Nature Notes

After a cold start to the month February then became very mild, with no significant rainfall.

SIGHTINGS
Birds: Buzzards, Magpies, Carrion Crows, Wood Pigeons, Jays, Herring Gulls, Black-headed Gulls, Green/Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Blackbirds, Robins, Dunnocks, Song Thrushes, Redwings, Pied Wagtails, Siskins, Greenfinches, Goldfinches, Chaffinches, Bullfinches, Wrens, Goldcrest, Nuthatches, Coal/Blue/Great/Long-tailed Tits.
Plants: Gorse in flower.
Mammals: Grey Squirrels, Fox, Wood Mice.
Butterflies: Brimstones, Red Admirals.
Insects: Bees.

A small flock of Redwings were sighted from the middle of the month, having been forced to retreat the south to feed, following harsh weather conditions in the north of England.
Both Brimstone and Red Admiral Butterflies along with Bees have been enticed out into the early Spring like temperatures.
Many species of birds are paired now and showing interest in the bird boxes.
A pair of Buzzards have been seen circling together, performing courtship flights over the site.

Nature Fact

It is not known exactly what causes an animal to begin hibernation or end it, although a sudden fall in temperature is the most obvious. It is likely that hibernation ceases when the average air temperature rises above a certain level in Spring. Should a period of cold weather then return, the animal will resume hibernation until conditions improve. It has been observed that early nesting birds will abandon their nests and contents if weather conditions do not provide them with food for their expected off-spring.








Brimstone Butterfly














Red Admiral Butterfly









Images by K Wilcox

Nature Notes

The unseasonal mild weather continued through the month but changed to colder temperatures in the last week, bringing sleet showers and frost. Another quiet winter month for recordings.

SIGHTINGS
Birds: Magpies, Carrion Crows, Wood Pigeons, Jays, Herring Gulls, Black-headed Gulls, Heron, Green/Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Sparrowhawk, Blackbirds, Robins, Dunnocks, Song Thrushes, Siskins, Greenfinches, Goldfinches, Chaffinches, Bullfinches, Wrens, Goldcrest, Nuthatches, Coal/Blue/Great/Long-tailed Tits.
Plants: Gorse in flower.
Mammals: Grey Squirrels.
A pair of Bullfinches which produced five young last Spring/Summer, are again active in their territory, visiting garden feeders along the Hazelwood fenceline. A sighting of a Goldcrest was very welcome, as few sightings were recorded last year when many were lost following a harsh spell of winter weather. Birds continue to night roost in the nest boxes on site. Any required repairs or replacement nesting boxes have been made during January.

Nature Fact

The Goldcrest is our smallest British bird measuring 9cm. A very small hyperactive species that always seems to be on the move. It feeds among branches and will sometimes hover to snatch food from the undersides of leaves. Outside the breeding season it often joins flocks of other small birds such as Tits