Nature Fact

The Slow Worm is a legless Lizard resembling a small, smoothly cylindrical, neckless snake.  It prefers damp shady places and hibernates during the coldest months of the year in warm places like compost heaps or under metal sheeting.

Work Party Tuesday 27th October

Next Tuesdays work party will be at the usual time of 10am - 1pm, meeting at the Redwood Drive entrance.  We will burn the material cut last month and clear further vegetation to maintain access to fencelines (for repairs) and keep access routes clear.

Refreshments provided as usual.  Please wear old clothes that don’t melt easily!

Any queries - phone Will Holland on 07827 820465.

Nature Notes September

Heavy showers of rain dominated the first half of the month followed by dry, warm, sunny days, with cool nights.

SIGHTINGS
Birds:  Carrion Crow, Black-headed Gulls, Heron, Jays, Magpies, Tawny Owls, Sparrowhawk, Buzzard, Siskins, Stonechat, Swallows, Green/Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Wood Pigeons, Stock Doves, Collared Doves, Nuthatches, Treecreepers, Willow Warbler, Blackbirds, Song Thrushes, Wrens, Robins, Dunnocks, Chaffinches, Bullfinches, Goldfinches, Greenfinches, Coal/Blue/Great/Long-tailed Tits.
Mammals:  Fox, Grey Squirrels, Roe Deer, evidence of Mole movement underground, Pipistrelle Bats.
Butterflies/Moths:  Peacock, Red Admiral, Holly Blue, Large/Small Whites, Brimstone, Speckled Wood, species of day flying Moths.
Pond Life:  Pond Skaters, Whirlygig Beetles, Stickleback fish, Frog.
Insects:  Crane Flies, Wasps, Bees, Sheet Web Spiders. Nursery Web Spiders, Funnel Web Spiders, Garden Spiders.
Plants in flower:  Bell Heather, Cross-leaved Heath, Rowan/Holly Tree berries, Montbretia, Large White Water Lily.
Fungi:  Birch Polypore, Fly Agaric, the Blusher.

Late in the month, three separate Tawny Owls were seen and heard in the same area.
A Heron was seen in flight and later landed in the canopy of a Pine Tree.

Nature Fact

The voice of a Tawny Owl is a familiar hoot ‘hooo-hooo-hooo’ of the male that proclaims his territory and is used during courtship, September through to November, following on to nesting and producing young from as early as February.  The female also has a hoarse version of the hoot. Another commonly heard call is a sharp ‘kee-wick’ made by both male and female.  Occasionally calls can be heard during daylight.

Nature Notes August

August delivered weather similar to July, with periods of heavy rain, wind and occasional bright sunny days.

SIGHTINGS 
Birds: Carrion Crows, Jackdaws, Jays, Magpies, Buzzards, Sparrowhawk, Tawny Owl, Green/Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Stonechats, Wood/Feral Pigeons, Collared Doves, Nuthatches, Mistle/Song Thrushes, Robons, Blackbirds, Dunnocks, Wrens, Chaffinches, Goldfinches, Greenfinches, Bullfinches, Siskins, Willow Warbler, Coal/Blue/Great/Long-tailed Tits.
Mammals:   Grey Squirrels, Roe Deer.
Butterflies/Moths:   Peacock, Holly Blue, Large/Small White, Speckled Wood, Comma, Silver-studded Blue, Meadow Brown, Gatekeeper, Ringlet. Species of day flying Moths.
Pond Life:   Pond Skaters, Whirlygig Beetles.
Insects:  Crane Flies, Species of Bees, Sheet Web/Wolf Spiders.
Reptiles:   Common Lizard.
Dragonfly/Damselfly:   Broad Bodied Chaser, Small Red.
Plants in Flower:   Bell Heather, Cross-leaved Heath, Cotton Grass, Common Sundew, Large White Pond Lilies, Rowan /Holly Trees in berry.
Fungi:   Birch Polypore, Common Yellow Russule.

Birds were seen feeding on natures bounty of seeds and berries.
A Sparrowhawk was frequently seen hunting for prey along the Hazel Drive boundary.
The wet warm weather encouraged Fungi to form towards the end of the month.