Nature Fact

The majority of birds produce one egg every 24 hours.  The eggs are laid at dawn each morning until a full clutch is produced.

Nature Notes March

A cold month with a mixture of heavy rain, wind and wintry flurries of snow. The last week in the month brought dry cold weather, with a few sunny days. Again, a quiet month on site due to the unseasonal weather conditions.

SIGHTINGS
Birds:   Magpies, Carrion Crows, Buzzard, Heron, Stock Doves, Wood Pigeons, Black-headed Gulls, Green/Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Bullfinches, Chaffinches, Goldfinches, Greenfinches, Siskins, Brambling, Stonechat, Nuthatches, Treecreeper, Goldcrests, Wrens, Robins, Blackbirds, Dunnocks, Song Thrushes, Blackcaps, Coal/Blue/Great/Long-tailed Tits.
Butterflies:   Brimstone.
Plants in flower:   Gorse.
Mammals:   Grey Squirrels.
Insects:   Buff-tailed Bees.

In the last week of the month, a male and female Blackcap were seen along the Hazelwood boundary having just returned from overwintering in warmer climes.
Several Brimstone butterflies were seen on brighter days, as were Buff-tailed Bees.
On the last day of the month a male Brambling was spotted, surprisingly still in the south of the country not yet having returned to breeding areas in the north or Iceland.
Pairing and mating of birds was very evident throughout the month.

Nature Facts

Most birds have only one mate, the advantage is that both parents help to rear the young.  Some birds, however, practice polygamy ie having more than one mate.  Male Wrens often do this, especially where food is plentiful and the hen can feed the young on her own.  There are two types of polygamy - simultaneous pairing with two or more females and successive polygamy, when the male initiates consecutive broods with different females.  Male Wrens do both.

Work Party Sunday 24th March

Time 10am to 3pm meet at the western, Redwood Drive, entrance or look for the Ranger's van/smoke.   

This will be the last Winter work party and so we will have a final clear up of any brash piles. We will also cut back gorse where it is interfering with fencelines that need inspecting and repairing before the cattle return in April/May.

Time and people allowing, we may also clear some of the vegetation along the back ditch/footpath and do any final clearance in the retention woodland to make access easier through the Summer.

Wear old clothes as there will be at least one bonfire. Refreshments available but bring lunch if staying all day.  

Nature Notes February 2013

The wet weather finally eased by mid-month followed by cold, dry days and nights with a few snow flurries.  A few milder bright days were a welcome change. There were no unusual sightings.

SIGHTINGS 

Birds:   Magpies, Jays, Carrion Crows, Jackdaws, Stock Doves, Wood Pigeons, Buzzards, Black-headed Gulls, Green/Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Sparrowhawk, Bullfinch, Chaffinches, Greenfinches, Goldfinches, Robins, Blackbirds, Song Thrushes, Goldcrests, Wren, Nuthatch, Siskins, Coal/Blue/Great/Long-tailed Tits. 

Mammals:   Grey Squirrel,  Fox. 

Plants in flower:   Gorse.

Birds were active in courtship with the dawn and dusk chorus very audible.

Woodpeckers could be heard drumming.

Bees were seen on brighter, slightly milder days.

Work on the bird nesting boxes, which were removed last year for repair or replacement, was completed.