Work Party Sunday 27th November

We will be working again along the main east-west ditch as per last month.

For anyone who was not there last month, meet at the West Moors Road entrance at
10am. We have to climb down the highway embankment and over a fence before tackling some of the roughest and wettest terrain that the site has to offer. Please be prepared with wellies!

The task is once again clearance of scrub along the ditchline and possibly continuing along the highway fence to improve accessibility and make maintenance easier.

Nature Watch October

The weather during October was very mixed offering warm bright spells, several cooler weeks, one night of frost, followed by mild temperatures with strong winds and heavy rainfall. Not a month which presented us with many sightings.

SIGHTINGS
Birds: Buzzards, Black-headed Gulls, Jackdaws, Jays, Magpies, Carrion Crows, Wood Pigeon, Sparrowhawk, Green/Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Nuthatches, Blackbirds, Song Thrush, Goldfinches, Greenfinches, Chaffinches, Dunnocks, Robins, Wrens, Coal/Blue/Great/Long-tailed Tits, Siskins, Stonechats, Goldcrest.
Reptiles: Common Lizards.
Butterflies: Red Admiral, Comma, Large White.
Fungi: Common Puff Balls, Brown Birch Bolete, Amethyst Deceiver.
Mammals: Grey Squirrel, Moles showed signs of activity.
No further Bat detector activity shown beyond the beginning of the month.
A few Blackberry fruits remain at the end of the month, a source of food for birds, foxes and small mammals.
Holly bushes are laden with bright red berries at the close of the month, providing food for birds during colder weather to come.

Nature Facts

Grey Squirrels dispersed their young. Fox families broke up and spread out into new territories. Bats searched for suitable hibernation sites. Frogs began hibernation as the weather became cooler.

Nature Watch September

The majority of September was cool with heavy showers. The last week changed dramatically with the highest temperatures for that time of year ever recorded. Not much of significance has been reported on the Reserve during the month.

SIGHTINGS
Birds: Magpies, Carrion Crows, Jackdaws, Jays, Buzzards, Black-headed Gulls, Sparrowhawk, Green/Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Nuthatches, Treecreeper, Song Thrush, Blackbirds, Robins, Wrens, Dunnocks, Grrenfinches, Chaffinches, Goldfinches, Bullfinches, Coal/Blue/Great/Long-tailed Tits, Siskins, Swallows, House Martins, Swifts.
Reptiles/Amphibians: Common Lizards.
Butterflies: Large White, Comma, Peacock, Painted Lady, Red Admiral.
Plants in flower: Heather/Ling, Low growing Gorse, Cut-leaved Geranium.
Mammals: Wood Mouse, Moles active, Grey Squirrels, Fox, Pipistrelle Bats.

Migratory birds such as Swallows, House Martins, and Swifts were seen in flight over the site at various times during the month.

A significant lack of Dragonflies and Damselflies this year on site.

Birds are now visiting bird boxes on site, staking claim for night roosting during the Winter period.