Nature Notes December

The weather during December, although mild, was mostly very wet with gale force winds. This caused waterlogged areas on site.  A very quiet period for monitoring, with not much wild life showing.  

SIGHTINGS
Birds:   Carrion Crows, Jays, Magpies, Wood Pigeons, Stock Doves, Jackdaws, Buzzards, Green/Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Chaffinches, Greenfinches, Goldfinches, Bullfinches, Robins, Wrens, Goldcrest, Blackbirds, Song Thrushes, Dunnocks, Siskins, Nuthatches, Coal/Blue/Great/Long-tailed Tits.
Mammals:   Grey Squirrels, Fox.
Plants in flower:   Gorse.
Butterflies:   Brimstone, Peacock.

Nature Fact

Although you normally see a fox by itself, it lives in a family group.  There is usually a dog fox (male), the vixen (female) and her cubs, or babies.  They live in a den when they are breeding.  This may be in a crack in a rock or under tree roots.  Sometimes the vixen digs her own den, or she may live in old burrow made by another animal.

Nature Notes November

The weather during November was very mixed, generally mild, wet or dry days but with a few colder days and night frosts.  Not much movement on the Reserve.

SIGHTINGS
Birds:   Carrion Crows, Jays, Magpies, Stock Doves, Wood Pigeons, Buzzards, Green/Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Chaffinches, Greenfinches, Goldfinches, Bullfinch, Robins, Wren, Blackbirds, Dunnocks, Siskin, Nuthatches, Coal/Blue/Great/Long-tailed Tits.
Mammals:   Grey Squirrels, Fox.
Plants in Flower:   Gorse.
Fungi:   A number of species.

A Bullfinch was sighted along the Hazelwood fence line.
Fungi remained on site while the milder weather continued.  As colder days and nights set in, the Fungi will die back.
Many Finch species are now seen in flocks.
Now that the nights have turned colder, birds are roosting overnight in nest boxes.

Nature Fact

Flocking -   Birds flock for a number of reasons of which the most important are finding food, avoiding attack by predators and migrating.  In every case the primary motivation comes from the individual, for whom the advantages of joining a group outweigh those of remaining solitary.

Nature Notes October

The weather was mild, wet and windy throughout the month, with winds reaching gale force at times. Very quiet on the Reserve due to the inclement weather conditions.

SIGHTINGS
Birds:   Carrion Crows, Jackdaws, Jays, Magpies, Stock Doves, Wood Pigeons, Heron, Sparrowhawk, Buzzards, Green/Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Chaffinches, Greenfinches, Goldfinches, Robins, Wrens, Blackbirds, Dunnocks, Siskins, Nuthatch, Coal/Blue/Great/Long-tailed Tits.
Butterflies:   Large White, Peacock.
Mammals:   Grey Squirrels, Mole, Fox, Wood Mice.
Insects:  Pond Skaters, Crane Flies.
Plants in Flower:   Low growing Gorse.

No more sightings of Bats during October.
Many species of Fungi appeared due to the mild wet conditions.
A Sparrowhawk has been observed seeking prey along the fenceline of Hazelwood.

Nature Fact

All habitats support Fungi of various kinds. In general, different kinds of Fungi occur in different habitats, each species being adapted to fill a particular niche. Woodland provide the richest habitat for larger Fungi; both deciduous and coniferous woods are ideal places to look for a wide rage of species. Many of the woodland toadstools form mycorrhizal associations and grow only with certain kinds of tree. Similarly, other Fungi are parasitic or saprophytic on the wood of certain kinds of tree.

Nature Notes September

The weather during September continued to be mild and dry, with just a few damp days. A definite Autumnal feel on the Reserve with leaves already turning colour and, in some cases, falling.

SIGHTINGS
Birds:  Carrion Crows, Magpies, Jays, Wood Pigeons, Stock Doves, Buzzards, Green/Great Spotted Woodpeckers,  Black-headed Gulls, Chaffinches, Greenfinches, Goldfinches, Siskins, Coal/Blue/Great/Long-tailed Tits, Robin. Blackbirds, Song Thrushes, Wrens, Goldcrest, Nuthatch, Treecreeper, Swallows, Willow Warblers, Chiffchaff.
Mammals:  Grey Squirrels, Pipistrelle Bats, Fox.
Butterflies/Moths: Large White, Speckled Wood, Peacock, Red Admiral.
Insects/Pond Life: Pond Skaters.  Reptiles:  Common Lizard.
Plants in flower:  Low growing Gorse, Ling Heather, Bell Heather.

Blackberry bushes supplied a heavy crop of berries this September, food for small mammals and foxes. Rowan trees were heavily laden with berries, providing much needed food for resident and migrant birds before departure. The warm damp weather at the end of the month will promote the growth of fungi early next month. Summer visiting birds departed by the end of the month, with only a few Swallows being seen flying over the Reserve.

Nature Fact

Weather conditions can play a big part in the timing of the birds’ departure south on migration. While the birds may be physically ready to leave, they need to use the best weather conditions for migration so may stay put if the weather is bad. Swallows may stay on well into October.

