SS15 wildlife watching

This blog was set up in mid-March 2020 during the emerging COVID-19 health crisis in the UK. It initially aimed to provide records of wildlife sightings and photographs from sites within walking distance of my home in the SS15 postcode area of Basildon in Essex during lockdown travel restrictions. Even though the pandemic has largely subsided, this blog continues to include my local wildlife sightings, my trips away from home plus some personal thoughts and reflections on other issues.

Tuesday, 30 July 2024

Visit to Noak Bridge Nature Reserve – 30th July 2024

Date: 30th July 2024

Time: from 9:45 a.m.

Weather: dry, sunny, light wind, 22°C to 25°C

This was my first and long overdue visit to the site since 21st June 2024.

The main purpose of my visit this morning was to again record and photograph butterflies, dragonflies and damselflies.

I had a very successful visit with 9 new records for the site for 2024: Red Admiral, Green-veined White, Small White, Large White, Emperor Dragonfly, Ruddy Darter, Willow Emerald Damselfly, Stock Dove, Sparrowhawk

I recorded the following during my visit:

Butterflies: Brimstone (1), Ringlet (1), Red Admiral (3), Peacock (2), Green-veined White (1), Small White (at least 10), Large White (1), Speckled Wood (2), Gatekeeper (at least 10), Meadow Brown (at least 5)

Dragonflies and damselflies: Emperor Dragonfly (1), Ruddy Darter (3), Willow Emerald Damselfly (1), unidentified hawker species but possibly Brown Hawker (at least 5)

Generally, but as expected during the summer months, birds were more difficult to see and hear. However, I still managed to record the following: Sparrowhawk (1 heard calling in the wooded area behind Willow Pond), Stock Dove (1 heard calling in the wooded area behind Willow Pond and another heard calling in the wooded area around Fox Pond), Chiffchaff (1 heard calling), Blackcap (1 heard alarm calling), Mallard (3 eclipse males on Willow Pond), Moorhen (2 adults and 6 well-grown juveniles on Willow Pond)

I didn’t see any Edible Frogs at Meadow Pond, which is not surprising given the height and density of the vegetation, but I did record this species for the first time at Fox Pond. Here, at least 10 jumped in to the water as I approached and then most, if not all, eventually re-emerged further away on the edge of the pond, enabling me to get some photos.

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

Blackcap

Chiffchaff

Blue Tit

Long-tailed Tit

Robin

Wren

Blackbird

Carrion Crow

Magpie

Stock Dove

Woodpigeon

Mallard

Moorhen

Edible Frog

Brimstone

Ringlet

Red Admiral

Peacock

Green-veined White

Small White

Large White

Speckled Wood

Gatekeeper

Meadow Brown

Emperor Dragonfly

Ruddy Darter

Willow Emerald Damselfly

Here are some photos from my visit ….

Photo: Willow Emerald Damselfly

Photo: female Ruddy Darter

Photo: Brimstone

Photo: Green-veined White

Photo: Small White

Photo: Large White
Photo: Large White

Photo: Meadow Brown
Photo: Meadow Brown
Photo: Peacock

Photo: Red Admiral

Photo: Edible Frog
Photo: Edible Frog
Photo: Edible Frogs

Photo: Edible Frogs

Photo: Edible Frog

Photo: eclipse male Mallard

Photo: eclipse male Mallards

Site totals for 2024 to date (2023 totals in brackets):

Birds = 35 (36)

Mammals = 3 (2)

Butterflies = 12 (15)

Dragonflies and damselflies = 9 (11)

Reptiles = 0 (1)

Amphibians = 1 (2)

Total species list for the site:

Birds = 49

Mammals = 4

Butterflies = 22

Dragonflies and damselflies = 15

Reptiles = 2

Amphibians = 3

Love nature .... act now

Restore and rewild our natural world

Please help save and enhance our laws that protect our environment and wildlife

💚🦆 🦉🦋🐝🦊🦡🌼 🌳💚

Stay safe, stay well, stay strong, stay connected with nature

Record from my flat - Tawny Owl (again)

After hearing both calling male and female Tawny Owls during the night of 28th/29th July 2024, the experience continued last night when a nearby hooting male woke me up at 3:45 a.m. It continued to call for at least 10 minutes.

I am intrigued as to where these Tawny Owls have arrived from. I assume that nesting pairs are still on their breeding territories so maybe these are dispersing juveniles?

