Thursday, 19 June 2025

Visit to St. Nicholas Church and surrounding areas – 19th June 2025

Date: 19th June 2025

Time: from 7:15 a.m.

Weather: dry, sunny, light wind, 20°C to 22°C

Prompted by the success of my last visit on 15th June 2025 and the very warm early morning weather, I had another visit to the site with butterflies and dragonflies and damselflies being my main target groups of species.

It proved to be another very successful visit and I recorded 4 new species for the site for 2025Marbled White (at least 10), Small Tortoiseshell (1), Ringlet (1), Common Blue Damselfly (at least 1 but possibly more with c.5 Common Blue and/or Azure Damselflies seen but identification not confirmed)

During my visit, I recorded 11 butterfly species and 6 dragonfly/damselfly species. The number of butterfly species that I have recorded in 2025 (19) is already in excess of that recorded in 2024 (17).

The other highlights during my visit were as follows:

Swift: 1 “screaming” bird seen flying high over the church

Chiffchaff: singing male seen in the northern section of the site, another bird seen feeding around the pond in the northern section of the site plus 5 unseen singing males

Blackcap: male and female seen in the northern section of the site plus 4 unseen singing males

Goldcrest: singing male heard in the wooded area between the access track from Larkins Tyres and the eastern section of the cemetery

Stock Dove: calling male heard in wooded area at the far end of the northern section of the site and another calling male heard in the wooded area in the southern section of the site

Green Woodpecker: 1 seen in the eastern section of the cemetery

Great Spotted Woodpecker: calling bird seen flying high over the northern section of the site and another seen in the western section of the cemetery

Blue Tit: at least 20 (including many juveniles) seen feeding around and bathing in the pond in the northern section of the site

Robin: 4 juveniles seen along the access track from Larkins Tyres

Butterflies (in addition to the above)Large Skipper (at least 4), Small Skipper (at least 8), Essex Skipper (at least 1), unidentified “golden skipper” species (at least 50), Comma (1), Holly Blue (1), Meadow Brown (at least 65), Large White (at least 5), Small White (at least 2)

Dragonflies and damselflies (in addition to the above): Emperor Dragonfly (1), Four-spotted Chaser (2), unidentified darter species (3), Common Blue and/or Azure Damselflies (c.5), Blue-tailed Damselfly (1)

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

Swift

Blackcap
Chiffchaff
Goldcrest
Blue Tit
Robin
Wren
Dunnock
Song Thrush
Blackbird
House Sparrow
Starling
Green Woodpecker
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Jay
Magpie
Stock Dove
Woodpigeon
Herring Gull

Marbled White

Small Tortoiseshell
Ringlet
Large Skipper
Small Skipper
Essex Skipper
Holly Blue
Comma
Large White
Small White
Meadow Brown

Five-spot Burnet

Burnet Companion

Emperor Dragonfly

Four-spotted Chaser
Common Blue Damselfly
Azure Damselfly
Blue-tailed Damselfly
Unidentified darter species

Here are some photos from my visit:
















Photo: Marbled Whites

Photo: Marbled Whites
















Photo: Small Tortoiseshell
















Photo: Small Tortoiseshell
















Photo: Small Tortoiseshell
















Photo: Ringlet
















Photo: Small Skipper
















Photo: Small Skipper

Photo: Small Skipper

Photo: Small Skipper

Photo: Small Skipper

Photo: Small Skipper

Photo: Small Skipper

Photo: Small Skipper
















Photo: Large Skipper
















Photo: Large Skipper

Photo: Large Skipper

Photo: Large Skipper
















Photo: Essex Skipper
















Photo: Small White
















Photo: Small White
















Photo: Meadow Brown

Photo: Meadow Brown
















Photo: Holly Blue
















Photo: Comma
















Photo: Comma
















Photo: Four-spotted Chaser

Photo: Four-spotted Chaser

Photo: Four-spotted Chaser

Photo: Four-spotted Chaser
















Photo: Common Blue Damselfly
















Photo: Five-spot Burnet

Photo: Five-spot Burnet chrysalis case

Photo: Five-spot Burnet

Photo: Five-spot Burnets
















Photo: Burnet Companion

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

Birds = 43 (49)

Mammals = 3 (3)
Butterflies = 19 (17)
Dragonflies and damselflies = 7 (11)
Reptiles = 0 (0)
Amphibians = 0 (0) 

Total species list for the site 

Birds = 69

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

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