Work Party Tuesday 10th Feb

Meet at the West Moors Road entrance for 10am.  The noticeboard here has had to be repaired and needs resiting.  Depending on numbers, we may split, leaving a group to continue the installation  whilst the remainder carries out scrub clearance further out on the heath.  As always, refreshments available.  Please contact Will Holland on 07827 820465 if you have any queries.

Nature Notes January

January was a cold month on the whole bringing heavy rain, sleet and frosts.  

SIGHTINGS
Birds:   Buzzards, Carrion Crows, Jackdaws, Magpies, Jays, Wood Pigeons, Green/Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Black-headed Gulls, Coal/Blue/Great/Long-tailed Tits, Dunnocks, Blackbirds, Song Thrushes, Robins, Nuthatches, Wrens, Goldcrest, Chaffinches, Bullfinches, Goldfinches, Greenfinches, Siskins, Grey Wagtail.
Mammals:   Grey Squirrels.
Plants in Flower:   Common Gorse.

Nature Fact

Winter, life in the cold season  -  Most insects lie dormant, buried in whatever nook or cranny offers them the best protection from cold and predators.   Many moths and butterflies overwinter as pupae although some adults, such as those of the Brimstone and Tortoiseshell butterflies, also overwinter successfully. The key to the survival of many so-called ‘cold hardy’ insects lies in the conversion of blood sugar to glycerol which acts as a diluted anti-freeze thereby protecting vital tissues against prolonged sub-zero temperatures.