Monday 31 May 2021

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)

💚🦆 🦉🦋🐝🦊🦡🌼 🌳💚
Stay safe, stay well, stay strong, stay connected with nature


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