Nature Notes August

The warm dry weather continued through the month.

SIGHTINGS
Birds:   Jackdaws, Carrion Crows, Magpies, Jays, Wood Pigeons, Buzzards, Green/Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Sparrowhawk, Black-headed Gulls, Common Gulls, Robins, Blackbirds, Song Thrush, Dunnocks, Wrens, Goldcrest, Nuthatches, Treecreeper, Coal/Blue/Great/Long-tailed Tits, Siskins, Chaffinches, Goldfinches, Greenfinches, Willow Warbler, Chiff Chaff.
Butterflies/Moths:   Brimstone, Large White, Small White, Painted Lady, Peacocks, Holly Blue, Speckled Wood, Silver-studded Blue, Red Admiral, Common Blue, Clouded Yellow, Large Skipper, Small Skipper, Brown Argus, Grayling, Gatekeeper, Meadow Brown, many species of Moths.
Dragonfly/Damselfly:   Small Red, Southern Hawker, Broad Bodied, Four Spot.
Mammals:   Pipistrelle Bats, Grey Squirrels, Mole, Roe Deer, Wood Mice, Common Shrew, Foxes.
Reptiles:   Common Lizards.
Pond Life/Insects:   Pond Skaters, Water Boatman, Sticklebacks, Species of Bees, Hover Flies, Ants.
Plants in flower:   Low growing Gorse, Ling/Bell Heather, Cut-leaved Geranium.

Species of Finch have been seen in flocks in the tree canopies. The warm dry weather has prompted sightings of Damselfly/Dragonfly. Many feathers were seen on the ground as birds were in moult. Foxes were heard barking during the hours of darkness.

Nature Fact

Many juvenile birds are now in the process of change in their appearance to become the same as the adult of their species. Young male Woodpeckers who have red caps on the top of their heads, are now developing this marking further down the neck to the nape. Young Goldfinches (both sexes have the same appearance) are now beginning to develop their red face plumage as summer draws to an end. Young Robins have lost their speckled plumage and are now showing a small rusty breast.

Nature Notes July

July was a warm sunny month on the whole with only a few days of rain.

SIGHTINGS
Birds:   Buzzards, Jackdaws, Carrion Crows, Common Gulls, Black-headed Gulls, Magpies, Green/Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Jay, Wood Pigeons, Stock Doves, Blackbirds, Robins, Wrens, Song Thrushes, Chaffinches, Bullfinches, Goldfinches, Greenfinches, Dunnocks, Coal/Blue/Great/Long-tailed Tits, Siskins, Tree Pipit, Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler.
Mammals:   Pipistrelle Bats, Grey Squirrels, Moles, Wood Mice, Roe Deer.
Reptiles/Amphibians:   Grass Snake, Common Lizards.
Dragonfly/Damselfly:   Four Spot Chaser, Broad Bodied, Small Red.
Butterflies/Moths:   Large/Small Whites, Orange Tip, Peacocks, Holly Blue, Silver Studded Blue, Gatekeeper, Speckled Wood, Large Skipper, Brimstone, Ringlet, Meadow Brown, various species of day flying Moth.
Pond Life/Insects:   Hover Flies, Pond Skaters, Common Field Grasshopper, Water Boatman, Bees, Ants.
Plants in flowers:  Low growing Gorse, Cut-leaved Geranium, Heather/Ling – Cross leaved and Bell.

Many birds are now moulting.

Nature Fact

During the day the Common Field Grasshopper needs to warm up in the sunshine, basking until it can become active. The male chirps during the months of June and November to attract a female. This sound is achieved by rubbing pegs on his hind legs against large veins on his forewing, a process called stridulating.

Nature Notes June

June was mostly cool and windy, with a few very warm days.

SIGHTINGS 
Birds:   Buzzards, Jackdaws, Carrion Crows, Common Gulls, Black-headed Gulls, Magpies, Tawny Owl, Green/Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Nightjar, Siskins, Tree Pipits, Wood Pigeons, Stock Doves, Blackbirds, Robins, Wrens, Song Thrushes, Chaffinches, Bullfinches, Goldfinches, Greenfinches, Nuthatch, Dunnocks, Coal/Blue/Great/Long-tailed Tits.
Mammals:   Wood Mice, Grey Squirrels, Pipistrelle Bats, Roe Deer, Moles.
Dragonfly/Damselfly:   Small Red,  Common Blue, Broad Bodied.
Pond Life/Insects:   Species of Bee, Species of Fly, Green Tiger Beetle, Water Boatman, Pond Skaters, Minnow, Raft Spider.
Moths/Butterflies:   Brimstone, Holly Blue, Large/Small Whites, Silver-studded Blue, Peacock, Small Skipper, Species of day flying Moths.
Reptiles/Amphibians:   Common Lizard, Slow Worm.
Plants in flower:   Common Gorse, Cotton Grass, Ling, Bell Heather, Bog Asphodel.

A Nightjar was heard on the central heath at dusk on most evenings.
Tree Pipits were seen parachuting to ground from Pine treetops.
A small number of Silver-studded Blue Butterflies were seen in the last week of the month.