Nature Watch

Another wet and windy period with only a few short spells of dry, warm days. This has been a quiet time with fewer sightings than previous months.

RECORDINGS

Hazel Wood: Tawny Owls, Chaffinch, Wren, Blackbirds, Greenfinch, Great Spotted/Green Woodpeckers, Nuthatch, Goldfinch, Speckled Wood butterflies, Pipistrelle Bats. Plants - Herb Robert, Thyme Leaved Speedwell, Geum, Arum, Enchanter's Nightshade, Cross Leaved Heath, Bell Heather, Blackberries. Spiders - Hammock Web, Nursery, Funnel or Sheet Web, Harvestman, Looper.

Wet Wood: Great Tits, Blackbirds, Jay, 3 Roe Deer.

Boardwalk: Common Lizard, Cotton Grass.

Heathland: Silver Studded Blue/pair of Camberwell Beauty butterflies, Grasshoppers, Southern Hawker dragonfly, Kestral, Buzzard, Magpie, Sundews, Dwarf Gorse, Broad Leaved Helleborine.

Flocks of House Martins and Crossbills in flight were seen over the West Woodland circular walk.

Badgers have been spotted in a garden on the West side of the Reserve - the first sighting made in recent years.

Birds are now in their quiet vocal month prior to establishing Winter territories. Migratory birds will be preparing for their long journeys to warmer climates. The Nightjar normally departs from mid-August.

Nature Fact

Badgers have powerful front feet perfect for digging out wasps and bees nests, earthworms, bulbs and roots.

Event

The Guardians, namely George and Audrey Dunkling together with Keith and Christine Wilcox, exhibited a history of Slop Bog at the Kinson Common Open day held on Sunday 10th August. The weather stayed dry enabling the many visitors to view the displays on offer.

Site Management

The Hazelwood path, running adjacent to gardens of Hazel Drive, has been resurfaced primarily financed by the Slop Bog Guardians LHI grant. The Aberdeen Angus cow which recently gave birth has been removed from the Reserve. She proved to be very protective of her calf and aggresive to passers-by.

Nature Watch

Erratic weather conditions continued with long periods of strong winds and heavy rainfall hindering recording and making the Reserves inhabitants reluctant to show themselves.

RECORDINGS

Hazel Wood: Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Chaffinch, Blackcaps, Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, Wren, Nuthatch, Robin, Blackbird, Long Tailed/Great/Blue/Coal Tits, Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Bees, Blackberry bushes in flower.

Wet Wood: Treecreeper, Nuthatch, Song Thrush, Wren, Long Tailed/Great/Blue/Coal Tits, Jays, Great Spotted Woodpeckers.

Boardwalk: Common Lizards, Raft Spiders, Pond Skaters, Chiffchaffs, Wren, Southern Hawker Dragonflies, Bog Asphodel in flower on the bog.

Heathland: Grasshoppers, Broad Bodied/Southern Hawker Dragonflies, Gatekeeper/Orange Tip/Large Skipper/Meadow Brown/Silver Studded Blue Butterflies, Bees, Stonechats, Dartford Warbler, Tree Pipit, Jays, Buzzards, Green/Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Sundew in flower, Bog Asphodel in flower, Common Orchid in flower bud.

A recent survey of Silver Studded Blue butterflies by the DCC Conservation Rangers has shown a significant fall in numbers compared with previous years.

Fewer sightings of both reptiles and amphibians for this period.

Note the lack of yellow feather colour of Blue and Great Tits this year. This indicates a problem in the natural food chain with a huge reduction of caterpillars which are the source of the feather pigment.

Very few butterfly species have been seen on the wing to date.

Chiffchaffs, Blackcaps and Willow Warblers have been very noticeable around the fringes of the Reserve this Summer. Hopefully they are now established for breeding this year and they may well return.