Nature Watch

The severe temperatures in the latter part of December and into the new year forced much of the wildlife on the Reserve to keep a very low profile. The landscape has offered many stunning Winter views with heavy frost on the ground, trees and foliage whilst the peat bog channels were frozen over. The feeding stations at Kingfisher Creek have been regularly supplied with appropriate food for the season in a bid to support the many tit species and woodland birds in that area. There has been good news concerning the foxes earth in Hazelwood as it appears to have been dug out recently, enlarging the inner chamber, with all signs of prospective parents being in residence.

All the Winter resident birds seen have been recorded in the woodland area and on the open heath. A pair of Reed Buntings were spotted at the West end of the boardwalk. Despite the harsh weather conditions, a Dartford Warbler and a Stonechat were sighted on a cold but sunny morning in the first week of January. Wrens and Goldcrests are much in evidence with their very distinctive sounds being heard. A small flock of Crossbills appeared fleetingly over the enclosure near Redwood Drive and a Jackdaw was seen flying across the heath.

The mammals are still proving elusive.

This month we feature two more spiders found on the 2008 spider survey undertaken by George and Mark Dunkling:-

The Water Spider(Argyroneta Aquatic) lives in a bell shaped home attached to underwater plants. They only venture out to collect air or capture food which consists of tadpoles, small fish and other small aquatic insects.

The Raft Spider(Dolomedes Fimbriatus) is most often seen along the boardwalk from April to October. The females grow to 22mm and the male to only 10/13mm. They usually wait for insects to alight nearby then run swiftly along and grab them. Another tactic is to sit on a floating leaf with its front legs on the surface of the water waiting for vibrations caused by struggling insects thereby locating its prey

Nature Fact

During a recent study of an overnight roosting Blue Tit in a nesting box along the Hazel Drive fringe, it was recorded that in November, December and into January roosting commenced on the dot of twenty past four each afternoon. The bird vacated the box each morning between 7.20 and 7.40. It was established that weather conditions did not change the times but it was noted morning departure was connected to light levels as on darker days departure was delayed. An overall time of fifteen hours roosting was the norm. The photograph of the Blue Tit, as above, shows that a bird really does tuck the head under its wing when asleep.

Site Management

The Christmas/New Year work party continued burning brush in Hazelwood from trees felled in the Autumn.

Nature Watch

After a period of wind and heavy rain at the end of November, the weather changed to clear, sunny days and hard frosts on most nights. A quiet time on the heathland with only larger birds sighted ie Magpies, Jays, Crows and Woodpeckers. The smaller all year resident birds can be seen on most days especially at the feeder tables on the embankment of Kingfisher Creek. The only recordings of the more elusive birds on site have been a Mistle Thrush, Snipe and a female Grey Wagtail in the North West corner of the Reserve. No mammals have been seen for some time - it is possible they are keeping to the shelter of woodland areas. Fungi are sparse with only a few Bracket showing on birch trees.

Two further photographs of spiders, taken by George Dunkling during the Summer survey, are shown below.