Date: 12th April 2026
Time: from 8:30 a.m.
Weather: dry, sunny, moderate wind, 9°C to 11°C
It was sunny but chilly for my visit this morning, especially given the brisk wind.
I walked the complete site this morning and recorded 19 species of birds with some excellent sightings. These included 2 additions to my 2026 site list: Willow Warbler and Lesser Whitethroat
Lesser Whitethroat is a species that I record at the site every year during the spring and early summer but I only recorded Willow Warbler for the first time in 2023. It is a particularly elusive species and, whilst a singing male is very distinctive, I have only actually seen it on a single occasion in 2024.
The notable bird records during my visit were as follows ….
Willow Warbler: singing male heard in the scrub and wooded area behind the pond in the northern section of the site but typically mobile and unseen
Lesser Whitethroat: brief view of a singing male as it flew from one bush to another in the northern section of the site adjacent to the paddock
Blackcap: at least 6 singing males and an alarm calling bird heard across the site with a single male seen in the northern section of the site
Chiffchaff: at least 5 singing males and a calling bird heard across the site but none seen
Green Woodpecker: 1 heard calling in the eastern section of the cemetery
Great Spotted Woodpecker: 1 heard “drumming” briefly in the northern section of the site
Jackdaw: 3 seen flying high over the northern section of the site in a northerly direction
As I arrived in the northern section of the site, I quickly spotted a Red Fox which was largely obscured by vegetation. I think this was the same animal that closely watched me during my last visit on 2nd April 2026!
In addition, I saw 3 Grey Squirrels, 2 in the wooded area at the end of the access track from Larkins Tyres and another in the eastern section of the cemetery.
Finally, it was good to see a few Bluebells emerging in the churchyard.
Site totals for 2026 to date (2025 and 2024 totals in brackets):
Total species list for the site
Love nature .... act now
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