Nature Fact

Deciduous woodlands consist of four main layers of vegetation, each providing living space for different mammal species.  Some, such as Pymy Shrews, spend their entire lives at one level; others, such as Squirrels and Woodmice, move between layers.  Competition for space is not as great as it is in the less complex habitats of fields or moorland and many more species are accommodated into the woodland environment eg Fox, Badger, Wood Mice, Dormouse, Squirrel, Mole, Shrew and Deer.

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.