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.