Nature Fact

Redwings are Winter visitors,  fractionally smaller in size to the Song Thrush.  The ‘seep’ sound is the commonest flight call of the Redwing.  Distinctive markings are the pale eye-stripe above and below the eyes, with red flanks.  Redwings breed in Iceland in the Summer months and are visitors in Scotland during the winter, spreading southwards if the weather conditions deteriorate.

Work Party Tuesday 29th December 10m-1pm

We will be cutting and burning Gorse.  Bonfire guaranteed.  Xmas leftovers guaranteed.  Weather - who knows! 

All are invited, whether you want to get stuck into the Gorse or just have a chat and warm yourself by the fire. 

Meet by the Heathland information panel.  Phone Will Holland on 07827 820465 if you would like more info.

Merry Christmas!

Nature Notes

November was memorable for the mild, wet and windy weather. Due to these weather conditions there was little wildlife to observe.

SIGHTINGS
Birds:   Carrion Crows, Magpies, Black-headed Gulls, Tawny Owls, Sparrowhawk, Wood Pigeons, Buzzards, Siskins, Nuthatches, Song Thrushes, Blackbirds, Robins, Wrens, Dunnocks, Bullfinches, Chaffinches, Goldfinches, Greenfinches, Coal/Blue/Great/Long-tailed Tits.
Mammals:   Grey Squirrels.
Butterflies/Moths:   Red Admiral, Brimstone.
Insects:   Sheet/Nursery Spiders, Web/Funnel Spiders.
Fungi:   Birch  Polypore, Sickener.

The Tawny Owls continued to be very vocal from dusk through to morning light.

WORK  PARTY

The October work party coppiced gorse and cleared pine saplings on the dry heath area north of the Redwood Drive entrance.  The next work party is scheduled for the 29th December. Details will be published on our blog page shortly before the due date. 

Nature Fact

During the winter months, blackbirds spend their nights in communal roosts.  Gathered together at the chosen sheltered site, it enables them to conserve heat most efficiently and safety from predators. These roosting birds are not just from the British population,  vast numbers come from Germany, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Poland and Finland, for a milder winter.

Work Party Tuesday 24nd November

Meet at 10am at the Redwood Drive entrance.  We will be clearing more scrub and vegetation where it is interfering with access and fencelines.  We may also coppice some of the Gorse on the dry heath area.

Tools and gloves are provided as well as refreshments.

If you need any further information please telephone Will Holland on 07827 820465.

Nature Notes

Birds:   Carrion Crows, Magpies, Black-headed Gulls, Jays, Tawny Owls, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, Wood Pigeons, Stock Doves, Collared Doves, Buzzards, Stonechats, Siskins, Nuthatches, Treecreeper, Mistle Thrush, Song Thrushes, Blackbirds, Robins, Wrens, Dunnocks, Grey Wagtails, Bullfinches, Chaffinches, Goldfinches, Greenfinches, Coal/Blue/Great/Long-tailed Tits.
Mammals:   Fox, Grey Squirrels, Pipistrelle Bats.
Butterflies/Moths:   Large White, Speckled Wood, Species of day flying Moths.
Insects:   Wasps, Sheet/Nursery Web/Funnel Web/Garden Spiders.
Reptiles:   Slow Worm.
Dragonfly/Damselfly:   Small Red, Broad Bodied Chaser.
Fungi:   Birch Polypore, Deceiver, Sulphur Knight-cap, Sickener,

Readings of Pipistrelle Bats were still being taken on the last evening of the month.
A Kestrel was spotted mid-month, north of the boardwalk.

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.

Nature Fact

Craneflies are members of the insect order of Diptera and are true flies with one pair of functional wings.  As in all Diptera, the hindwings are much reduced in size to form small knobbled projections, called halteres, which are sense organs that act like gyroscopes and enable the fly to keep its balance. Craneflies belong to a distinct family, the Tepulidae, and have long, thin, soft bodies, narrow wings and long spindly legs and are commonly known by the name ‘daddy long legs’.

Nature Notes July

July delivered a mixture of weather, with strong winds, heavy rainfall, thunder and lightning, cloud and sunshine.

SIGHTINGS 
Birds:   Carrion Crow, Magpies, Jays, Jackdaws, Buzzards, Black-headed Gulls, Herring Gulls, Tawny Owls, Sparrowhawk, Green/Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Wood Pigeons, Feral Pigeons, Collared Doves Heron, Chiff Chaff, Tree Creeper, Nuthatches, Robins, Blackbirds, Song Thrushes, Wrens, Dunnocks, Stonechats, Siskins, Greenfinches, Goldfinches, Chaffinches, Bullfinches, Coal/Blue/Great/Long-tailed Tits.
Mammals:   Pipistrelle Bats, Fox, Grey Squirrels.
Butterflies/Moths:  Holly Blue, Brimstone, Small/Large White, Peacocks, Red Admiral, Speckled Wood, Silver-studded Blue, Meadow Brown, Gatekeeper, Ringlet, Large Skipper. Species of Day flying Moths.
Pond Life:   Pond Skaters, Back Swimmers, Whirligig Beetles, Stickleback.
Insects:   Bees, Hoverflies, Wasps, Velvet Ant, Sheet web Spider, Grasshoppers, Mining Bees.
Dragonfly/Damselfly:   Southern Hawker, Broad Bodied Chaser,   Beautiful Demoiselle, Small Red.
Reptiles:   Slow Worm, Common Lizard.
Plants in flower:   Bell Heather, Cross-leaved Heath, Cotton Grass, Bog Asphodel, Common Sundews, Rowan Tree berries, Holly berries.

Flocks of Siskins and Finches, after the breeding season, were seen on site.
Two Tawny Owls were heard communicating at dusk.

Nature Fact

The Siskin is one of our smallest finches and like most other members of that family, the male is brightly coloured, whereas the female is dull with a flecked breast.  Most finches are primarily seed eaters and the Siskin is no exception, with its staple diet being conifer seeds.  They also feed on Silver Birch seeds and on gardens feeders offering sunflower hearts, niger seeds and peanuts.  During the breeding season, Siskins are much more secretive and hides away high up in conifer trees.  Birds that start the season early in prime condition are likely to rear more youngsters than birds in less than peak condition.

Annual General Meeting

The Annual General Meeting of Slop Bog Guardians will be held on 5th August at Avon Country Park commencing 7.30pm. Visitors welcome.