Blakehill sightings 2025

Home Blakehill Wildlife 2024 

                                        Below: Yellow Wagtails, 25th August (Jon Mercer) 2025 the best year ever for them even better than 2013

                                                                                                                                      Below: Male Wheatear, 30th Mar., juv. 15th July  (both JM)

Below: Marsh Harrier 28th June (Steve Davies)

Above: Yellow Wagtail, 19th August., Skylark 18th Mar. (both JM)

16th Sept:  8-9 Yellow Wagtail, Wheatear, Stonechat  (James Robinson)

13th Sept: Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, 4 Whinchat and 3 Wheatear, a flyover Yellow Wagtail, 2 Meadow Pipit and 4 Common Whitethroat  (JM)

11th Sept.: 20+ Yellow Wagtails with the cattle, 2 Whinchat, 5 Whitethroat (JM)

8th Sept.: Red Kite, pair Redstart, 10+ Wheatear, 2 Whinchat, Lesser Whitethroat, 5+ Common Whitethroat, m Reed Bunting  (JM, Clive Scarlett)

7th Sept: 4 Stonechat, 2 Whinchat, 2 Reed Bunting, 2 Chiffchaff, 1 Wheatear and a male Redstart. A good number of Swallows, 50+, were also passing through. Just a single Red Kite on the raptor front (Ken Cypher)

6th Sept: Clouded Yellow (Rosie Ray)

5th Sept: Kestrel, Stonechat family, 3 Wheatear, 3 Lesser Whitethroat  (Clive Scarlett) 

4th Sept: 6 Whinchats, 4 Stonechats, 3 Wheatears, 1 Redstart, 1 Linnet, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, large group of Willow/Chiffs and tits including Long-tailed, and a Common Whitethroat or two (RG) 

Grey Heron, Red Kite, Kestrel, 3 Yellow Wagtail, c20 Swallow, 6 Lesser Whitethroat, 5 Common Whitethroat, Willow Warbler, 12 Chiffchaff, Goldcrest, 2 Reed Bunting  (Simon Gathercole)

3rd Sept: Red Kite, Kestrel, 30+ Swallow, 3 Wheatear, Whinchat, Common Whitethroat  (JM)

1st Sept.: Red Kite, small Swallow passage heading SW, Redstart, 2 Stonechat, 3 Raven  (RG, JohnD)

31st Aug: 2 Stonechat, Whitethroat, Red Kite (Ben Sykes)

29th Aug: Hobby, Barn owl, Wheatear at sunset (JM)

28th Aug: Sparrowhawk (caught prey, a Common Whitethroat), Barn Owl at dusk, Yellow Wagtail, 2 Wheatear, 5+ Common Whitethroat  (JM)

27th Aug: Red Kite, Kestrel, 50+ Yellow Wagtail still, Whinchat, Wheatear, family party Stonechat, Common Whitethroat  (Clive Scarlet)

26th Aug: A flock of 50-60 Yellow Wagtails in total across the 2 cattle fields, all flushed by a female Sparrowhawk so I did a rough count! Also 3 Wheatear and 2 Whinchat, 30+ Swallow (JM)

Lesser Whitethroat, 5 Yellow Wagtail, Whinchat, 4 Wheatear  (Tim Salkeld)

25th Aug: Red Kite, 30+ Yellow Wagtail, 4 Whinchat, 8 Wheatear, 5 Stonechat (3 juv), Redstart, 2 Common Whitethroat, Lesser Whitethroat (RG, John Durell, Jane Deacon, Robin Smith, Clive Scarlett, Tim Salkeld) 

24th Aug: Spotted Flycatcher, 3 Whinchat, 4 Wheatear, m Redstart, Yellow Wagtail, Lesser Whitethroat, 6+ Common Whitethroat (JM)

23rd Aug, 20+ flighty Yellow Wagtails among the cattle (JM)

21st Aug: 2 Red Kite, 3 Wheatear, 3 Whinchat, 5+ Common Whitethroat   (JM)

