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):
Here are some photos from my visit:
Photo: fledgling Magpie
Photo: Speckled Wood
Site totals to date (2021 totals in brackets):
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