Nature Notes April

Another warm dry month with days of prolonged sunshine. The airwaves were full of bird song and the warmth bought forth a multitude of wildlife.

SIGHTINGS
Birds: Jays, Hooded Crows, Magpies, Buzzards, Black-headed Gulls, Heron, Sparrowhawk, Wood Pigeon, Green/Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Chiffchaffs, Pair of Bullfinches, Chaffinches, Goldfinches, Greenfinches, Robins, Wrens, Blackbirds, Blackcaps, Song Thrushes, Pair of Mistle Thrush, Goldcrests, Dunnocks, Siskins, Nuthatches, Treecreeper, Coal/Blue/Great/Long Tailed Tits, Pair of Stonechats and Dartford Warblers, Tree Pipits, a Cuckoo heard calling from beyond the north of the Reserve.
Plants/Trees: Gorse, Violets, Primrose, Flowering Currant, Rowan all in flower.
Butterflies/Moths: Large/Small White, Orange Tip, Comma, Peacock, Brimstone, Speckled Wood, Holly Blue, Heath Moth.
Dragonfly/Damselfly: Small Red Damselfly.
Beetles: Green Tiger Beetle, Ground Beetle, Gorse Weevil, 7 Spot Ladybird, 20 Spot Ladybird, Burying Beetle.
Bugs: Gorse Shield Bug, Pine Cone Bug, Common Flower Bug, Mirid Bug, Ground Hopper, Bristletail, Springtail.
Spiders: Clubiona corticalis, Zora spinimana, Crab Spider, Wolf Spider, Hunting Spider, Money Spider, Raft Spider, Pirate Spider.
Insects: Owl Midge, Black-banded Spider Wasp, Common Wasp, Nomad Bee, St. Mark’s Fly.
Reptiles: Adders, Grass Snakes, Slow Worms (legless Lizard) Common Lizards.
Mammals: Grey Squirrels, Moles, Roe Deer, Wood Mice, Pipistrelle Bats.

After returning from Africa, arriving in mid-April, three singing male Tree Pipits plus several females were heard and seen - the highest number since our monitors have been recording.

A marked increase in numbers of singing male Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps on the perimeter of the Reserve.
Pipistrelle Bats recorded flying at dusk from the second week in April.

Nature Facts

Fox cubs emerged from the Earth. Bats awoke and fed at night. Young Squirrels first emerged and adults began a Spring moult. Tadpoles continued to hatch and grow. Resident birds were actively pairing, mating and nesting. In some cases, early nesting Robins and Blackbirds had young fledging at the end of April.

Nature Notes March

A fine, dry and mild month, with plenty of warm sunny days. The clock adjustment has given us extra light in the evenings to enjoy the abundant bird song.

SIGHTINGS
Birds: Jays, Hooded Crows, Magpies, Buzzards, Black-headed Gulls, Wood Pigeon, Green/Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Mallard Ducks, Bullfinches, Goldfinches, Greenfinches, Chaffinches, Blackbirds, Song Thrush, Robins, Nuthatch, Treecreeper, Siskins, Wrens, Goldcrest, Coal/Blue/Great Tits & Long Tailed Tits, Dunnocks, Stonechats, Dartford Warblers.
Plants: Gorse and Broom in flower, Hazel catkins.
Butterflies: Brimstones, Peacock.
Insects: Buff-tailed Bumble Bees, Pond Skaters.
Reptiles: Adder, Grass Snake.
Mammals: Wood Mice, Grey Squirrels.

Good news with the sightings of pairs of both Stonechats and Dartford Warblers after the harsh weather this past winter.
Four Mallard Ducks in flight over the site.
A pair of Bullfinch along the Hazelwood path west.
Both Adders and Grass Snakes have emerged from hibernation, finding warm banks and paths to bask in the sunshine.
A great deal of drumming from the Great Spotted Woodpecker, proclaiming rights to a territory, and laughter sound from the Green Woodpecker.

Many of the bird boxes now have Blue/Coal/Great Tits in residence.

The streams and pools are now showing life with Pond Skaters on the move.