So, another year has drawn to a close.
In January 2025, I had a trip to, from and around the Swiss Alps by train. This was not a wildlife trip and my binoculars, telescope, camera and long telephoto lens did not travel with me. It was primarily an opportunity to travel on and experience some of the epic scenic train routes in the Swiss Alps, most notably the Glacier Express, Bernina Express and Gornergrat Bahn.
Nonetheless, I did have some notable wildlife sightings during this trip, especially at the end of the short 9.4 km/5.8 miles trip on the Gornergrat Bahn from Zermatt at 1604 metres/5262 feet to the Gornergrat summit at 3089 metres/10135 feet.
With regard to UK birds, my 2025 UK year list closed on 197 species, the lowest total since the 185 species that I recorded in 2021. I normally expect to see 205 to 220 species in a year.
However, despite a relatively poor year, I was still able to add a single species to my UK life list during 2025, namely Siberian Chiffchaff (a single male) at RSPB Titchwell during my last trip of the year to Norfolk in December. This took my UK life list to 356 species.
But on to my local patches in SS15 ….
Watching and photographing Red Foxes on my St. Nicholas Church local patch site was as rewarding as ever, although unfortunately I again failed to locate any cubs in spring. My photos appeared in my blog posts over the past year but are also featured on my Flickr site. Here are some of my favourites ....
Local patch sites
In SS15, I had a very successful and productive year at both my local patch sites: St. Nicholas Church and surrounding areas and Noak Bridge Nature Reserve.
Total number of species recorded in 2025 across both local patch sites (+/- on 2024 in brackets):
I was able to add 2 new species to my all time site total for St. Nicholas Church and surrounding areas (Hawfinch and Clouded Yellow) and 1 new species to my all time site total for Noak Bridge Nature Reserve (Reeves’ Muntjac).
St. Nicholas Church and surrounding areas
Total species recorded - all time:
Total species recorded - 2025 (+/- on 2024 in brackets):
2025 proved to be my best year for the number of bird species (50) since I started recording regularly in 2021.
The number of butterfly species that I recorded during 2025 (23) showed a marked increase on that for 2024 (17).
I recorded 2 new species for the site during 2025: Hawfinch and Clouded Yellow
Noak Bridge Nature Reserve
Total species recorded - all time:
Total species recorded - 2025 (+/- on 2024 in brackets):
With regard to bird species, after 3 successive years recording an increase in the number of species, 2025 saw a decrease (34) and the lowest total since 2022 (30).
Again, the number of butterfly species that I recorded during 2025 (17) showed a marked increase on that for 2024 (12).
I recorded 1 new species for the site during 2025: Reeves’ Muntjac
Other
notable records
Away from my local patches and in the immediate vicinity of where I live, I recorded both Garden Warbler and, even more remarkably given the absence of any typical habitat, Reed Warbler. I saw neither species but both birds were singing males that I identified by their song.
Love nature .... act now
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