Nature Watch

The past four weeks have had a real mixture of weather conditions. Cold frosty mornings and nights, mild breezy days with sunshine and heavy rain with storm force winds. During this period the following sightings were recorded on monitoring visits:-

Birds in the woodland

Robins, Blackbirds, Great Tits, Blue Tits, Coal Tits, Long Tailed Tits, Magpies, Crows, Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Nuthatch, Tree Creeper, Wrens, Greenfinch, Chaffinch and a Goldcrest bathing in the stream. A Cock Pheasant recorded in Hazel Wood has also been seen in the gardens of Hazel Drive adjoining the Reserve. The drumming of a pair of Great Spotted Woodpeckers is very evident in Hazel Wood.

Birds on the open heathland

Green Woodpeckers, Jay, Dartford Warblers, Stonechat, Meadow Pipits, Female Reed Bunting and a Snipe in flight.

The air is full of bird song at present with many species already started nest construction or seeking out potential nest sites. Ground nesting birds will be looking for sites at the base of gorse and within the heather. During coming weeks listen out for the arrival of Nightjars which produce a unique call at around dusk on the open heathland. Also the Tree Pipit returns, singing from the tallest pine trees and performing it's parachuting flight to the ground.

Gorse is in full flower at the moment with the sweet scent of coconut. The first blooms of primroses are now showing in Wet Wood.

The resident foxes in Hazel Wood may have produced a litter of cubs in March. Watch out for them during April as they emerge from the Earth on a warm sunny day to sunbathe.

There has been no sign of frog spawn so far.


Recordings made by Christine Wilcox

Nature Fact

If you want to see foxes, you will need to watch the Earth from a safe distance. The best time is at dusk when they are more likely to emerge. Remember to sit downwind and to remain silent as fox's senses of hearing and smell are acute

Site Management

The February Guardian Work Party assisted the Rangers in cutting down Gorse bushes to ground level. This will encourage new growth to shoot from the base stem and develop into healthy young bushes. The clearance and tidying within the Hazel Wood area continues and is an ongoing project.