Visit to Noak Bridge Nature Reserve – 27th August 2024

Date: 27th August 2024

Time: from 8:45 a.m.

Weather: dry, sunny, light/moderate wind, 17°C to 20°C

This was my first visit to the site since 30th July 2024 due to some personal commitments and weather that has hardly been conducive to recording and photographing butterflies, dragonflies and damselflies.

I had a very successful visit this morning with a new site record, namely Migrant Hawker, plus I also added a further 2 new records for the site for 2024, namely Common Darter and Great Spotted Woodpecker.

I recorded the following during my visit:

Butterflies: Comma (1), Holly Blue (1), Speckled Wood (3), Green-veined White (1), Small White (1), Gatekeeper (2), Meadow Brown (1)

Dragonflies and damselflies: Migrant Hawker (2 mating pairs, at least 5 other individuals and c.5 hawkers that were probably this species too), Common Darter (2)

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 seen flying across the track near Thorny Wood), Great Spotted Woodpecker (1 heard calling in the wooded area behind Willow Pond), Blackcap (1 seen very briefly and another heard alarm calling), Mallard (2 eclipse males on Willow Pond), Moorhen (4 on Willow Pond)

As on my last visit, I recorded Edible Frogs at Fox Pond where 2 or 3 jumped in to the water as I approached and I also eventually saw and photographed 2 more although they are exceptionally well camouflaged in the pondside vegetation!

Finally, I saw 2 Grey Squirrels in the woodland behind Willow Pond.

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

Blackcap

Blue Tit

Great Tit

Long-tailed Tit

Robin

Wren

Blackbird

Sparrowhawk

Great Spotted Woodpecker

Magpie

Woodpigeon

Mallard

Moorhen

Herring Gull

Edible Frog

Grey Squirrel

Comma

Holly Blue

Speckled Wood

Green-veined White

Small White

Gatekeeper

Meadow Brown

Migrant Hawker

Common Darter

Here are some photos from my visit ….

Photo: Migrant Hawker

Photo: Common Darter

Photo: Common Darter

Photo: Comma

Photo: Green-veined White

Photo: Meadow Brown

Photo: Speckled Wood

Photo: Holly Blue

Photo: Holly Blue

Photo: Edible Frogs .... there are 2 of them well camouflaged in this photo!

Photo: eclipse male Mallard

Photo: eclipse male Mallard

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

Birds = 36 (36)

Mammals = 3 (2)

Butterflies = 12 (15)  

Dragonflies and damselflies = 11 (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

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Visit to St. Nicholas Church and surrounding areas –26th August 2024

Date: 26th August 2024

Time: from 12 p.m.

Weather: dry, sunny, moderate wind, 17°C to 19°C

I had a brief walk around the complete site at lunchtime, more in hope than expectation given that it was not ideal weather to record and photograph butterflies, dragonflies and damselflies.

However, after a slow start, my visit actually proved to be a relatively successful one and I recorded a new dragonfly species for the site for 2024, namely Migrant Hawker.

I recorded the following during my visit:

Southern section of the site: Small Heath (1), Speckled Wood (3), Green-veined White (1), Small White (2), hawker species (possibly Migrant Hawker given positive identification of this species in the northern section of the site) (c.5)

Church cemetery: Red Admiral (1)

Northern section of the site: Common Blue (1), Comma (1), Meadow Brown (1), Migrant Hawker (1 but possibly 2), Brown Hawker (1), Common Darter (at least 3 males), Common Darter (mating and ovipositing male and female), hawker species (possibly Migrant Hawker given positive identification around the pond in the northern section of the site) (c.10)

As noted previously, Marbled Whites and “golden” skippers (Large, Small and Essex) are still conspicuous by their absence from the grasslands bordering St. Nicholas Lane and in the northern section of the site and, after their abundance in recent weeks, I failed to see any Gatekeepers at all during this visit.

Generally, but as expected during the summer months, birds continue to be more difficult to see and hear and on this visit I only recorded 6 species! However, this did included a soaring female Sparrowhawk over the northern section of the site and a calling Common Buzzard as  I walked home along the track to Larkins Tyres which I failed to see due to the overhead tree canopy.

Finally, I saw a single Grey Squirrel in the eastern section of the cemetery.

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

Blue Tit

Robin

Common Buzzard

Sparrowhawk

Magpie

Woodpigeon

Grey Squirrel

Small Heath

Common Blue

Red Admiral

Comma

Speckled Wood

Meadow Brown

Small White

Green-veined White

Migrant Hawker

Brown Hawker

Ruddy Darter

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

Birds = 40 (47)

Mammals = 3 (3)

Butterflies = 17 (23)

Dragonflies and damselflies = 11 (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

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

Records from my flat - Tawny Owl and Red Foxes

The night time wildlife experience from my flat continues to be rewarding.

On 25th August 2024, I again heard a male Tawny Owl "hooting" just twice at 3:20 a.m.

I have now recorded Tawny Owls on 7 dates since their return to the immediate vicinity of my flat after many years ....

28th/29th July 2024 .... male "hooting" briefly at 9:45 p.m. followed by a few minutes of a female calling; male "hooting briefly again at 2 a.m. followed by a female calling for at least 10 minutes; female calling regularly for around 5 minutes from 3:05 a.m. (first record of Tawny Owl for many years)

30th July 2024 .... male "hooting" regularly for around 10 minutes from 3:45 a.m.

