Nature Watch October

Weather: A cold snap in the middle of October but the rest of the month was mainly mild with rain showers.

Sightings
Plants in flower: Gorse is now showing a few flowers.
Birds: Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Blue/Great/Coal/Long Tailed Tits, Buzzards, Magpies, Jays, Wood pigeons, Crows, Blackbirds, Robins, Song Thrush, Nuthatch, Dartford Warbler, Green/Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Sparrowhawk.
Mammals: Grey Squirrels.

There were fewer finds of fresh Fungi after mid-October, probably due to the cold period mid-month. The majority of the previous months Fungi is deteriorating because of the drop in temperature.
Many birds are now holding their own winter feeding territories, showing aggression to any other birds.
Good news on the sighting of a Dartford Warbler in the Eastern Enclosure as this specie has been absent for two Summers.
The Bat detector failed to record any movement during October.

During November, watch out for winter migrant birds such as Fieldfares, Redwing, Brambling and Siskin coming onto the Reserve to feed and shelter.

Nature Facts

During the month, Fox families started to break up and spread out into new territories. Frogs began to hibernate as the weather became cooler. Bats searched for suitable hibernation sites. Summer bred squirrels dispersed.