20th Aug: 2 Whinchat, Redstart, Stonechat, Common Whitethroat (RG,JohnD, JaneD)

19th Aug: 4 Wheatears, 2 Yellow Wagtails with the cattle and a Green Sandpiper flew over calling, heading east - the 7th record, first since 2021. (JM) 

18th Aug: Hobby, Yellow Wagtail, 20+ Swallow, 2 Redstart, Wheatear  (Matt Pringle, Robin Smith)

16th Aug: Redstart, Wheatear, Lesser Whitethroat  (Scott Punter)

15th Aug: Redstart, Common Whitethroat, 2 Kestrels, 2 Common Lizards, Brown Hairstreak (RG,JohnD)

Butterfly transect week 20: Brimstone 1, Small White 4, Green-veined White 3, Brown Hairstreak 1, Small Copper 3, Common Blue 17, Speckled Wood 2, Gatekeeper 1, Meadow Brown 29, Small Heath 28, Shaded Broad-bar 1, Common Darter 5

14th Aug. 2 Red Kite, Yellow Wagtail, 4 possibly 5 Redstarts, Wheatear, 10+ Common Whitethroat, 2 Lesser Whitethroat  (JM)

13th Aug. 3 Stonechats (male + 2 juvs), 2 Redstarts, 2 Reed Buntings (RG,JohnD)

Yellow Wagtail, 2 Redstarts (Ken Cypher, JM)

12th Aug. 3 Redstarts, Stonechat, Common Whitethroat, Clouded Yellow, Southern Hawker (JM)

11th Aug. Weasel with vole (JM)

9th Aug: Wheatear 1, Redstart 2, Stonechat family of 4 (JM)

8th Aug. Wheatear, 3 Redstarts, Common Whitethroat, 2 Red Kites, Hummingbird Hawk-moth (RG)

Butterfly transect week 19: Large White 1, Small White 7, Green-veined White 2, Small Copper, Common Blue 38, Holly Blue 1, Small Tortoiseshell 1, Speckled Wood 1, Gatekeeper 2, Meadow Brown 37, Small Heath 44, Yellow Shell 1, Hummingbird Hawk-moth 1, Migrant Hawker 1, Common Darter 2, Black-tailed Skimmer 1

4th Aug: Barn Owl before dusk, Redstart (JM)

2nd Aug.  2 Common Buzzard, Kestrel, 2 Redstart, Stonechat family (JM) 

1st Aug. Red Kite, 2 Kestrel, fem/imm Redstart, Stonechat family, Common Whitethroat,, Chiffchaff, c10 Linnet  (James Robinson, RG)

Lesser Whitethroat family, Willow Warbler (James Robinson)

Butterfly transect week 18: Large White 2, Common Blue 14, Holly Blue 1, Speckled Wood 5, Gatekeeper 62, Meadow Brown 50, Small Heath 14, Shaded Broad-bar 2, Yellow Shell 8, Magpie Moth 2, Migrant Hawker 1

30th July: Hobby - the first at Blakehill since 23rd Sept 2024 -   caught Skylark, 2 Redstarts (JM,Clive Scarlett)

26th July: Osprey flew NW towards CWP, the fourth for Blakehill, first three being in 2010, 2023 and 2024,  Redstart, Chiffchaff,15 plus Long tail Tits, family of Common Whitethroats, family of Stonechats, Great spotted Woodpecker, Kestrel, charm of Goldfinch, Emperor Dragonfly (Mick & Sarah Smart)

 25th July: 2 Stonechats (male and juv.), Redstart, family of Common Whitethroats, 3 Linnets, Kestrel  (RG, JohnD)

Butterfly transect week 17: Large White 7, Small White 2, Common Blue 28, Gatekeeper 153, Meadow Brown 79, Ringlet 1, Small Heath 16, Shaded Broad-bar 3, Humming-bird Hawk-moth 1, Emperor 1, Banded Demoiselle 1

21st July: Redstart (JM)

