared with the huge numbers (100s and maybe 1000s) flying over Hanningfield Reservoir yesterday evening.

I had picked up a rental car in Chelmsford and decided to return home via Hanningfield Reservoir in the hope of seeing my first House Martins and Common Terns of the year. I was successful with both species. There were large numbers of House Martins present, albeit in lower numbers than the Swifts, plus c.10 Common Terns on and around the nesting raft. One of the Common Terns flew over the causeway right in front of my car. These 2 species increased my UK 2021 year list to 115 species.

When I left Chelmsford it was raining heavily but by the time I reached Hanningfield Reservoir it was dry and sunny. It is well known that large numbers of Swifts and hirundines congregate at reservoirs in spring in advance of or after a weather front carrying rain. Whilst I saw Swifts and House Martins in large numbers, I failed to see a single Swallow or Sand Martin although these 2 species were probably present too.

💚🦆 🦉🦋🐝🦊🦡🌼 🌳💚

Stay safe, stay well, stay strong, stay connected with nature

UK is the least effective G7 country at protecting nature and wildlife

A new report from the RSPB, using data compiled by the Natural History Museum, has been published ahead of the G7 Summit in Cornwall in June 2021 and shows the appalling state of nature in the UK.

The UK is listed as the worst nation in the G7 for the volume of wildlife and wild spaces lost due to human activity, resulting in it being ranked 12th worst of 240 countries and territories.

The new league table is the latest in a growing body of scientific reports that highlights the urgent need for action from the Governments of the UK in order to halt and reverse declines in wildlife and protect and restore the environment.

Using the Biodiversity Intactness Indicator (BII), an internationally approved scientific measurement of the impact of human activity on plants, animals and landscapes, scientists are able to judge the damage to nature in different countries.

The UK has a score of just 50%, which means it has retained only half of its plants, animals and landscapes compared with 65% for France, 67% for Germany and 89% for Canada.

In 2019 the "State of Nature Report" revealed that 41% of UK species were in decline and more than one in 10 were at risk of extinction. When viewed next to the BII assessment it becomes clear that the UK is at a tipping point where, if enough action is not taken, we will have lost more than we have left.

Beccy Speight, Chief Executive of the RSPB, said: "This report shows the perilous state of nature in the UK and why we must urgently protect what is left and work to restore what we have lost. The nature crisis is not something far away but it is happening all around us. We are seeing both the long-term damage to our natural world as well as the effects of trying to squeeze nature into smaller and smaller spaces to fit in with our plans. The result is that the wildlife of the UK is disappearing from our daily life and we are now at a point where we risk having lost more nature than we have remaining.

"With so much of what is precious to us at stake and at a time when so many of us have felt the benefits of being in nature through the pandemic, we should all be alarmed that while Boris Johnson is saying the right things about restoring nature within a generation this is not translating into action in Westminster. This week the Queen's Speech outlined Westminster's commitment to delivering an Environment Bill for England and Northern Ireland, but this doesn't go far enough, and with newly elected administrations in Scotland and Wales, it is now time for all politicians to act.

"Every 10 years the UK joins the international community in agreeing goals and targets for the next decade, but we failed to achieve 17 out of 20 of these between 2010 and 2020. If we are to avoid another lost decade for nature, and when this could be the last decade we have to turn the tide, it is down to our Prime Minster to set us up for success and show us the binding action plan to revive our world. And by working in concert with decision makers in Westminster, Holyrood, the Senedd and Stormont the UK can set an example of our different governments working together to save nature."

Through the Prime Minister, the UK has been bringing together world leaders to commit to saving nature. UK-led initiatives like the Leader's Pledge have highlighted the urgent need to respond to the nature emergency and the environment is set to feature at the UK hosted G7 meeting in June 2021 as an important scene setter for the upcoming UN COPs on biodiversity and climate.

Likewise, the UN will launch their decade of ecological restoration in June highlighting the importance of the next decade to get to grips with the global nature crisis and put the natural world on a path to recovery.

