Nature Fact

How do birds moult? A new feather growing from a follicle in the skin gradually pushes out the old one. This usually follows a regular sequence within each feather group. Most birds choose a time of year to moult, when there is plenty of food, dense foliage to hide and no need to use up valuable energy in courtship or migration.

Nature Notes June

The majority of June delivered wet and windy weather, with only a few dry days giving respite.

SIGHTINGS 

Birds:   Buzzards, Jackdaws, Carrion Crows, Wood Pigeons, Stock Dove, Cuckoo, Jays, Magpies, Black-headed Gulls, Green/Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Nightjars, Stonechats, Tree Pipits, Siskins, Chaffinches, Greenfinches, Goldfinches, Chiff Chaffs, Bullfinches,,Willow Warblers, Blackcaps, Goldcrest, Wrens, Song Thrushes, Mistle Thrushes, Blackbirds, Robins, Dunnocks, Coal/Blue/Great/Long-Tailed Tits. 

Reptiles:   Grass Snake. 

Mammals:   Roe Deer, Pipistrelle Bats, Grey Squirrels. 

Butterflies:   Large White, Holly Blue, Red Admiral. 

Insects:   Raft Spider, Pond Skater, Bees, Ladybirds. 

Plants in flower:   Low growing Gorse, Wild Geranium. 

Damselflies:   Small Red, Common Blue.

The sound of a Cuckoo was heard at the west end of Hazelwood.

In mid- June, two Nightjars were seen and heard on the central heathland by the Ranger, Will Holland.

The lack of colour on the Tit species is noticeable which emphasises  the lack of caterpillars as a food source this year.

Berries have formed on fruit bearing shrubs and trees.

Nature Fact

The Nightjar, having wintered in Africa, is a Summer visitor. It has camouflage plumage and large black eyes that are highly suitable for seeing its aerial prey in poor light. Hunting takes place at dusk and dawn. With its mouth open very wide, with a fringe of bristles spreading out each side, it ‘trawls’ for moths in silent flight. The calls of nightjars, both male and female, generally delivered from a perch, are a continuous “churring” noise. The calls have been timed as lasting for more than five minutes. If conditions are right, two broods are reared during a Summer visit.

Nature Fact

Pipistrelle Bats leave their daytime roosts at dusk and are creatures of habit, tending to follow the same routes each night. They have tiny, very sharp teeth, ideally suited to chewing the soft bodies of small insects, such as caddisflies, which form the bulk of its diet.
　
　
　
　
　
　
　
　
　
　
　
　
　
Pipistrelle Bat (library picture)