19th July:  2 Red Kite, Common Buzzard, male Redstart, 6 Common Whitethroat  (JM)

18th July: 2 Redstart, Stonechat, 5+ Linnet (RG)

Butterfly transect week 16: Small Skipper 4, Large White 3, Small White 2, Small Copper 1, Common Blue 26, Holly Blue 1, Peacock 2, Gatekeeper 315, Meadow Brown 77, Small Heath 5, Shaded Broad-bar 4, Emperor 1

17th July: Redstart (Stephen Edwards)

15th July: male Marsh Harrier, 4 Red Kite, 4 Swift, Sand Martin, juv-type Wheatear, Stonechat family party, 5 Common Whitethroat, Reed Bunting (JM) 

13th July: Wheatear  (Clive Scarlet) - probably the earliest ever in "autumn" at Blakehill - a juv on 23rd July 2020 looked too young for migration and was suspected as having been bred locally, though this was never proved nor authenticated.

9th July: 2 Redstart, family party Stonechat, 2 family parties of Common Whitethroat, 2 family parties of Linnet, Brown Hairstreak  (RG, JohnD) 

Butterfly transect week 15: Small Skipper 29, Brimstone 1, Large White 8, Green-veined White 6, Brown Hairstreak 1, Small Copper 4, Common Blue 11, Red Admiral 4, Peacock 1, Speckled Wood 1, Marbled White 19, Gatekeeper 324, Meadow Brown 112, Ringlet 39, Small Heath 1, Shaded Broad-bar 3, Brown Hawker 2, Emperor 1

7th July: Family of 4 Ravens (JM)

6th July: 2 Green Woodpecker, 20+ Skylark, 3 Stonechat, 6 Long-tailed Tit, 6 Whitethroat, 7 Goldfinch, m Bullfinch, Reed Bunting  (Mick & Sarah Smart)

4th July: 2 Barn Owls reported hunting the plateau late evening (JM)

2nd July: Butterfly transect week 14: Small Skipper 14, Large Skipper 4, Small White 2, Green-veined White 7, Brown Hairstreak 1, Small Copper 2, Common Blue 1, Holly Blue 1, Red Admiral 4, Painted Lady 1, Peacock 11, Marbled White 43, Gatekeeper 113, Meadow Brown 135, Ringlet 181, Small Heath 1, Six-spot Burnet, Cinnabar, 3 Yellowshell, 3 Emperor, 1 Common Darter

Meadow Pipit, 2 Redstarts, 3 Linnets, Stonechats feeding young again.

The Meadow Pipit was seen and heard in song on the plateau - the first time this has been observed (to my knowledge) since 2010 (the last year of breeding), apart from a report of "some" being seen on 26th June 2013. (RG, JohnD, HS)

28th June: Marsh Harrier,  3 Red Kite, Buzzard, Great Spotted Woodpecker, 10 Swallows, Skylarks, Jay, Pied Wagtail, Bullfinch, Blackcap, 3

Whitethroat, 3 Chiffchaff. 3 Migrant Hawkers, Common Blue Damselflies (Steve Davies)

Pair Stonechats with the male actually singing - I have not heard that here before; singing Reed Bunting and Linnet and a couple of singing Common Whitethroats, plus adult feeding young, 4 Red Kites, f Kestrel, Swift, Swallow  (RG, JM)

Butterfly transect week 13: Small Skipper 48, Large Skipper 9, Brimstone 2, Large White 4, Small White 8, Green-veined White 10, Red Admiral 1, Peacock 6, Comma 1, Marbled White 101, Gatekeeper 4, Meadow Brown 162, Ringlet 161, Small Heath 1, Yellowshell 1, Hummingbird Hawk-moth 1, Brown Hawker 1, Empror 1, Common Darter 1, Black-tailed Skimmer 1 

23rd June: 2 Redstarts, 5 Stonechats (two families), 3 Common Whitethroats (family),  5 Linnets (family), Skylark feeding young, Red Kite  (RG, RS)

