Trip away from SS15 – RSPB Vange Marsh, Vange, Essex

This morning I visited RSPB Vange Marsh which is only 4 miles from my home and easily reached by local buses although on this occasion I visited whilst I still had the use of a rental car.

RSPB Vange Marsh is a mosaic of wetland habitats with fresh and saltwater lagoons attracting many breeding birds in spring and summer, passage migrant waders especially in late summer and autumn and large numbers of ducks in winter. There are no specific facilities in the way of a visitor centre or hides but nature trails and public footpaths allow viewing over the wetland areas.

The principal issue at RSPB Vange Marsh is that the views are towards the south so bright sunny days are problematic. In addition, birds are always very distant requiring a telescope (which on warm and sunny days creates even worse problems with heat haze) and photography opportunities are extremely limited. On this visit, there was an additional problem with a strong wind.

During my visit, I saw a Spotted Redshank (a black summer-plumaged bird), my first record for 2025 taking my 2025 UK year list taking to 175 species.

The notable sightings from my visit with regard to birds were as follows: Spotted Redshank (1), Black-tailed Godwit (at least 150), Avocet (at least 20), Lapwing (at least 10), Oystercatcher (1), Mute Swan (11), Canada Goose (at least 50), Greylag Goose (at least 10), Little Grebe (1), Coot (at least 50), Moorhen (2), Wigeon (1 male), Mallard (a large moulting flock of at least 100), Common Pochard (at least 5 amongst the Mallards but probably more), Shoveler (at least 1 amongst the Mallards but probably more), Little Egret (3), Swift (1), Lesser Whitethroat (1 unseen singing male), Chiffchaff (2 unseen singing males) 

In addition, I recorded the following butterflies: Marbled White (at least 5), "golden skippers" (at least 20 Large and/or Small and/or Essex Skippers)

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Trip away from SS15 – River Otter, Otterton, Devon – June 2025

In June 2022, I visited the River Otter at Otterton in east Devon for the first time, primarily with the aim of seeing the wild Beavers that are now well-established there .... see here and here.  It proved to be very successful and I saw Beavers during both my evening and early morning visits.

On 22nd and 23rd June 2025, I had my second visit to the location but, despite evening and early morning visits again, the Beavers unfortunately proved to be elusive .... absent!

However, at least other wildlife sightings made the visit worthwhile. The highlight was undoubtedly an exceptionally close view of a Kingfisher that landed on a branch just a few feet away.

Other birds recorded over the 2 days included the following (heard only records in italics): Common Buzzard (2), Sparrowhawk (1), Tawny Owl (male heard calling once), Grey Wagtail (at least 1), Mallard (3 females, each with varying numbers of ducklings of different ages), Blackcap (at least 1 singing male heard), Chiffchaff (at least 2 singing males heard), Swallow (at least 20 over the village and river), House Martin (at least 20 over the village and river), Swift (at least 10 over the river), Shelduck (2 on the nature reserve adjacent to the river), Little Egret (3 on the nature reserve adjacent to the river), Jackdaw, Woodpigeon, Pheasant, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Robin, Wren, Goldfinch, Pied Wagtail

In addition, I saw a group of 7 or 8 male Banded Demoiselles and a single Blue-tailed Damselfly.

Although I didn't see any Beavers this time, here are some of my photos from my visit in June 2022 ....

Here are some links and videos that provide more information on the remarkable and very welcome return of wild Beavers in east Devon ....

Devon Wildlife Trust - Beavers

Devon Wildlife Trust - Where to see Beavers

Beavers Back in Devon

How Beavers fully revitalised this UK river

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Records from my flat - Green Woodpecker and Swifts

My early wake-up call at 6 a.m. was an extremely loud and repeatedly alarm calling Green Woodpecker. This continued for several minutes and clearly the bird was in close proximity. Unfortunately, due to the dense tree cover, I failed to spot it.

I have both heard and seen Green Woodpeckers from my flat occasionally and they are a very regular record on my adjacent St. Nicholas Church local patch.

My recent run of records of Swifts from my flat continued at 7:15 a.m. this morning with 2 "screaming" birds flying right past my window!

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Visit to Noak Bridge Nature Reserve – 20th June 2025

Date: 20th June 2025

Time: from 7:30 a.m.

