Nature Notes November

November was mild with only a few cooler days and nights towards the end of the month. A quiet month on site, with not much movement.

SIGHTINGS 
Birds:   Buzzards, Sparrowhawk, Carrion Crows, Jackdaws, Magpies, Jays, Wood pigeons, Collared Doves, Stonechat, Green/Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Coal/Blue/Great/ Tits, Dunnocks, Blackbirds, Song Thrushes, Mistle Thrushes, Robins, Wrens, Goldcrest, Nuthatches, Chaffinches, Bullfinches, Goldfinches, Greenfinches.
Mammals:   Grey Squirrels.
Pond Life:   Pond Skaters.
Butterflies/Moths:   Red Admiral.
Fungi:  An increase in the number of species seen during this month due to the mild, damp conditions.
Plants in Flower:   Common Gorse.

Nature Fact

Now that the daylight hours are much shorter in length, most feeding activity for wildlife takes place during the morning. Once the animal has sufficient food intake, it restricts its movements to conserve energy and heat retention for the night ahead, which might possible be very cold.

Nature Notes October

October was a mild month with heavy rainfall at times, strong winds and several thunderstorms.

SIGHTINGS
Birds:   Kingfisher, Buzzards, Sparrowhawks, Carrion Crows, Magpies, Jackdaws, Jays, Wood Pigeons, Stonechats, Green/Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Coal/Blue/Great Tits, Dunnocks, Blackbirds, Song Thrushes, Robins, Wrens, Goldcrest, Nuthatches, Chaffinches, Bullfinches, Goldfinches, Greenfinches.
Mammals:   Fox, Grey Squirrels, Moles.
Dragonfly/Damselfly:   Small Red, Broad Bodied Chaser.
Pond Life:   Pond Skaters.
Butterflies/Moths:   Large White, Peacock, Red Admiral.
Insects:   Bees, Wasps, Crane Flies.

No readings of Bat movement  recorded during this month.
Despite mild damp weather conditions, very few fungi have appeared on site.
Many berries formed and showed colour on various trees, shrubs and plants.
Birds took to roosting in the nest boxes on site.

Nature Fact

The Shaggy Ink-cap is also known as Lawyer’s Wig.   Readily recognized by the shaggy, narrowly conical cap which soon blackens from below and deliquesces into an inky fluid.   It is a good edible species when young, while the gills remain white, but must be eaten very soon after gathering.

Nature Notes September

September was recorded as one of the driest on record with very little rainfall.

SIGHTINGS
Birds:   Buzzards, Sparrowhawk, Carrion  Crows, Magpies, Jays, Wood Pigeons, Stock Doves, Collared Doves, Stonechats, Willow Warbler, Coal/Blue/Great/Long-tailed Tits, Siskins, Chaffinches, Bullfinches, Greenfinches, Goldfinches, Robins, Blackbirds, Wren, Song Thrushes, Nuthatches, Treecreeper, Green/Great Spotted Woodpeckers.
Plants in flower:   Ling Heather, Bell Heather, Low growing Gorse.
Insects:   Common Green Grasshopper, Wasp Spider, Ants, Crane Flies, Bees, Wasps.
Pond Life:   Pond Skaters, Water Boatman.
Dragonfly/Damselfly:   Small Red, Broad Bodied Chaser.
Butterflies/Moths:   Large White, Peacock, Red Admiral, Painted Lady, Speckled Wood, Small Copper, Meadow Brown.
Mammals:   Grey Squirrels, Pipistrelle Bats, Fox, Roe Deer, Wood Mice.

The majority of migrating birds have now left the site.
Pipistrelle Bats are still feeding on warm dry nights.