Date: 24th March 2022
Time: from
7 a.m.
Weather: dry, sunny/misty, frosty, light wind, 4°C to 6°C
I had another 7 a.m. start to my visit this morning and the weather was definitely a mix of winter and spring. It was cold compared to the very warm daytime temperatures in recent days with ground frost still evident in shaded areas and a battle between the early morning mist and the rising sun.
Whilst I had a very short visit, there were some notable sightings.
Firstly, I added another 2 species to my 2022 list for the site, taking
the total to 35. I had my first record of Blackcap for the
year anywhere in the UK, a singing male at the extreme western end of the cemetery. I
also added Pied Wagtail to my 2022 site list, a bird seen flying over
near the church.
Following
my first 2 spring Chiffchaffs on my last visit on 14th March 2022, there was a notable increase this morning with
3 singing males seen plus 2 others heard at various locations around the site.
With
regard to other birds, I saw both the finches that I only record very
occasionally at the site: a singing male Greenfinch in the
trees along the access track from Larkins Tyres, a calling but unseen Chaffinch
in the same area and a pair of Chaffinches in a tree bordering the church
car park.
Other notable records included a distantly calling Green
Woodpecker beyond the cemetery and a “drumming” Great Spotted
Woodpecker in the wooded area in the south of the site plus 2 Jackdaws
flying over the cemetery.
With regard to
mammals, I saw a Red Fox emerge from the hedge bordering the
western section of the cemetery. As it spotted me, it turned round and disappeared
back in to the hedge.
I saw a single Grey
Squirrel in trees in the south west corner
of the site and as I had almost reached home I saw a Reeves’ Muntjac quietly
browsing along the grassy strip from the wooded area down to the flats where I
live.
This
was my first sighting of Reeves’ Muntjac since 17th January 2022 and the first time that I had
seen all 3 of these mammal species on a single visit for many months.
Species
recorded during this visit were as follows (heard only records in italics):
💚🦆 🦉🦋🐝🦊🦡🌼 🌳💚
Stay safe, stay well, stay strong, stay connected with nature
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