Date: 21st March 2025
Time: from 8:30 a.m.
Weather: dry, sunny, light wind, 11°C to 13°C
During my visit, I added another 4 bird species to my site list for 2025 taking it to 29 species:
Grey Heron: a single bird surprisingly seen wading in the south west corner of Willow Pond before quickly disappearing from view and then eventually flying out of the wooded area
Lesser Black-backed Gull: single bird seen flying over Willow Pond
Great Spotted Woodpecker: 1 heard calling in the wooded area near the Spanish Steps
Starling: 1 heard singing/calling in the wooded area near the Spanish Steps
After seeing my first singing male Chiffchaff of the year at the reserve on my last visit on 9th March 2025, I saw 2 singing males during this morning’s visit, the first in trees opposite the storage shed and the second in the area around the boardwalk and Meadow Pond in the eastern section of the reserve.
However, after seeing a briefly singing male Blackcap during my visit on 9th March 2025, I failed to either hear or see this species this morning.
I saw a single Moorhen on Willow Pond and a presumed pair on Meadow Pond plus a male and female Mallard on Willow Pond with 3 other birds flying high over this area.
Bird song was very noticeable this morning and, in addition to the 2 singing male Chiffchaffs, the following were all evident: Robin, Wren, Dunnock, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Blue Tit, Great Tit.
After a successful visit to Benfleet and Hadleigh Downs on 19th March 2025, I was disappointed at not recording a single butterfly species.
Species recorded during this visit were as follows (heard only records in italics):
Chiffchaff
Here are some photos from my visit ....
Photo: male Chiffchaff
Site totals for 2025 to
date (2024 totals in brackets):
Birds = 29 (38)
Total species list for the site:
Birds = 49
Love nature .... act now
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