Date: 18th July 2021
Time: from 7:45 a.m.
Weather: dry, sunny, light wind, 16°C
to 26°C
My last visit to the
site was way back on 2nd June 2021.
Since then, I have
been unable to find an opportunity to visit due to preparing for,
receiving and then recovering from a health-related procedure in early June
which was then followed by short trips away to Somerset and Wales and
Yorkshire.
As with my visit to my other local patch site around St.
Nicholas Church yesterday, I was hoping that the warm/hot sunny weather would
be productive for dragonflies, damselflies and butterflies.
This was most definitely the case and my visit proved to be an odonata and lepidoptera special!
With regard to dragonflies and damselflies, Meadow Pond was exceptional. I was able to add 2 new species to my site list: Brown Hawker (2 although possibly the same individual) and Emerald Damselfly (at least 2). I also added 3 species to my year site list: Common Darter (4), Blue-tailed Damselfly (at least 5) and Emperor Dragonfly (a female ovipositing). In addition, I saw Four-spotted Chaser (2) and Azure and/or Common Blue Damselfly (c.10), all of which I have already previously recorded this year.
A large number of butterflies were evident across the site and I added 7 species to my year site list: Green-veined White (1), Large White (at least 20), Small White (at least 10), Meadow Brown (at least 50), Small Skipper (at least 5), Gatekeeper (3) and Speckled Wood (1).
Whilst spending time at Meadow Pond, there was a constant chorus of presumed Edible Frogs. When I arrived, at least 5 jumped in to the pond from the edge but thereafter they proved difficult to see given how much the vegetation has grown since my last visit. However, I did get the opportunity to photograph one calling male although the results were not as good as those that I managed on 2nd June 2021.
The grassland in the Thorney Wood area was literally jumping
with a huge number of grasshoppers of evidently different species but my
grasshopper ID skills are limited (completely absent!).
With regard to birds, the intensity
of bird activity and bird song peaked in May and this morning I only recorded 16
species.
Nonetheless, I added a single
fly over Swallow and an unseen “screaming” Swift to my year site
list.
It was generally very
quiet in respect of bird song but I did hear both Chiffchaff (3 regularly
singing males) and Blackcap (2 very briefly singing males) plus a
singing Wren and a singing Song Thrush. In addition, to the
singing male Chiffchaffs, there was a silent individual foraging in the
trees at the edge of Meadow Pond.
Other highlights included 2 adult Moorhens and 3 juveniles on Willow Pond plus another calling from the depths of the reeds in Meadow Pond, a fly over Green Woodpecker and a calling Great Spotted Woodpecker.
As I left Noak Bridge Nature Reserve and crossed the bridge over the A127 to head home, I couldn’t fail to notice the tail-to-tail slow moving traffic heading towards Southend-on-Sea. Mmmm …. now if I had to choose, what would I do? …. 4 hours peace and quiet watching and photographing wildlife on a local nature reserve or sitting in a hot car in a traffic jam to eventually arrive at an over-crowded and non-socially distanced beach …. no contest!
Species recorded during this visit were as follows (heard only records in italics):
Edible Frog
Here are some photos from my visit:
Photo: Emerald Damselfly
Photo: Emerald Damselfly
Photo: Emerald Damselfly
Photo: Common Darter
Photo: Common Darter
Photo: Common Darter
Photo: Common Darter
Photo: Common Darter
Photo: Common Darter
Photo: Common Darter
Photo: Common Darter
Photo: Common Darter
Photo: Four-spotted Chaser
Photo: Four-spotted Chaser
Photo: Four-spotted Chaser
Photo: Blue-tailed Damselfly
Photo: record shot of ovipositing female Emperor Dragonfly
Photo: Meadow Grasshopper
Photo: Edible Frog
Site totals to date (2021 totals in brackets):
Stay safe, stay well, stay strong, stay connected with nature
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