Whatever their origin, I am hoping that they will remain in or around my local area.

Love nature .... act now

Restore and rewild our natural world

Please help save and enhance our laws that protect our environment and wildlife

💚🦆 🦉🦋🐝🦊🦡🌼 🌳💚

Stay safe, stay well, stay strong, stay connected with nature

Monday, 29 July 2024

Record from my flat .... another moth species

My "keep a kitchen window open and a light on" budget moth trap resulted in another visitor last night.

The Seek app on my phone provides me with a tentative ID for this as a Riband Wave ....

Love nature .... act now

Restore and rewild our natural world

Please help save and enhance our laws that protect our environment and wildlife

💚🦆 🦉🦋🐝🦊🦡🌼 🌳💚

Stay safe, stay well, stay strong, stay connected with nature

Record from my flat - Tawny Owls

I am currently suffering from sleep deprivation for reasons that I will not expand on!

However, being awake did provide an amazing experience last night.

At 9:45 p.m., I heard the brief hooting of a male Tawny Owl followed by a few minutes of a calling female.

After waking up at 2 a.m., I quickly heard the male Tawny Owl again but more distantly. However, the female called regularly for at least 10 minutes in close proximity to my flat and presumably from the trees immediately adjacent or to the front of the block.

I then had a third installment with the female Tawny Owl again calling regularly for around 5 minutes from 3:05 a.m. but from somewhere to the rear of the block.

I have heard calling Tawny Owls before from my flat but many years ago now so this was an extremely welcome surprise!

The calls of both male and female Tawny Owls can be heard on the BTO website.

Although a common bird, I do not record Tawny Owl every year given that they are almost completely nocturnal. For the last 2 years, I have recorded them at a nestbox at Sculthorpe Moor NR near Fakenham in Norfolk.

My best photo opportunities still remain those of a captive Tawny Owl in September 2011 at the British Wildlife Centre near Lingfield in Surrey .... see here.

Photo: Tawny Owl - British Wildlife Centre

Love nature .... act now

Restore and rewild our natural world

Please help save and enhance our laws that protect our environment and wildlife

💚🦆 🦉🦋🐝🦊🦡🌼 🌳💚

Stay safe, stay well, stay strong, stay connected with nature

Sunday, 28 July 2024

Visit to St. Nicholas Church and surrounding areas – 28th July 2024

Date: 28th July 2024

Time: from 11 a.m.

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

The main purpose of my visit this morning was to again record and photograph butterflies, dragonflies and damselflies.

This morning, I only visited the southern section of the site including the path through the woodland and scrub from my flat to “Hilly Road”, “Hilly Road” itself leading from the St. Nicholas Church down towards St. Nicholas Lane and the grassland and hedges bordering St. Nicholas Lane.

I recorded the following during my visit:

Woodland and scrub from my flat to “Hilly Road” – butterflies: Speckled Wood (at least 10), Gatekeeper (at least 10), Small White (at least 15)

Woodland and scrub from my flat to “Hilly Road” – dragonflies and damselflies: Ruddy Darter (2), unidentified hawker species but possibly Brown Hawker (5)

“Hilly Road” – butterflies: Peacock (2), Comma (1), Speckled Wood (1), Gatekeeper (3)

Grassland and hedges bordering St. Nicholas Lane – butterflies: Common Blue (4), Gatekeeper (at least 50), Meadow Brown (at least 5), Small White (1)

Grassland and hedges bordering St. Nicholas Lane – dragonflies and damselflies: Ruddy Darter (3)

Surprisingly and disappointingly, Marbled Whites and “golden” skippers (Large, Small and Essex) were conspicuous by their absence from the grassland bordering St. Nicholas Lane. I normally see these in good numbers in July.

Generally, but as expected during the summer months, birds were more difficult to see and hear and I only recorded 10 species!

However, this did include a Common Buzzard flying over St. Nicholas Church, a calling Sparrowhawk and a single Chiffchaff in the wooded area between my flat and “Hilly Road” and a party of c.15 “screaming” Swifts seen from the bottom of “Hilly Road”.

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

Swift

Chiffchaff

Robin

Goldfinch

Common Buzzard

Sparrowhawk

Jay

Magpie

Woodpigeon

Lesser Black-backed Gull

Common Blue