Butterfly transect week 12: Small Skipper 30, Large Skipper 30, Small White 1, Green-veined White 1, Comma 1, Marbled White 76, Meadow Brwon 149, Ringlet 70, Small Heath 5, Shaded Broad-bar 1, Yellowshell 10, Hummingbird Hawk-moth 1, Brown Hawker 1, Emperor 2, Common Darter 1 (RG,RS)

16th June: Butterfly transect week 11: Small Skipper 3, Large Skipper 20, Green-veined White 1, Common Blue 2, Small Tortoiseshell 4, Marbled White 54, Meadow Brown 101, Ringlet 19, Small Heath 9, Burnet Companion 1, Yellowshell 14, 6 Pyramidal Orchids (JaneD, JohnD)

8th June: 2 House Martin, 6 Swallow, and small numbers of Swift moving through continuously for much of the time we were there. Also a single male Stonechat, a Jay, a Great Spotted Woodpecker and 2 Green Woodpecker. On the raptor front, 2 Marsh Harrier - first multiple appearance ths year -  and 3 Red Kite (Ken Cypher)

4th June: Barn Owl (JM) pair Stonechats (RG)

Butterfly transect week 10: Large Skipper 26, Common Blue 4, Small Tortoiseshell 8, Meadow Brown 12, Small Heath 4, Cinnabar, Yellowshell 2, NB5SB c65 (RG,JaneD)

2nd June: Pair Stonechats plus (1?) juv.; Lesser Whitethroat ad + juv., Garden Warbler 

Butterfly transect week 9: Large Skipper 30, Common Blue 9, Painted Lady 3, Small Tortoiseshell 3, Speckled Wood 1, Meadow Brown 13, Small Heath 15, Cinnabar, Burnet Companion, 2 Yellow Shell, c60 NB5SB, Emperor Dragonfly (RG,SH,JohnD)

22nd May: Curlew calling both ends of the site so still may be two pairs? Male Stonechat with one juv., Garden Warbler, and my first Blakehill Willow Warbler this year! 3 Red Kites, 3 Buzzards, Kestrel with food for young 

Butterfly transect week 8: 6 Large Skippers, 14 Common Blues, 1 Painted lady, 18 Small Heaths, 2 Burnet Companions, 3 Yellow Shell, 1 Green Carpet, 2 Foresters, 1 Scorched Wing, 2 Celypha lacunana, Small Eggar caterpillars

16th May: 3 Curlew, 2 Stonechat, 2 Raven, Marsh Harrier and numerous Skylark (Ken Cypher)

14th May: Pair Stonechats with three young on west side (as last year) but no sign of the eastern pair since 8th April. Also Cuckoo calling (the one with the hoarse voice!), Lesser Whitethroat, Garden Warbler, Red Kite but no sign of Curlews, Linnets or Willow Warblers today. 

Butterfly Transect week 7: 2 Brimstones, 2 Green-veined Whites, 11 Common Blues, 1 Red Admiral, 1 Painted Lady, 1 Peacock, 31 Small Heaths, 2 Plain Fanners, 1 Common Marbled Carpet, 1 Beautiful Demoiselle

11th May: Butterfly Transect week 6: 6 Brimstones, 1 Orange tip, 1 Small Copper, 1 Common Blue, 1 Painted Lady, 1 Peacock, 1 Speckled wood, 32 Small Heaths, 1 Small Yellow Underwing, 1 Four Spotted Chaser

2nd May: Cuckoo, pair Stonechats, Reed Warbler - 6th record, first since 2021, 2 Lesser Whitethroats, no sign of Curlews.

Butterfly Transect week 5: 6 Brimstones, 2 Large Whites, 2 Green-veined Whites, 9 Orange Tips, 3 Peacocks, 2 Speckled Woods, 3 Small Heaths

28th April: Curlew, Cuckoo, pair Stonechat, 3 Lesser Whitethroat, Garden Warbler, Reed Bunting  (RG)

Butterfly transect week 4: 7 Brimstones, 1 Large White, 2 Green-veined White, 12 Orange Tip, 5 Peacock, 4 Speckled Wood, 2 unidentified whites, 1 Common Carpet

27th April: Ring Ouzel (Anon.)

