Site Management

Surfacing of the new permissive footpath through the Western end of Hazelwood has been completed. Several large unstable trees have been felled and unsafe boughs removed from standing trees in this area. Clearance and disposal of brush will be ongoing over forthcoming months. Many new log piles have been formed to provide homes for small mammals, reptiles and insects.

The boardwalk, which becomes slippery in wet and/or icy conditions, has had non-slip material applied to part of its length. Plans to apply some sort of material to the remainder will depend on future funding levels.

Two further Owl boxes constructed by members of the Slop Bog Guardians have been installed, one in Hazelwood East and the other in Wet Wood East.

Nature Watch

Mixed weather conditions this period with heavy rain, strong winds and warm clear bright days. As Autumn is upon us the Reserve has mellowed, with warm colours showing on the deciduous trees and the last of the heathland heather flowers still attracting bees on sunny days. The misty damp mornings give the visitor the opportunity to view the multitude and variety of spiders' webs adorning trees, gorse and heather. These can easily go undetected so an observation walk is strongly recommended.
The Goldcrest and tit species are busy on the pine tree canopy extracting seeds from the cones. A Kingfisher has been spotted on route from the boardwalk area travelling north to Uddens Water.
Watch out for flocks of birds in the coming months. Some are gathering to migrate eg Swallows/Swifts, some are arriving for our Winter eg Redwing/Fieldfare whilst others are resident Winter flocks of Starling and Finches. Also watch out and listen for flocks of Crossbill moving at speed across the site.
Many fungi are now appearing so look out for them in the woodland areas.

SIGHTINGS

Hazel Wood: Goldfinch, Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Jays, Greenfinch, Willow Warbler, Chaffinch, Wrens, Blackbirds, Robins, Nuthatch, Goldcrests, Tawny Owl, Long Tailed/Coal/Blue/Great Tits, Buzzard, Pipistrelle Bats, Large White/Painted Lady/Red Admiral/Speckled Wood butterflies, Bracket and Common Earth Star fungi.

Wet Wood: Jays, Goldcrests, Nuthatch,Song Thrush, Blue/Great/Long Tailed/Coal Tits, Robins,Blackbirds.

Boardwalk: Kingfisher, Buzzard, Kestrel, Jays, Magpies, Swallows.

Beaufoys Plantation: Jays, Buzzard, Long Tailed/Coal/Blue/Great Tits, Redstart, Stock Doves.

Heathland: Ravens, Kestrel, Buzzards, Magpies, Green/Great Spotted Woodpeckers.

Nature Fact

Not all spiders catch their prey by using webs. An example is the Wolf Spider which is strong and has long legs which enable it to chase and catch small prey such as beetles, caterpillars and slugs

Site Management

Clearance of the new permissive footpath through the woodland at the west end of Hazelwood is nearing completion in preparation for hard surfacing. A small number of large trees and limbs of trees identified as unstable will be removed in forthcoming weeks.

Nature Watch

August proved to be a very poor month for wildlife sightings with with few butterflies and dragonflies. This has been the case on many other nature reserves.

RECORDINGS

Kestrel, Buzzard, Chaffinches, Greenfinches, Goldfinches, Willow Warble, Blackcap, Wrens, Coal/Blue/Great/Long Tailed Tits, Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Magpies, Jays, Nuthatch, Large White Butterflies, Common Darter Dragonflies, Bog Cricket Velvet Ant, Bees, Smooth Snake, Common Lizards, 30-40 species of Spider.

George Dunkling together with son Mark have undertaken an ongoing survey of spiders resident on the Reserve. Investigations were made at different locations ie on Heather, Gorse, Purple Moor Grass, brambles, rough ground and the boardwalk. Two thirds of the spiders found have been identified. Over coming months, photographs taken by George will be shown on this web site.

George, our site photographer, wildlife monitor and life long naturalist has recently been requested by the R.S.P.B to lead a fungi walk at their Sedgemoor reserve in Somerset. George led a very well attended and successful fungi walk for the R.S.P.B at Arne last Autumn as well as many nature walks on Slop Bog.