Visit to St. Nicholas Church and surrounding areas – 25th February 2026

Date: 25th February 2026 

Time: from 8:15 a.m.

Weather: dry, sunny, light wind, 10°C to 12°C

After weeks of poor weather, grey at best and rainy at worst, this morning was sunny and relatively warm for my visit.

I recorded 19 species of birds during my visit including another addition to my 2026 site list: Blackcap

My first site record of the year, and anywhere in the UK, of Blackcap was remarkable. I heard a weakly singing male in the wooded area very close to where I live but unfortunately failed to see it.

Given my first site records of the year for the last 3 years (29^th March 2025, 27th March 2024 and 2nd April 2023), I was definitely not expecting to record Blackcap at the end of February! I think this bird was probably an over-wintering bird rather than a newly arrived spring/summer migrant.

Earlier during my visit, my Merlin app had already picked up Blackcap and Chiffchaff (which I am expecting to record for the first time this year in the next 2 weeks) but, even more bizarrely, it also picked up Waxwing, Bittern, Black Redstart and Little Ringed Plover, none of these species being remotely possible on my local patch!

The notable bird records during my visit were as follows ….

Blackcap: weakly singing male heard in the wooded area in the southern section of the site

Redwing: 1 seen along the access track from Larkins Tyres, a flock of c.15 seen in the northern section of the site and another flock of c.25 seen in the central/western section of the cemetery

Chaffinch: 1 seen briefly in flight in the northern section of the site

Great Spotted Woodpecker: 2 seen flying together in the northern section of the site

Green Woodpecker: 1 seen briefly in the south west corner of the site

Jackdaw: 1 seen flying over the northern section of the site

With regard to mammals, I saw a Red Fox in the northern section of the site and 2 Grey Squirrels in the wooded area along the access track from Larkins Tyres.

In addition, and another sign of the coming spring, I saw 3 individual bumblebees across the site, most likely Early Bumblebees.

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

Blackcap

Redwing

Chaffinch

Great Spotted Woodpecker

Green Woodpecker

Jackdaw

Blue Tit 

Great Tit

Long-tailed Tit

Robin

Dunnock

Wren

Blackbird

Song Thrush

Goldfinch

Magpie

Carrion Crow

Woodpigeon

Herring Gull

Red Fox

Grey Squirrel

Here are some photos from my visit ….

Photo: Redwing

Photo: Redwing

Photo: Blue Tit

Photo: Blue Tit

Photo: Magpie

Photo: Magpie

Site totals for 2026 to date (2025 and 2024 totals in brackets): 

Birds = 23 (50) (49)

Mammals = 3 (4) (3)

Butterflies = 0 (23) (17)

Dragonflies and damselflies = 0 (11) (11)

Reptiles = 0 (0) (0)

Amphibians = 0 (0) (0)

Total species list for the site 

Birds = 70

Mammals = 8

Butterflies = 26

Dragonflies and damselflies = 14

Reptiles = 1

Amphibians = 0

Love nature .... act now

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Visit to Noak Bridge Nature Reserve – 24th February 2026

Date: 24th February 2026

Time: from 8:46 a.m.

Weather: dry, cloudy/bright, light wind, 10°C to 12°C

During my visit to the reserve this morning, emerging Cherry Plum blossom at a few locations, together with very evident singing Song Thrushes (at least 2 males) and Robins, were some first signs of spring.

However, the continuing presence of Redwings was a reminder that winter hasn’t quite gone yet.

I am anticipating hearing the first returning singing male Chiffchaffs within the next 2 to 3 weeks, closely followed by the first returning Blackcaps in the first week of April.

During my visit, I added 3 species to my 2026 site list: Moorhen, Mallard, Carrion Crow

The notable bird records during my visit were as follows ….

Moorhen: 2 or possibly 3 birds seen on Willow Pond and 1 or possibly 2 birds on Meadow Pond plus another seen crossing the path near the storage shed (hopefully at least one pair will breed again this year on one of the ponds)

Mallard: male together with a leucistic bird seen on Willow Pond

Redwing: at least 10 seen in the eastern section of the reserve and another seen in bushes alongside the path near the storage shed

I also saw 5 Grey Squirrels: 2 in the wooded area surrounding Willow Pond, 2 in the wooded area between the storage shed and Puckles Pond and another in Thorny Wood

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

Moorhen

Mallard

Redwing

Blue Tit

Great Tit

Long-tailed Tit

Robin

Wren

Song Thrush

Woodpigeon

Jay

Magpie

Carrion Crow

Grey Squirrel

Site totals for 2026 to date (2025 and 2024 totals in brackets):

Birds = 16 (34) (39)

Mammals = 1 (3) (3)

Butterflies = 0 (17) (12)

Dragonflies and damselflies = 0 (7) (11)

Reptiles = 0 (1) (0)

Amphibians = 0 (1) (1)

Total species list for the site:

Birds = 50

Mammals = 5

Butterflies = 23

Dragonflies and damselflies = 15

Reptiles = 2

Amphibians = 3 

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

Visit to St. Nicholas Church and surrounding areas – 8th February 2026

Date: 8th February 2026 

Time: from 8:30 a.m.

Weather: dry, misty/sunny, light wind, 6°C to 9°C

My visit this morning showed that we are now in a transition period with some remaining signs of winter (Redwings still present) but the first signs of spring emerging (“drumming” Great Spotted Woodpeckers and the first snowdrops and daffodils in the churchyard and cemetery).

I recorded 18 species of birds including 3 additions to my 2026 site list: Green Woodpecker (heard only), Great Spotted Woodpecker and Goldfinch.

The notable bird records during my visit were as follows ….

Redwing: a flock of c.100 seen flying over the northern section of the site

Chaffinch: 3 seen in the northern section of the site

Goldfinch: 1 seen flying over the northern section of the site

Great Spotted Woodpecker: 1 heard “drumming” in the northern section of the site and 1 seen “drumming” on the top of the church spire

Green Woodpecker: 1 heard calling distantly in the northern section of the site

Jackdaw: 2 individuals seen flying over the northern section of the site

With regard to mammals, I saw my first Red Fox at the site in 2026, an individual in the western section of the cemetery, and 2 Grey Squirrels, 1 in the wooded area along the access track from Larkins Tyres and 1 in the area south of the church car park.

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

Redwing

Chaffinch

Goldfinch

Great Spotted Woodpecker

Green Woodpecker

Jackdaw

Blue Tit 

Great Tit

Long-tailed Tit

Robin

Dunnock

Wren

Blackbird

Song Thrush

Jay

Magpie

Carrion Crow

Woodpigeon

Herring Gull

Red Fox

Grey Squirrel

Here are some photos from my visit ….

Site totals for 2026 to date (2025 and 2024 totals in brackets): 

Birds = 22 (50) (49)

Mammals = 3 (4) (3)

Butterflies = 0 (23) (17)

Dragonflies and damselflies = 0 (11) (11)

Reptiles = 0 (0) (0)

Amphibians = 0 (0) (0)

Total species list for the site 

Birds = 70

Mammals = 8

Butterflies = 26

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