Nature Notes July

The weather during July was mixed, with days of heavy cloud providing heavy downpours of rain but with a good number of dry warm days, filled with sunshine. Monitors found the reserve very quiet, with nothing much on show.

SIGHTINGS
Birds: Buzzards, Jackdaws, Black-headed Gulls, Magpies, Jays, Wood Pigeons, Carrion Crows, Green/Great Spotted Woodpeckers. Blackbirds, Song Thrush, Robins, Dunnocks, Wrens, Chaffinches, Greenfinches, Goldfinches, Bullfinches, Siskins, Nuthatches, Treecreepers, Willow Warblers, Swifts, Tree Pipit, Coal/Blue/Great/Long-tailed Tits.
Reptiles/Amphibians: Common Lizard, Grass Snakes, Slow-worms.
Insects: Hover Flies.
Spiders: Raft, Heather Jumping, Heather Crab.
Butterflies: Silver-studded Blue, Marbled White, Large Skippers, Small Skippers, Large Whites, Gatekeeper, Meadow Browns, Red Admiral, Speckled Wood.
Dragonflies: Broad-bodied Chaser, Keeled Skimmers, Emperor.
Plants in flower: Common Helleborine, Cut-leaved Geranium, Heather/Ling – Cross-leaved, Bell, Low summer growing Gorse.
Mammals: Fox, Pipistrelle Bats, Grey Squirrels, Moles.

Moles became more active after heavy rain. Young Moles are at present forming a network of tunnels, which will become their territory for hunting worms.
A flock of Swifts were seen feeding over the site, building up food reserves for the long journey overseas during August.
No Marsh Gentians found yet.

Nature Notes April

Another warm dry month with days of prolonged sunshine. The airwaves were full of bird song and the warmth bought forth a multitude of wildlife.

SIGHTINGS
Birds: Jays, Hooded Crows, Magpies, Buzzards, Black-headed Gulls, Heron, Sparrowhawk, Wood Pigeon, Green/Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Chiffchaffs, Pair of Bullfinches, Chaffinches, Goldfinches, Greenfinches, Robins, Wrens, Blackbirds, Blackcaps, Song Thrushes, Pair of Mistle Thrush, Goldcrests, Dunnocks, Siskins, Nuthatches, Treecreeper, Coal/Blue/Great/Long Tailed Tits, Pair of Stonechats and Dartford Warblers, Tree Pipits, a Cuckoo heard calling from beyond the north of the Reserve.
Plants/Trees: Gorse, Violets, Primrose, Flowering Currant, Rowan all in flower.
Butterflies/Moths: Large/Small White, Orange Tip, Comma, Peacock, Brimstone, Speckled Wood, Holly Blue, Heath Moth.
Dragonfly/Damselfly: Small Red Damselfly.
Beetles: Green Tiger Beetle, Ground Beetle, Gorse Weevil, 7 Spot Ladybird, 20 Spot Ladybird, Burying Beetle.
Bugs: Gorse Shield Bug, Pine Cone Bug, Common Flower Bug, Mirid Bug, Ground Hopper, Bristletail, Springtail.
Spiders: Clubiona corticalis, Zora spinimana, Crab Spider, Wolf Spider, Hunting Spider, Money Spider, Raft Spider, Pirate Spider.
Insects: Owl Midge, Black-banded Spider Wasp, Common Wasp, Nomad Bee, St. Mark’s Fly.
Reptiles: Adders, Grass Snakes, Slow Worms (legless Lizard) Common Lizards.
Mammals: Grey Squirrels, Moles, Roe Deer, Wood Mice, Pipistrelle Bats.

After returning from Africa, arriving in mid-April, three singing male Tree Pipits plus several females were heard and seen - the highest number since our monitors have been recording.

A marked increase in numbers of singing male Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps on the perimeter of the Reserve.
Pipistrelle Bats recorded flying at dusk from the second week in April.