Weather: dry, sunny, light wind, 18°C to 22°C

I had a long overdue visit to the reserve this morning following my last on 20th May 2025 and, following my very successful visit to my St. Nicholas Church local patch site on 19th June 2025, I was very hopeful in seeing many butterflies and dragonflies and damselflies. 

The morning started well when I saw a Red Fox slowly walking down the path between Asda and the A127 footbridge.

However, it was a very slow start to my visit to the reserve with just a few Meadow Browns to be seen in the Thorny Wood meadow although it became significantly better as the temperature increased.

I had very successful visit and I recorded 6 new species for the site for 2025: Large Skipper (at least 2), Small Skipper (at least 5), Essex Skipper (at least 1), Peacock (1), Large White (2), Black-tailed Skimmer (1)

In addition, I saw a female darter species continually hawking but unfortunately it did not land to enable a photo and specific identification as a first for 2025.

During my visit, I recorded 10 butterfly species and 4 dragonfly/damselfly species. The number of butterfly species that I have recorded in 2025 (13) is already in excess of that recorded in 2024 (12) and only 2 less than the all-time high in 2022 (15).

Other highlights during my visit were as follows:

Chiffchaff: 6 singing males (2 seen)

Blackcap: 4 singing males (1 seen)

Goldcrest: singing male seen in trees behind the storage shed

Stock Dove: unseen calling males heard in the wooded areas around Puckles Pond and Meadow Pond

Great Spotted Woodpecker: 1 seen in the wooded area between the eastern boardwalk and Puckles Pond

Moorhen: 2 seen on Puckles Pond and another calling bird heard on Meadow Pond

Edible Frog: at least 2 heard on Meadow Pond but unseen

Butterflies (in addition to the above): Small White (3), Green-veined White (1), unidentified “golden skipper” species (at least 5), unidentified “white” species (at least 10), Comma (2), Meadow Brown (at least 10), Speckled Wood (2)

Dragonflies and damselflies (in addition to the above): Common Blue Damselfly (at least 5), Azure Damselfly (at least 2), Blue-tailed Damselfly (1)

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

Blackcap

Chiffchaff

Goldcrest

Blue Tit

Great Tit

Long-tailed Tit

Robin

Wren

Dunnock

Blackbird

Song Thrush

Great Spotted Woodpecker

Stock Dove

Woodpigeon

Jay

Magpie

Moorhen

Large Skipper

Small Skipper

Essex Skipper

Peacock

Comma

Speckled Wood

Green-veined White

Large White

Small White

Meadow Brown

Black-tailed Skimmer

Common Blue Damselfly

Azure Damselfly

Blue-tailed Damselfly

Dark Bush-cricket

Here are some photos from my visit ....

Photo: Large Skipper

Photo: Large Skipper

Photo: Small Skipper

Photo: Small Skipper

Photo: Small Skipper

Photo: Small Skipper

Photo: Small Skipper

Photo: Essex Skipper

Photo: Comma

Photo: Comma

Photo: Green-veined White

Photo: Green-veined White

Photo: Small White

Photo: Small White

Photo: Specked Wood

Photo: Meadow Brown

Photo: Meadow Brown

Photo: Meadow Brown

Photo: Black-tailed Skimmer

Photo: Azure Damselfly

Photo: Common Blue Damselfly

Photo: Common Blue Damselfly

Photo: Common Blue Damselfly

Photo: Common Blue Damselfly

Photo: Common Blue Damselfly

Photo: Common Blue Damselfly

Photo: Common Blue Damselfly

Photo: Common Blue Damselfly

Photo: Dark Bush-cricket

Photo: Dark Bush-cricket

Photo: Dark Bush-cricket

Photo: Dark Bush-cricket

Photo: Dark Bush-cricket

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

Birds = 34 (38)

Mammals = 3 (3)

Butterflies = 13 (12)

Dragonflies and damselflies = 6 (11)

Reptiles = 1 (0)

Amphibians = 0 (1)

Total species list for the site:

Birds = 49

Mammals = 5

Butterflies = 22

Dragonflies and damselflies = 15

Reptiles = 2

Amphibians = 3 

Love nature .... act now

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

💚🦆 🦉🦋🐝🦊🦡🌼 🌳💚

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