26th April: 2 Curlew, Cuckoo, 7 Swallow, 2 House Martin, 2 Wheatear, Whinchat, Lesser Whitethroat  (Matt Pringle) 

Fem. Ring Ouzel  (James Robinson)

24th April: 2 Curlew, Cuckoo, Red Kite, Wheatear, 2 Stonechat, 4 Lesser Whitethroat, c8 Whitethroat, Reed Bunting (RG)  

23rd April: Barn Owl, 3 Curlew, 4 Wheatear, pair Stonechat, 3 Common Whitethroat  (Clive Scarlett, Pete Jackson) 

22nd April: Cuckoo (JM)

21st April: Curlew, Cuckoo, 3 Common Whitethroat, m Reed Bunting  (JM)

20th April: Ring Ouzel, 6 Whitethroat, 4 Willow Warbler, 4 Chiffchaff, Curlew, Red Kite, Reed Bunting, Swallow. (Scott Punter)

19th April: Cuckoo, Curlew, 4 Whitethroat, Red Kite  (Ben Sykes)

18th April:3 Red Kite, Common Buzzard, Kestrel, Curlew, Great Black-backed Gull - the first for Blakehill, Barn Owl, Meadow Pipit, 2 Yellow Wagtail, 3 Swallow, male Ring Ouzel still, 2 Whinchat, 2 Wheatear, m Stonechat, Lesser Whitethroat, 6 Common Whitethroat, Reed Bunting  (Matt Pringle, Tim Salkeld, JM) 

15th April: Ring Ouzel, 5 Whinchats, Red Kite, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, Barn Owl, 15+ Meadow Pipit, Swallow, 6 Wheatear, Sedge Warbler - 9th record, Willow Warbler (Nigel Sluman, JM, Ken Cypher, Tim Salkeld, Lisa Hume, David Betteridge) Curlew - 1, possibly 2 singing, Stonechat, 4 Common Whitethroats, Reed Bunting (RG), 

Butterfly transect week 3: Brimstone 1, Orange Tip 5, 1 Peacock, 4 Speckled Wood

14th April: 1 male Ring Ouzel still, also 2 Red Kite, Common Buzzard, 2 Kestrel, 3 Curlew, Green Woodpecker, m Stonechat, 4 Whinchat, 3 Wheatear, 3 Common Whitethroat, male Reed Bunting ( JM, Clive Scarlett, Roger Gillespie, Harry Boorman, Robin Smith)

13th April: 2 male Ring Ouzel - the ninth (or tenth) ever, first since 2021 (JM), 4 Whinchat, pair of Redstart (JR) and 3 Wheatear – also a Whimbrel on the plateau, 3 Curlew, Red Kite, Buzzard, Green Woodpecker, 2 Common Whitethroat, 2 Swallow ( JM, James Robinson, Clive Scarlett, Nigel Pleass, Elliott Horton, Pete Jackson, RG). 

12th April: 2 Yellow Wagtails (Anon.) Red Kite, Buzzard, Kestrel, 2 Whimbrel flew N,- the earliest ever by 6 days (previous, 18th April 2023) 4 Curlew, 50+ Meadow Pipit, 8 Wheatear (KC), pair Stonechat, Common Whitethroat, Reed Bunting, Raven (JM, Ken Cypher) 

10th April: Red Kite, Kestrel, Curlew calling, 30+ Meadow Pipit, Stonechat, Common Whitethroat, Reed Bunting ( Roger Gillespie)

8th April: Common Whitethroat (earliest ever by one day, 9th April 2006 was the former earliest.) Wheatear, 3 Stonechats (one was dust-bathing), c50 Meadow Pipits, Swallow, 2 Linnets, Green Woodpecker, 2 Kestrels (RG)

Butterfly transect week 2:  1 Brimstone, 1 Small White. 3 Orange Tip, 6 Peacock, 1 Comma, 2 Speckled Wood

6th April: Willow Warbler (Anon.)

