Nature Notes September

The weather during September was dominated by heavy rainfall and wind, with a few dry sunny days. The first signs of Autumn were showing. 

SIGHTINGS
Birds:   Carrion Crows, Jackdaws, Magpies, Jays, Buzzards, Black-headed Gulls, Commmon Gulls, Grey Heron, Tawny Owls, Green/Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Wood Pigeons, Stock Doves, Collared Doves, Willow Warblers, Chiff Chaffs, Blackcaps, Tree Creeper, Nuthatches, Wrens, Robins, Blackbird, Song Thrushes, Dunnocks, Stonechats, Greenfinches, Chaffinches, Goldfinches, Bullfinches, Coal/Blue/Great/Long-tailed Tits.
Mammals:  Fox, Pipistrelle Bats, Grey Squirrels, Roe Deer.
Butterflies,/Moths:   Species of day flying Moths, Large White, Speckled Wood,. Peacock, Red Admiral, Comma.
Pond Life:   Pond Skaters, Whirlygig Beetles.
Insects:   Species of Bees and Wasps, Common Grasshopper, Garden Spider, Wasp Spider, Midges, Craneflies.
Dragonfly/Damselfly:   Emperor, Small Red. Four Spot Chaser.
Reptiles:   Slow Worm, Adder.
Plants in flower:   Blackberry flowers and berries, Large White Water Lily, Rowan Tree Berries, Ivy seed heads, Ling Heather, Honeysuckle, Cranesbill, Tormentil.
Fungi:   Fly Agaric, The Blusher, Birch Polypore, Common Puff Balls.

A number of Blackcaps, Willow Warblers, Chiff Chaffs observed feeding and should depart by the end of September.
Spagnum Moss is in healthy growth due to the rainfall  throughout the month.
Pipistrelle Bats have been recorded throughout the month on the dry evenings.
A good number of Fungi species formed throughout the month.
An Adder was spotted swimming across Kingfisher Creek.
The change to the bird song has been noted and sometimes aggressive behaviour, due to establishing individual Winter feeding territories.

Nature Fact

The Adder’s year has two stages and takes place in two habitats.  The timing of each stage is variable and depends on local weather conditions.  From about late September, Adders are inactive, living in underground retreats.   By the end of October or when temperatures fall below nine degrees centigrade, it is unusual to find an Adder above ground.  During the Winter, they make use, often communally, of existing burrows, cracks and crevices, particularly under or among tree roots.  There are two reasons, for sharing a Winter den.  Firstly, there is usually a scarcity of secure, safe sites which give protection from frost, but do not become too dry; secondly, many snakes coiled together help to keep each other warm.