Site Management

Cutting down Rhododendron and Laurel. Clearance of growth along the Wet Wood stream bank. Installation of Tree Creeper nesting box

Nature Watch

Ongoing poor weather conditions during the past month has contributed to the lack of wildlife sightings. The very recent rainfall has waterlogged a number of paths and filled the peat ponds to overflowing. Most of the inhabitants of Slop Bog are presently in hibernation or sheltering from the elements.

The following have been recorded on monitoring visits:-

Birds- Magpies, Jays, Seagulls, Nuthatch, Great Tits, Blue tits, Coal Tits, Long Tailed Tits, Blackbirds, Robins, Wrens, Song Thrush and Snipe.

Fungi- Common Puffball and Polypore

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Photographs courtesy of Christine Wilcox

Nature Fact

There are more than 450 families of fungi worldwide containing 6000 genera and an estimated 1,600,000 species. All habitats support fungi of various types eg woodland, dunes, heathland, meadows, grassland, parks, gardens, marshes, bog, burnt ground and even the dung of herbivores.

Site Management

A gathering of Slop Bog Guardian volunteers attended a work party on 27th December. The brush from recently felled trees was collected and burnt.

The 33 bird nesting boxes were cleared of last years nesting material by the monitors. The survey showed that 25 of the boxes had been occupied for breeding.