5th April: Grey Heron, 3 Red Kite, Kestrel, Green Woodpecker, m Stonechat, m Wheatear (TS), 12+ Linnet, Reed Bunting  (JM, Tim Salkeld)

3rd April: 4 Curlews, 22 singing Skylarks (Stephen Edwards)

1st April: Curlew, Little Egret, 2 Red Kites, 3 Stonechats, c8 Linnets, 3 Reed Buntings (RG,AM)

Butterfly transect week 1: Peacock 9, also Small Tortoiseshell off transect - first for the year anywhere!

31st Mar: Sparrowhawk, Common Buzzard, Red Kite, Curlew calling, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Pied Wagtail, 8 Meadow Pipit, m Stonechat, 2m Wheatear, Long-tailed Tit, Willow Warbler - first for the year, 11 Linnet  (Simon Gathercole, JM) 

30th Mar: Wheatear (Roger Gillespie, Jon Mercer)

29th Mar: Wheatear (Steve Birt)

25th Mar: Pair Curlew in display flight, Green Woodpecker, 2 Meadow Pipit, f Stonechat, Redwing, 2 pairs Reed Bunting, 4 Linnet (JM)

24th Mar: 3 Stonechat, Skylark chorus (Tim Salkeld)

23rd March: Common Snipe, 35 Fieldfares, 15 Redwings, pair Stonechats, 3 Long-tailed Tits, Green Woodpecker, Skylark chorus (RG)

19th Mar. Wheatear (JM)

18th Mar: 2 Buzzard, Red Kite, pair Kestrel, 25+ Meadow Pipit, good numbers singing Skylark , Redwing, pair Stonechat, pair Raven (JM)

Common Snipe (Nick Self)

5th Mar: Wheatear reported - the earliest ever by 7 days (Anon.)

2nd Mar: 2 Curlew calling and feeding on plateau - first for the year, Green Woodpecker, pair Stonechat, 5 Redwing, singing Song Thrush, singing Reed Bunting (Jon Mercer)

1st Mar: Common Snipe, pair Ravens soaring and displaying with Common Buzzard, pair Reed Buntings, Redwing, Linnet, pair Long-tailed Tits, Skylarks singing (RG)

25th Feb: Singing Skylarks, pair Stonechat, 10 Redwing (Tim Clark)

24th Feb: Stoke Common Meadows: 17 Common Snipe, 10 Meadow Pipits, Red Kite, Mistle Thrush (RG)

Woodcock flushed from hedgerow SW of reserve 10.15am, the first at Blakehill since Jan 2020, c15 Redwings, (RG)

17th Feb: Stoke Common: 4 Jays, 2 Snipe, a Stonechat and a flock of 30 Lapwings  (Nick Self)

11th Feb:  Pair Stonechats, 3 singing Song Thrushes, 3 Bullfinches (RG)

Common Snipe, Buzzard, Green Woodpecker, drumming Great Spotted Woodpecker, pair Stonechat, 5+ Fieldfare, singing Song Thrush, singing Chaffinch, Reed Bunting, displaying Raven (JM)

10th Jan: Barn Owl hunting plateau at 2.20pm (Joe Hilliard) 

9th Jan: Barn Owl over plateau, then flew west towards nest box oak tree 2.45pm, 25 Golden Plovers flew west, the first since Nov. 2022, pair Stonechats, 2 Redwings, 2 Fieldfares, 2 Meadow Pipits, Reed Bunting, Skylark (RG)

8th Jan: Snipe, Stonechat (Anon.) 

7th January: Common Gull, Barn Owl, Redwing, m and f Reed Bunting  (Tim Clark)

4th January: Buzzard, 100+ Redwing with only 3 Fieldfare, pair Stonechat, 4 Bullfinch (2m, 2f) m Reed Bunting (Jon Mercer)

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