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 – butterfliesCommon 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

Peacock
Comma
Speckled Wood
Small White
Gatekeeper
Meadow Brown

Ruddy Darter

Here are some photos from my visit ….
















Photo: male Common Blue
















Photo: male Common Blue















Photo: Comma

Photo: Comma
















Photo: Gatekeeper















Photo: Peacock
















Photo: Speckled Wood















Photo: Small White

Photo: female Ruddy Darter

Photo: female Ruddy Darter

Photo: female Ruddy Darter

Photo: female Ruddy Darter

Photo: female Ruddy Darter















Photo: feather .... species?

Photo: carcass .... species?

















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

Birds = 40 (47)

Mammals = 3 (3)
Butterflies = 17 (23)
Dragonflies and damselflies = 10 (12)
Reptiles = 0 (0)
Amphibians = 0 (0)

Total species list for the site

Birds = 65

Mammals = 7
Butterflies = 25
Dragonflies and damselflies = 14
Reptiles = 1
Amphibians = 0

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Restore and rewild our natural world
Please help save and enhance our laws that protect our environment and wildlife

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

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