Tuesday, 14 July 2009
Site Management
Much of the work recently has been done by the cattle. You may have noticed that the grass this year seems less vigorous within the grazing unit. This is due to the cattle grazing it down and creating lawn like areas in places. This allows light to reach the soil giving the heather and more delicate seedlings the chance to germinate.
Friday, 26 June 2009
Site Management
May's volunteer work party had no attendees unfortunately as many of the group were on holiday or had conflicting plans. However, Ranger staff removed the remaining debris on the dry heath previously raked up by volunteers. This will allow light and warmth to the ground so that seedling heather can germinate. June's work party saw some sensitive clearance of small invasive birch scrub in the bog area. It is hoped the grazing cattle will keep any new shoots in check.
Event
The 3rd West Moors Brownies paid another visit to Slop Bog whereupon Ranger staff led a reptile walk and pond dip. Over 20 Brownies were lucky to see Grass Snakes and and the pond dip resulted in close up views of dragonfly larvae and young newts. An underwater camera gave a tadpoles eye view of life in the bog.
Thursday, 18 June 2009
Nature Watch
Several weeks of fine, warm weather resulted in water evaporation from the acid peat pools. They were partially replenished as a result of recent thunderstorms.
SIGHTINGS/OBSERVATIONS
Hazelwood - Blackcaps, Chiffchaffs, Nuthatches, Treecreeper, Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Goldfinches, Greenfinches, Siskins, Willow Warbler, Wrens, Bullfinch, Swifts, Speckled Wood/Painted Lady butterflies, Pipistrelle bats.
Silver Studded Heath - Swifts, Broad Bodied/Large Hawker/Common Hawker/Emperor dragonflies, Small Red/Azure Blue damselflies, Painted Lady butterflies.
Western Enclosure - Tree Pipits, Stonechats, Jays, Pipistrelle/1 Daubenton's bats, Fox, Broad Bodied/Four Spot Chaser dragonflies, Small Red/Azure Blue damselflies.
Beaufoys Plantation - Mistle Thrush, Jays, Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Pipistrelle/1 Daubenton's bats.
Dragonfly Drop - 3 young Grass snakes, Jays, Green Woodpecker,Chaffinch, Mistle Thrush.
Wild Wood - Buzzards, Chaffinches, Chiffchaff.
Wet Wood - Chiffchaffs, Blackcaps, Wrens, Jays, Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Nuthatches, Roe deer.
Beaufoys Bog - Stonechat.
Kingfisher Creek - Chiffchaff, Blackcap, Long Tailed/Great/Blue/Coal Tits,Treecreeper, Nuthatch,Great Spotted Woodpecker, Song Thrush,Speckled Wood butterflies, Large Red/Azure Blue damselflies, Female Roe deer, Smooth snake.
Nightjar Twirl/Boardwalk - Four Spot & Broad Chaser dragonflies, Azure Blue damselflies, Common Lizards.
Although no Common Lizards have been seen by recorders or reported by visitors in other warm periods this year, two were observed on the 6th June, a noticeable drop on previous years.
There have been no recorded sightings of Raft Spiders as yet.
No sightings or the sound of Nightjar so far and no sign of Dartford Warblers in the past two months. On a more positive note, two singing male Tree Pipits are resident on site as are a number of Siskins which are likely to remain for the Summer in the pine trees bordering Hazelwood and Beaufoys Plantations. Many fledgling birds have been spotted over the past few weeks.
Regular Bat recordings have continued which has identified a Daubenton's Bat, picked up on the detector on a different frequency to the Pipistrelles.
SIGHTINGS/OBSERVATIONS
Hazelwood - Blackcaps, Chiffchaffs, Nuthatches, Treecreeper, Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Goldfinches, Greenfinches, Siskins, Willow Warbler, Wrens, Bullfinch, Swifts, Speckled Wood/Painted Lady butterflies, Pipistrelle bats.
Silver Studded Heath - Swifts, Broad Bodied/Large Hawker/Common Hawker/Emperor dragonflies, Small Red/Azure Blue damselflies, Painted Lady butterflies.
Western Enclosure - Tree Pipits, Stonechats, Jays, Pipistrelle/1 Daubenton's bats, Fox, Broad Bodied/Four Spot Chaser dragonflies, Small Red/Azure Blue damselflies.
Beaufoys Plantation - Mistle Thrush, Jays, Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Pipistrelle/1 Daubenton's bats.
Dragonfly Drop - 3 young Grass snakes, Jays, Green Woodpecker,Chaffinch, Mistle Thrush.
Wild Wood - Buzzards, Chaffinches, Chiffchaff.
Wet Wood - Chiffchaffs, Blackcaps, Wrens, Jays, Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Nuthatches, Roe deer.
Beaufoys Bog - Stonechat.
Kingfisher Creek - Chiffchaff, Blackcap, Long Tailed/Great/Blue/Coal Tits,Treecreeper, Nuthatch,Great Spotted Woodpecker, Song Thrush,Speckled Wood butterflies, Large Red/Azure Blue damselflies, Female Roe deer, Smooth snake.
Nightjar Twirl/Boardwalk - Four Spot & Broad Chaser dragonflies, Azure Blue damselflies, Common Lizards.
Although no Common Lizards have been seen by recorders or reported by visitors in other warm periods this year, two were observed on the 6th June, a noticeable drop on previous years.
There have been no recorded sightings of Raft Spiders as yet.
No sightings or the sound of Nightjar so far and no sign of Dartford Warblers in the past two months. On a more positive note, two singing male Tree Pipits are resident on site as are a number of Siskins which are likely to remain for the Summer in the pine trees bordering Hazelwood and Beaufoys Plantations. Many fledgling birds have been spotted over the past few weeks.
Regular Bat recordings have continued which has identified a Daubenton's Bat, picked up on the detector on a different frequency to the Pipistrelles.
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