Friday 11 March 2022

Visit to St. Nicholas Church and surrounding areas – 11th March 2022

Date: 11th March 2022

Time: from 8:15 a.m.

Weather: dry, cloudy/hazy sunshine, moderate wind, 8°C to 10°C

I had a very quick walk around the site this morning without my camera since I needed to be back home for a delivery.

Nonetheless, in less than 45 minutes, I had some very notable sightings.

With regard to birds, I added a further 2 species to my 2022 list for the site bringing the total to date to 31: Common Buzzard and Chaffinch.

As I accessed the site from Larkins Tyres, I heard the constant “mewing” of a Common Buzzard. I was unable to locate the bird through the gaps in the tree cover but at the end of the track I saw a Common Buzzard fly through in the direction of the field surrounded by trees, hedges and scrub where I have been very successful with Red Foxes recently.

I walked through to the fence overlooking this area and immediately saw a Common Buzzard perched in the large oak tree with the other bird that I had first seen flying away from me.

My Common Buzzard count recently has been amazing. In a period of less than 2 weeks since 26th February 2022, I have now seen 12 Common Buzzards in my immediate local area (6 at Gloucester Park, 4 from my flat and 2 this morning) although some of these records may well be of the same birds.

Chaffinch is a species that I only see or hear very occasionally around the site. I heard a calling male this morning from somewhere in the western section of the cemetery but I failed to see it.

I had several other notable sightings.

In addition to the generally scare Chaffinch, I saw the equally scare Greenfinch, a male engaged in its singing butterfly display flight over the trees along the access track from Larkins Tyres. 

I also heard and then saw a singing Goldcrest in the more regular location in the large conifer tree in the south west corner of the site and I heard a calling Green Woodpecker in the wooded area at the end of the access track from Larkins Tyres and a “drumming” Great Spotted Woodpecker in the woodland in the south of the site on my way home

Finally, I saw a single fly-over Black-headed Gull, a species I see far less frequently than the regular Herring Gulls and occasional Lesser Black-backed Gull.

Despite reports now being received of singing Chiffchaffs around Essex, I have yet to hear or see my first spring arrival of this species or indeed my first Blackcap.

With regard to mammals, I saw a single Grey Squirrels along the access track from Larkins Tyres.

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

Goldcrest
Blue Tit
Great Tit
Long-tailed Tit
Robin
Dunnock
Wren
Blackbird
Greenfinch
Chaffinch
Common Buzzard
Green Woodpecker
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Jay
Magpie
Carrion Crow
Woodpigeon
Collared Dove
Black-headed Gull
Herring Gull

Grey Squirrel

Site totals to date (2022 totals in brackets):

Birds = 56  (31)
Mammals = 6  (3)
Butterflies = 21  (0)
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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