Nature Fact

Pipistrelle Bats are creatures of habit and tend to follow the same routes each night but will quickly change to a new hunting area if food becomes scarce.  When the bat’s stomach is full, it comes to rest on a tree and stays there until digestion has  progressed sufficiently to allow further feeding.

Nature Notes August

The weather during August was mainly mild and dry with sunshine.  However, the latter part of the month turned cooler with long periods of heavy rain.

SIGHTINGS
Birds:  Carrion Crow, Sparrowhawk, Wood Pigeon, Stock Doves, Magpies, Jackdaws, Jays, Buzzards, Green/Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Black-headed/Common Gulls, Nuthatches, Treecreeper, Dunnocks, Blackbirds, Robins, Song Thrushes, Wrens, Goldcrest, Coal/Blue/Great/Long-tailed Tits, Chaffinches, Greenfinches, Bullfinches, Siskins, Chiffchaff, Willow Warblers, Blackcap, Stonechat.
Mammals:   Grey Squirrels, Pipistrelle Bats, Wood Mice, Fox.
Reptiles:   Common Lizard, Grass Snake, Slow Worm.
Dragonfly/Damselfly:   Four Spot Chaser, Broad Bodied, Common Darter, Small Red, Red Veined Darter
Plants in flower:   Herb Robert, Common Vetch, White Clover, Low growing Gorse Lousewort.
Insects:   Green Grasshopper, Bog Cricket, Green Shield Bug, Robber Fly.
Pond Life:   Pond skaters, Water Boatman.
Butterflies/Moths:   Peacock, Red Admiral, Clouded Yellow, Large White, Small White, Speckled Wood, Holly Blue, Large Skipper, Silver-studded Blue, Small Tortoiseshell, Gatekeeper, Species of day flying Moths.

As the end of the month approached, several species of migrant birds were seen passing through on site.  Tree Pipits, Blackcaps, Willow Warblers all depart August/September.
Blackberries, Rowan/Holly/Bird Cherry  berries were observed being consumed mainly by Blackbirds.
Many Blackbirds were observed sunbathing, with wings outspread.

Nature Fact

Blackberries:   The main consumers of bramble berries are Marsh and Willow Tits, Bullfinches, Blackbirds and Song Thrushes.  Among mammals, Foxes, Badgers and even Squirrels and Deer are fond of bramble berries.  The berries are sought for their energy-rich pulp, while the seeds within pass undigested through the gut and are conveniently deposited in a ‘ready-grow’ package of manure.

Nature Notes July

July delivered dry, hot sunny days, with the occasional thunder storm toward the end of the month.  

SIGHTINGS
Birds:   Carrion Crows, Wood Pigeons, Stock Doves, Magpies, Jays, Jackdaws, Buzzards, Tawny Owl, Green/Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Sparrowhawk, Black-headed/Common Gulls, Nuthatches, Treecreeper, Dunnocks, Blackbirds, Song Thrushes, Robins, Wrens, Goldcrest, Coal/Blue/Great/Long-tailed Tits, Chaffinches, Greenfinches, Bullfinches, Siskins, Chiffchaffs, Blackcaps, Willow Warblers, Stonechats, Tree Pipits.
Mammals:   Grey Squirrels, Pipistrelle Bats, Wood Mouse, Fox, Roe Deer.
Reptiles:   Common Lizard, Grass Snake, Adder, Slow Worm.
Butterflies/Moths:   Large White, Small White, Holly Blue, Peacock, Brimstone, Silver-studded Blue, Comma, Speckled Wood, Red Admiral, Meadow Brown, Grayling, Ringlet.
Dragonfly/Damselfly:    Four Spot Chaser, Broad Bodied, Small Red
Insects:   Common Green Grasshopper, Bees, Wasps, Flies, Ants, Wasp Spider.
Pond Life:   Pond Skaters, Water Boatman, Smooth Newt.
Plants in flower:   Low growing Gorse, Cut-leaved Geranium, Heather/Ling - Cross leaved and Bell.

A Tawny Owl was heard along the Hazel Drive fenceline.

Nature Fact

The Common Green Grasshopper can be found in a variety of grassland habitats over most altitudes.  They can be a variety of colours, but their background is mostly brown. The females are more variable and may show splashes of red or purple in their colourations.  They lay their eggs in the Autumn, these then hatch in Spring and the young hoppers grow through a series of instars until they reach full maturity in early summer.