Nature Notes May

It was dry, warm and sunny by day for the majority of May but turned wet and stormy toward the end of the month.

SIGHTINGS
Birds:   Carrion Crows, Jackdaws, Magpies, Buzzards, Common Gulls, Black-headed Gulls, Heron, Tawny Owls, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, Green/Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Wood Pigeons, Stock Doves, Collared Doves, Pheasant, Stonechats, Siskins, Chiffchaffs, Blackcaps, Willow Warblers, Grey Wagtails, Goldcrests, Nuthatches, Treecreepers, Song Thrushes, Blackbirds, Robins, Wrens, Dunnocks, Coal/Blue/Great/Long-tailed Tits, Chaffinches, Bullfinches, Greenfinches.
Plants in flower:   Gorse, Flowering Currant, Primrose, Foxglove, Cut-leaved Geranium, Cotton Grass, Bog Asphodel.
Fungi:   Mitula Paludosa (Bog Beacon).
Mammals:   Grey Squirrels, Fox, Roe Deer, Pipistrelle Bats.
Butterflies/Moths:   Holly Blue, Orange Tip. Speckled Wood, Brimstone, Large White, Red Admiral, Peacock, Species of day flying Moths.
Insects:   Buff-tailed Bees, Bumble Bees, Wasps, Midges, Flies, Hover Flies, Ants, Leaf Cutters, Miner Bees.
Pond Life:   Pond Skaters, Common Newts, Whirlygig Beetles, Backswimmers.
Reptiles:   Common Lizards, Slow Worms.

Many young birds fledged during May, with Blue Tits, Great Tits  Long-tailed Tits, Blackbirds, Robins, Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Treecreepers, Nuthatches, Bullfinches all being seen.  Monitoring of nests has shown that the breeding rate has been very low this year, with only one or two young being successfully raised.  Siskins have been the species noted for producing a good brood, having been seen in family groups.
Pipistrelle Bats were recorded on most warm dry evenings.

SITE  MANAGEMENT
New rails were fitted to the fence posts along the southern edge of the dry heathland which completes this project.  Work was carried out to improve the path surface bordering this area.  The next work party is scheduled for Tuesday 27 June at 10am.  Details will be posted on this blog page nearer the time.

Nature Fact

It is easy to identify the sex of the Great Spotted Woodpecker.  The female has a black topped head whilst the adult male has a bright scarlet block of colour at the nape of his neck.  Young males can be identified by noting the scarlet colour, which begins on the very front of the head and works its way down to the nape over a period of time as they mature.  The female is larger than the male.

Work Party Tuesday 30th May 10am-1pm

Meet at the Redwood Drive entrance. There is post and rail fencing to finish and, subject to time and labour, we hope to make a start on improving the path along the fenceline where we carried out vegetation clearance last Winter.  Please telephone Will Holland on 07827 820465 for further information if required.

Tools, gloves and refreshments will be provided. 

Nature Notes April

Very dry weather for the majority of the month.  The milder weather encouraged foliage to appear, with insects and butterflies on the wing.  Several migrant birds were seen and heard on the Reserve.

SIGHTINGS 
Birds:   Carrion Crows, Jackdaws, Magpies, Jays, Buzzards, Common/Black-headed Gulls, Tawny Owls, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, Green/Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Wood Pigeons, Stock Doves, Collared Doves, Stonechats, Siskins, Chiffchaffs, Blackcaps, Willow Warbler, Swifts, Goldcrests, Nuthatches, Treecreepers, Song Thrushes, Blackbirds, Robins, Wrens, Dunnocks, Coal/Blue/Great/Long-tailed Tits, Chaffinches, Bullfinches, Greenfinches.
Plants in flower:   Gorse, Flowering Currant, Amelanchier, Hazel Catkins, Broom, Primrose.
Fungi:   Mitula Paludosa (Bog Beacon).
Mammals:   Grey Squirrels, Mole activity, Fox, Roe Deer.
Butterflies/Moths:   Holly Blue, Orange Tip, Speckled Wood, Brimstone, Large White, Comma, Peacock, Red Admiral, Species of flying Moths.
Insects:   Buff-tailed Bees, Bumble Bees, Wasps, Midges, Flies, Hover Flies, Ants.
Pond Life:   Whirlygig Beetles, Pond Skaters.
Several Swifts were seen flying over the Reserve in the last week of the month.
Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps seen and heard at numerous locations.
Many Tit species have taken to nesting in bird boxes provided, some already feeding young.
Fledgling Robins, out of the nest by end of April, were seen being fed by parents.
Mitrula Paludose  has been prolific in the stream at Kingfisher Creek between the two bridges, this Spring.  This can easily be mistaken for a flowering water plant.

SITE  MANAGEMENT
New posts were installed and fencing replaced along the southern border of the dry heathland area. The next work party is scheduled for Tuesday at 10am.  Details will be posted on this blog page nearer the time.

Nature Fact

Mitrula Paludosa is a ascomycetous matchstick-like fungus, known as the Bog Beacon in Britain and N Ireland while in the U.S.A. it is commonly referred to as the Swamp Beacon.  Either way, there are no prizes for guessing that this fungus occurs only in very wet places.  The role of these little club-like fungi in the natural world, is that of recycler; they feed off rotting leaves and stems, helping to break them down into simple compounds, that other plants can feed on.