Nature Notes June

June was mostly cool and windy, with a few very warm days.

SIGHTINGS 
Birds:   Buzzards, Jackdaws, Carrion Crows, Common Gulls, Black-headed Gulls, Magpies, Tawny Owl, Green/Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Nightjar, Siskins, Tree Pipits, Wood Pigeons, Stock Doves, Blackbirds, Robins, Wrens, Song Thrushes, Chaffinches, Bullfinches, Goldfinches, Greenfinches, Nuthatch, Dunnocks, Coal/Blue/Great/Long-tailed Tits.
Mammals:   Wood Mice, Grey Squirrels, Pipistrelle Bats, Roe Deer, Moles.
Dragonfly/Damselfly:   Small Red,  Common Blue, Broad Bodied.
Pond Life/Insects:   Species of Bee, Species of Fly, Green Tiger Beetle, Water Boatman, Pond Skaters, Minnow, Raft Spider.
Moths/Butterflies:   Brimstone, Holly Blue, Large/Small Whites, Silver-studded Blue, Peacock, Small Skipper, Species of day flying Moths.
Reptiles/Amphibians:   Common Lizard, Slow Worm.
Plants in flower:   Common Gorse, Cotton Grass, Ling, Bell Heather, Bog Asphodel.

A Nightjar was heard on the central heath at dusk on most evenings.
Tree Pipits were seen parachuting to ground from Pine treetops.
A small number of Silver-studded Blue Butterflies were seen in the last week of the month.

Nature Notes May

May delivered a mixture of weather, mostly cool, wet and windy, with a few days of warm sunshine in contrast.

SIGHTINGS
Birds:   Sparrowhawk, Jackdaws, Heron, Common/Black-headed Gulls, Carrion Crows, Magpies, Jays, Buzzards, Green/Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Nightjar, Tree Pipits, Blackbirds, Robins, Wrens, Goldcrests, Song Thrushes, Coal/Blue/Great/Long-tailed Tits, Blackcaps, Siskins, Bullfinches, Chaffinches, Goldfinches, Greenfinches, Nuthatches, Tree Creeper, Dunnocks, Wood Pigeon, Stock Doves.
Mammals:   Wood Mice, Roe Deer, Fox, Pipistrelle Bats, Grey Squirrels.
Dragonfly/Damselfly:   Small Red, Broad Bodied Chaser.
Insects:   Bees, Pond Skaters,  Water Boatman.
Butterflies/Moths:   Large White, Small White, Holly Blue, Brimstone, Orange Tip, Peacock, several species of day flying Moth.
Plants in flower:   Common Gorse, Common Broom, Cotton Grass, Willow Catkins.
Reptiles/Amphibians:   Adder, Grass Snake, Slow Worm, Common Lizard, Common Newts.

A Nightjar was heard on the open heath at the end of the month.
Many bird species have produced young.
Tree Pipits were seen and heard during the month.

Nature Notes April

April commenced with cool temperatures, heavy overcast days, and occasional heavy rainfall. A few warmer days followed later in the month.

SIGHTINGS 
Birds:   Jays, Magpies, Carrion Crows, Buzzards, Heron, Stock Doves, Wood Pigeons, Black-headed Mallard Ducks, Green/Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Bullfinches, Chaffinches, Goldfinches, Greenfinches, Bramblings, Redpoll, Nuthatches, Treecreeper, Goldcrests, Wrens, Robins, Blackbirds, Song Thrushes, Dunnocks, Blackcaps, Chiffchaffs, Coal/Blue/Great/Long-tailed Tits.
Plants in flower:   Gorse, Primroses, Celandine, Flowering Currant.
Mammals:   Grey Squirrels.
Butterflies:  Brimstone, Comma, Peacocks, Large White, Orange Tip.
Insects:  Bees.
Pond/Stream Life:  Minnows, Pond Skaters, Whirligig Beetles.

The warmer days prompted many butterflies to emerge along the Hazelwood boundary.

The Bramblings and Redpolls were not seen on site after the 16th April.

Many of the bird boxes on site are now occupied and the first eggs laid.