Record from my flat - Common Buzzard

This morning at 11:50 a.m., I initially heard a "mewing" Common Buzzard and then quickly located the bird flying north, albeit very high and distantly.

This is only my third sighting of a Common Buzzard from my flat this year, the first being on 7th June 2026, although I have also seen them on my nearby St. Nicholas Church local patch site.

Summary of Common Buzzard records during the last 6 years:

2021: 11 dates involving 13 birds

2022: 26 dates involving 38 birds

2023: 8 dates involving 8 birds

2024: 3 dates involving 3 birds

2025: 16 dates involving 25 birds

2026: 3 dates involving 3 birds

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Visit to Noak Bridge Nature Reserve – 6th August 2026

Date: 6th August 2026

Time: from 8:45 a.m.

Weather: dry, sunny, light wind, 17°C to 19°C

My first visit to the reserve in August was relatively quiet with few species seen or heard. However, I was able to add another species to my 2026 site list: Green-veined White

During my visit, I recorded 8 species of butterfly: Painted Lady (1), Common Blue (2), Brown Argus (at least 5), Green-veined White (at least 5), Small White (at least 15), Speckled Wood (1), Gatekeeper (1), Meadow Brown (at least 5)

Sightings of dragonflies and damselflies continue to be scarce but at least on this visit I did see 2 “blue” damselflies (presumably Common Blue or Azure) plus a single unidentified damselfly species and a single unidentified dragonfly species.

The notable birds during my visit were as follows:

Blackcap: 1 alarm calling bird heard but unseen

Chiffchaff: 1 calling bird seen plus 2 others heard but unseen

Green Woodpecker: 1 bird heard calling loudly between the Eastfield Road entrance and the storage shed but unseen

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

Blackcap

Chiffchaff

Green Woodpecker

Blue Tit

Great Tit

Long-tailed Tit

Robin

Woodpigeon

Magpie

Painted Lady

Common Blue

Brown Argus

Green-veined White

Small White

Speckled Wood

Gatekeeper

Meadow Brown

Common Blue or Azure Damselfly

Here are some photos from my visit ….

Photo: Brown Argus

Photo: Brown Argus

Photo: Brown Argus

Photo: Brown Argus

Photo: Green-veined White

Photo: Green-veined White

Photo: Green-veined White

Photo: Green-veined White

Photo: Green-veined White

Photo: Small White

Photo: Small White

Photo: Meadow Brown

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

Birds = 32 (34) (39)

Mammals = 2 (3) (3)

Butterflies = 16 (17) (12)

Dragonflies and damselflies = 5 (7) (11)

Reptiles = 0 (1) (0)

Amphibians = 1 (1) (1)

Total species list for the site:

Birds = 52

Mammals = 5

Butterflies = 24

Dragonflies and damselflies = 15

Reptiles = 2

Amphibians = 3

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Visit to St. Nicholas Church and surrounding areas – 3rd August 2026

Date: 3rd August 2026

Time: from 11 a.m.

Weather: dry, sunny, light wind, 24°C to 27°C

I had a delayed start to my visit this morning and when I arrived butterfly activity was very evident but photography was challenging due to the hot weather. I only managed to get a few photos, especially of Painted Ladies, when they briefly landed to feed.

Nonetheless, the spectacle of the super-abundance of butterflies in the Knapweed and Ragwort meadow in the northern section of the site was amazing.

I only recorded 7 species of butterfly but the numbers of 2 of them were far higher than I ever seen in a single location anywhere: Painted Lady (at least 80), Common Blue (at least 40), Small Heath (3), Brown Argus (1), Gatekeeper (at least 15), Large/Small White (at least 10)

Dragonflies and damselflies continue to be very scarce this year both in terms of the number of species and abundance. I saw none on this visit.

