Tuesday, 15 August 2023

Visit to St. Nicholas Church and surrounding areas – 15th August 2023

Date: 15th August 2023

Time: from 11:45 a.m.

Weather: dry, sunny, light wind, 21°C to 23°C

I have neglected both my local patch sites over the last 2 months or so and only visited on a few occasions due to a number of factors, especially the untypically poor summer weather (poor light, rain and strong winds are not conducive to watching and photographing butterflies, dragonflies and damselflies!) but also other commitments including a trip to Dorset (see here), attending the 3-day Global BirdFair plus some birding in Lincolnshire (see here) and of course the Women's World Cup.

My last visit to St. Nicholas Church and the surrounding areas was on 26th July 2023 and it proved to be exceptionally good for butterflies, dragonflies and damselflies.

This morning was less productive in terms of both the abundance and diversity of butterflies, dragonflies and damselflies although I did not visit the northern section of the site which includes an excellent pond.

I recorded the following during my visit ….

Wooded area between my flat and “Hilly Road”: Common Blue (1 male), Speckled Wood (4), Large White (2)

Southern section north of St. Nicholas Lane: Gatekeeper (at least 10), Large White (2), Migrant Hawker (2), unidentified medium-sized dragonfly species (possibly Migrant Hawker) (3)

“Hilly Road” to St. Nicholas Church: Speckled Wood (1)

St. Nicholas Church car park and area running down to St. Nicholas Lane: Brown Argus (1), Common Blue (2 males), Holly Blue (3), Gatekeeper (at least 10), unidentified “white” species (Large White and/or Small White) (at least 5) 

St. Nicholas Church and cemetery: Common Blue (1 male), Red Admiral (1), Gatekeeper (at least 20), Meadow Brown (1)

Wooded area at the eastern end of the cemetery and the track to Larkins Tyres: Speckled Wood (3)















Photo: Migrant Hawker

Photo: Migrant Hawker
















Photo: Migrant Hawker















Photo: Common Blue

Photo: Brown Argus
















Photo: Brown Argus















Photo: Red Admiral

Photo: Gatekeepers
















Photo: Gatekeeper

Bird activity was again almost non-existent and I only recorded 6 species! However, this did include 3 contact calling but unseen Chiffchaffs.

Although it is only mid-August, there are significant numbers of emerging blackberries, hips, haws, sloes and acorns.
































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


Chiffchaff
Blue Tit
Goldfinch
Jay
Woodpigeon
Herring Gull

Brown Argus
Common Blue
Holly Blue
Red Admiral
Speckled Wood
Gatekeeper
Meadow Brown
Large White

Migrant Hawker

Site totals for 2023 to date (2022 totals in brackets):


Birds = 41  (45)
Mammals = 3  (5)
Butterflies = 23  (17)
Dragonflies and damselflies = 11  (7)
Reptiles = 0  (0)
Amphibians = 0  (0)

Total species list for the site:


Birds = 63
Mammals = 7
Butterflies = 25
Dragonflies and damselflies = 12
Reptiles = 1
Amphibians = 0

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