Saturday, 25 January 2025

Visit to St. Nicholas Church and surrounding areas – 25th January 2025

Date: 25th January 2025

Time: from 8:30 a.m.

Weather: dry, sunny, light wind, 3°C to 5°C

It was a beautiful sunny but very cold morning for my third visit of the year to the site. 

I recorded 19 species of birds including 4 additions to my 2025 site list …. Sparrowhawk, Goldcrest, Song Thrush, House Sparrow

I initially had a brief view of what I believe was a female Sparrowhawk flying over the northern section of the site but later I spotted a male perched up in one of the small trees in the far corner of the northern section of the site. Unfortunately, it was partially obscured by branches but eventually flew which enabled me to get some photos.

I heard a calling Goldcrest in the bushes adjacent to the track to the A127, a favoured location, and eventually located the bird foraging.

Other highlights included c.25 Redwings and 4 Jackdaws flying over the northern section of the site, a single Great Spotted Woodpecker flying high over the northern section of the site plus a very distant calling Green Woodpecker.

The sunny weather encouraged increased activity, calling and singing from Robins, Dunnocks, Blue Tits and Great Tits

With regard to mammals, I added Reeves’ Muntjac to my 2024 site list, a very brief view of a single animal running away in the paddock in the northern section of the site.

In addition, I had a brief and very distant view of a Red Fox in the paddock in the northern section of the site. However, I had a much closer view of another or the same Red Fox much later as it emerged from bushes near the large oak tree in the northern section of the site. I also saw a single Grey Squirrel in the wooded area in the southern section of the site on the way home.

Finally, there were a few early signs of the approaching spring with some hazel catkins at the usual locations and snowdrops in the cemetery.

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

Goldcrest

Blue Tit
Great Tit
Robin
Dunnock
Chaffinch
Redwing
Blackbird
Song Thrush
House Sparrow
Sparrowhawk
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Green Woodpecker
Jay
Jackdaw
Magpie
Carrion Crow
Woodpigeon
Herring Gull

Red Fox

Reeves’ Muntjac
Grey Squirrel

Here are some photos from my visit ….





























Photo: Red Fox





























Photo: Red Fox




























Photo: male Sparrowhawk




























Photo: male Sparrowhawk




























Photo: Robin




























Photo: Dunnock




























Photo: Dunnock




























Photo: Dunnock




























Photo: Dunnock




























Photo: Dunnock





























Site totals for 2025 to date (2024 totals in brackets):

Birds = 21 (49)

Mammals = 3 (3)
Butterflies = 0 (17)
Dragonflies and damselflies = 0 (11)
Reptiles = 0 (0)
Amphibians = 0 (0)

Total species list for the site

Birds = 67

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

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