The RSPB is calling for the Governments of the UK to bring in legislation that will deliver action on the vital ambition to protect and restore our natural world, provide a blueprint for delivering on the UK's world leading commitments and:

Set legally binding targets to halt and reverse wildlife declines by 2030

Determine interim targets to measure the UK's progress towards the overall goal

Establish an independent watchdog with the power to hold Governments to account 

To put the UK back on track, the RSPB is calling on all politicians to “Revive Our World” and is giving everyone a place to voice their concerns, as well as proposing the legislation and priorities the UK and devolved Governments must set.

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Stay safe, stay well, stay strong, stay connected with nature

Visit to St. Nicholas Church and surrounding areas – 24th May 2021

Date: 24th May 2021

Time: from 7 a.m.

Weather: dry, sunny, light wind, 8°C to 10°C

I accessed the site via the track from Larkins Tyres which, having eventually dried up after the winter, once more resembles a muddy swamp after the heavy rain recently.

However, that rain has also encouraged even more leaf and plant growth and the whole site is now very green and lush.

After the success of my last visit on 18th May 2021 when I was able to record 26 species of birds and 3 species of mammals, it was noticeably quieter this morning in terms of sightings and I had very few photo opportunities.

Nonetheless, I did have a few highlights: I heard but did not see a singing male Common Whitethroat which was again in the scrub area behind Larkins Tyres, I saw a calling and singing male Greenfinch at the top of one of the trees bordering the church car park and I heard a singing Goldcrest in the south west corner of the site but in a different location to the usual tall conifer tree.

Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs were still evident around the site but in much smaller numbers than recently. I saw 3 singing male Blackcaps and I heard a further 3 singing males. I saw 1 singing male Chiffchaff and I heard a further 4 singing males.

During my visit, I had a brief view of a Red Fox crossing the grassy strip running down from the church car park to St. Nicholas Lane (record photo below). In addition, I heard the single bark of a Red Fox in the eastern section of the cemetery and then briefly saw it at the edge of the bushes and trees bordering the cemetery. The bark may well have been a warning to cubs since I heard this on a few occasions last spring when I was watching a vixen and 4 cubs. Unfortunately, this spring, I have been unable to locate a natal den or any cubs but in the coming weeks if there are any cubs around the site I may well see them as they explore further afield.

I also saw 3 Grey Squirrels this morning: 1 running along the fence adjacent to the track from Larkins Tyres, 1 in a tree bordering the church car park and 1 in the south west corner of the site.

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

Common Whitethroat

Blackcap

Chiffchaff

Blue Tit

Great Tit

Robin 

Wren

Dunnock

Blackbird

Greenfinch

Goldfinch

Jay

Magpie

Carrion Crow

Woodpigeon

Collared Dove

Lesser Black-backed Gull

Herring Gull

Red Fox

Grey Squirrel

Here are some photos from my visit:

Site totals to date (2021 totals in brackets):

Birds = 53  (41)

Mammals = 6  (5)

Butterflies = 21  (5)

Dragonflies and damselflies = 7  (0)

Reptiles = 1  (0)

Amphibians = 0  (0)

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More amazing information on Swifts

I recently wrote about Swifts here, here and here.

They really are remarkable birds.

Small birds like swift and swallow species that migrate long distances have been predicted to travel over 300 miles per day but new evidence shows that one species of swift, our familiar (Common) Swift can cover far greater distances than that.

Susanne Åkesson and Giuseppe Bianco at Lund University in Sweden have shown that (Common) Swifts can fly an average of 355 miles per day with the fastest birds covering 515 miles in a day.

If I drive from my home in Essex to Aviemore in the Scottish Highlands, which I have only ever done once without an overnight stop, that is a distance of 538 miles. (Common) Swifts are capable of doing that non-stop in a day!

New Scientist - Common Swifts can fly more than 800 kilometres a day during migration  

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Stay safe, stay well, stay strong, stay connected with nature