31st July 2024 .... male "hooting" briefly at 11:40 p.m.

1st August 2024 .... female calling briefly at 9:20 p.m.

5th August 2024 .... male "hooting" briefly at 11:55 p.m. followed immediately by a female calling

18th August 2024 .... male "hooting" several times in a 10 minute period from 10:25 p.m.

25th August 2024 .... male "hooting" twice at 3:20 a.m.

At 5:05 a.m., I was again woken up by the excitable barking, screaming and "geckering" of 3 Red Foxes which I easily managed to see since they were in the street right outside my block of flats.

Love nature .... act now

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

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Record from my flat - Swift

On 29th June 2024, I recorded the first Swift of the year from my flat. I have also seen a few Swifts around St. Nicholas Church again this year starting with my first record on 11th May 2024 but the scarcity of sightings both locally and elsewhere is undoubtedly a very concerning reflection of the sharp and continuing decrease in the Swift population across the UK in recent years.

In the UK, the Common Swift, usually referred to as just the Swift, is a summer visitor from late April to late August.

The UK's Swifts are in serious trouble. It is estimated that their population has deceased by 57% between 1995 and 2017, primarily due to the application of pesticides and habitat destruction which has affected their insect food supply. The modernisation of many buildings has also resulted in the loss of roof nesting sites. More information can be found at Swift Conservation.

I recently contacted the new Government regarding the campaign to try and save our Swifts .... SS15 wildlife watching: Save our Swifts!

This evening at 6:50 p.m., I recorded just my second Swift of the year from my flat, a single bird which flew around briefly before moving on. It is extremely concerning that I am now seeing so few of these wonderful birds but at least I had a late record to finish the year. Whether Swifts return next spring and summer remains to be seen.

Love nature .... act now

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Red Fox family take a nap

Unfortunately, this beautiful short video of Red Foxes is not mine but that of Robert E Fuller, a brilliant artist, photographer and film maker who I heard speaking at an event at this year's Global BirdFair.

This is one of his Red Fox paintings ....

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

Records from my flat - Red Foxes and Tawny Owl

The nighttime wildlife experience from my flat continues to be rewarding.

At 5:45 a.m. on 15th August 2024, I was woken up by the excitable barking, screaming and "geckering" of at least 2 Red Foxes which were clearly interacting although I failed to see them.

On 18th August 2024, after an apparent absence since 5th August 2024, I again heard a male Tawny Owl "hooting" several times in a 10 minute period from 10:25 p.m.

I have now recorded Tawny Owls on 6 dates since their return to the immediate vicinity of my flat after many years ....

28th/29th July 2024 .... male "hooting" briefly at 9:45 p.m. followed by a few minutes of a female calling; male "hooting briefly again at 2 a.m. followed by a female calling for at least 10 minutes; female calling regularly for around 5 minutes from 3:05 a.m. (first record of Tawny Owl for many years)

30th July 2024 .... male "hooting" regularly for around 10 minutes from 3:45 a.m.

31st July 2024 .... male "hooting" briefly at 11:40 p.m.

1st August 2024 .... female calling briefly at 9:20 p.m.

5th August 2024 .... male "hooting" briefly at 11:55 p.m. followed immediately by a female calling

18th August 2024 .... male "hooting" several times in a 10 minute period from 10:25 p.m.

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

We are living beyond our means

Imagine maxing out your credit card months before the year ends …. that is what we do to Earth’s resources every year and Earth Overshoot Day serves as a reminder.

Once we get past this point, for the rest of the year we are using resources faster than nature can replenish them.

On 1st August, we officially blew past Earth's annual budget for natural resources.

Earth Overshoot Day has been creeping up earlier each year since the 1970s, shining a spotlight on the widening gap between our consumption and the planet's ability to keep up.

Just 4 years ago, Earth Overshoot Day arrived on 22nd August. Right now, we would need 1.7 Earths to meet our resource demands.

As individuals, we have the power to better our homes and our communities, to live a different life.

However, the greatest potential for large-scale impact, lies with governments and businesses who align their policies and strategies with the reality of our finite planet.

Everyone needs to step up!

In the UK, own country's Overshoot Day is not the worst but we are a long way off being the best ....

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

Records from my flat - moths

After recent attempted moth identification and recording from my "keep a kitchen window open and a light on" budget moth trap on 27th July 2024, 29th July 2024 and 9th August 2024, it was my "keep a bathroom window open and light on" moth trap that was successful last night.

In fact, it was very successful with at least 5 species seen and photographed (rather poorly in some cases).

I am reasonably good with my butterfly identification but moth identification is another matter entirely.

Again, I have used the Seek app on my phone and searches via Google to tentatively confirm the following species:

Light Emerald

Willow Beauty

Riband Wave

Small Blood-vein

Common Rustic

Photo: Light Emerald

Photo: Light Emerald

Photo: Willow Beauty

Photo: Willow Beauty

Photo: Willow Beauty

Photo: Willow Beauty

Photo: Riband Wave

Photo: Riband Wave

Photo: Small Blood-vein

Photo: Common Rustic

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