Date: 9th March 2025
Time: from 8:55 a.m.
Weather: dry, sunny, light wind, 8°C to 10°C
I had an exceptionally good visit to the reserve this morning with 21 bird species plus 2 mammal species recorded.
This included 7 species added to my 2025 site list …. Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Goldcrest, Redwing, Common Buzzard, Green Woodpecker, Jackdaw
After hearing my first singing male Chiffchaffs at my St. Nicholas Church local patch site yesterday and hearing another in the wooded area adjacent to the path from Pipps Hill to the A127 footbridge on the way to the reserve, I was fairly confident in successfully hearing and/or seeing this species during my visit.
However, I first had success with a repeatedly singing male and presumed female Goldcrest in the ivy-clad trees by the “Spanish Steps” and then a briefly singing male Blackcap in the wooded area just along from the “Spanish Steps”. I managed to photograph both species.
I was beginning to wonder if I was going to be unsuccessful with Chiffchaff but I finally heard and then saw a singing male in the area around the start of the boardwalk at the eastern end of the reserve. Again, I was able to photograph this bird.
These were much earlier
first records of the year for Chiffchaff and Blackcap than
in the previous 2 years.
Chiffchaff: 20th March 2024 and 5th April 2023
Blackcap: 20th March 2024 and 8th April 2023
At Fox Pond, I unexpectedly flushed at least 5 Redwings who must have been foraging in the leaf litter at the edge of the pond.
Therefore, having seen my first arriving
spring/summer migrant Blackcap and Chiffchaff, I also saw lingering
winter Redwings. There is a period of just a few weeks where these
migrant species overlap.
As I returned along the track to the storage shed, I had a brief view of a soaring Common Buzzard through the tree canopy but by the time that I reached the open area the bird had disappeared so unfortunately I could not photograph it.
Finally, I saw a single Jackdaw flying over Willow Pond and heard a distant calling Green Woodpecker from this location too.
I saw a single Moorhen on both Willow Pond and Meadow Pond and a male and female Mallard on the latter.
With regard to mammals, I again had a brief sighting of a Red Fox at Meadow Pond plus a Grey Squirrel in the wooded area adjacent to the track from the “Spanish Steps”.
After I had almost reached home, I heard another briefly and weakly singing male Blackcap in Basildon Road.
Species recorded during this visit were as follows (heard only records in italics):
Blackcap
Red Fox
Here are some photos from my visit ....
Photo: male Blackcap
Photo: male Chiffchaff
Photo: male Chiffchaff
Site totals for 2025 to
date (2024 totals in brackets):
Birds = 25 (38)
Total species list for the site:
Birds = 49
Love nature .... act now
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