It was again remarkably quiet for birds with only 9 species heard and/or seen, the notable records being:

Common Buzzard: initially heard “mewing” and then 2 birds seen soaring together high over the northern section of the site

Blackcap: 1 heard alarm calling in the northern section of the site but none seen

Green Woodpecker: juvenile seen and photographed in the eastern section of the cemetery and another heard calling in the northern section of the site but not seen

With regard to mammals, I recorded a single Grey Squirrel in the eastern section of the cemetery.

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

Common Buzzard

Blackcap

Green Woodpecker

Long-tailed Tit

Goldfinch

House Sparrow

Magpie

Carrion Crow

Woodpigeon

Painted Lady

Common Blue

Small Heath

Brown Argus

Gatekeeper

Large/Small White

Here are some photos from my visit ….

Photo: Painted Lady

Photo: Painted Lady

Photo: Painted Lady

Photo: Painted Lady

Photo: Brown Argus

Photo: Buff-tailed Bumblebee

Photo: Hornet Mimic Hoverfly

Photo: Juvenile Green Woodpecker

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

Birds = 39 (50) (49)

Mammals = 3 (4) (3)

Butterflies = 22 (23) (17)

Dragonflies and damselflies = 6 (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 = 15

Reptiles = 1

Amphibians = 0

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Visit to St. Nicholas Church and surrounding areas – 22nd July 2026

Date: 22nd July 2026

Time: from 9 a.m.

Weather: dry, sunny, light wind, 17°C to 19°C

This morning I visited only the northern section of the site with butterflies being my main focus. It proved to be very successful with 3 further additions to my 2026 site list: Small Copper (1), Brown Argus (1) and Gatekeeper (at least 150!)

My year-to-date site list for butterflies has now increased to 22 species, just a single species short of the highest year total of 23 species in 2023 and 2025.

In addition to the butterfly species mentioned above, I also recorded the following: Painted Lady (7), Small Heath (2), Common Blue (7), Holly Blue (2), Meadow Brown (at least 20)

The remarkable profusion of Knapweed, plus to a lesser extent Ragwort, proved to be particularly attractive to many of the butterflies but autumn is coming with the first blackberries and sloes evident.

I also saw 2 day-flying moth species: Silver-Y (2) and Cinnabar (1 caterpillar)

Dragonflies and damselflies continue to be scarce this year both in terms of the number of species and abundance and I recorded just one male Ruddy Darter.

With regard to mammals, I recorded Red Fox (1 along the access track from Larkins Tyres), Reeves’ Muntjac (very brief views of 2 in the northern section of the site) and Grey Squirrel (1 along the access track from Larkins Tyres)

It was remarkably quiet for birds with only 7 species heard and/or seen, the notable records being:

Blackcap: 3 birds heard alarm calling at various locations in the northern section of the site but none seen

Green Woodpecker: 1 heard calling in the northern section of the site but not seen

Great Spotted Woodpecker: 1 heard calling in the northern section of the site but not seen

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

Blackcap

Green Woodpecker

Great Spotted Woodpecker

Long-tailed Tit

Carrion Crow

Woodpigeon

Herring Gull

Small Copper

Brown Argus

Gatekeeper

Painted Lady

Small Heath

Common Blue

Holly Blue

Meadow Brown

Silver-Y

Cinnabar

Ruddy Darter

Here are some photos from my visit ….

Photo: Painted Lady

Photo: Painted Lady

Photo: Painted Lady

Photo: Painted Lady

Photo: Painted Lady

Photo: Common Blue

Photo: Common Blue

Photo: Common Blue

Photo: Brown Argus

Photo: Holly Blue

Photo: Small Copper

Photo: Small Heath

Photo: Small Heath

Photo: Gatekeeper

Photo: Gatekeeper

Photo: Gatekeeper

Photo: Gatekeeper

Photo: Gatekeeper

Photo: Silver-Y

Photo: Cinnabar caterpillar

Photo: Buff-tailed Bumblebee

Photo: Red Fox

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

Birds = 39 (50) (49)

Mammals = 3 (4) (3)

Butterflies = 22 (23) (17)

Dragonflies and damselflies = 6 (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 = 15

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