Nature Notes December 2022

Date Published: 04-01-2023

December started off wet and windy but mild, then turned to a two week period of heavy frost with below zero temperatures following which the mild weather returned

SIGHTINGS
Birds (seen or heard): Carrion Crows, Magpies, Jays, Buzzards, Black-headed Gulls, Tawny Owls, Sparrowhawks, Green/Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Wood Pigeons, Nuthatch, Treecreepers, Wrens, Robins, Blackbirds, Goldcrest, Song Thrushes, Mistle Thrush, Dunnocks, Greenfinches, Chaffinches, Goldfinches, Siskins, Grey Heron, Stonechats, Coal/Blue/Great/Long-tailed Tits.
Mammals: Grey Squirrels, Fox.
Butterflies: Peacock.
Plants in flower/berry: Common Gorse, Holly, Oak Acorns, Ivy.

December was a very quiet month on the Reserve in terms of wildlife sightings.

NATURE FACT
Most insects lie dormant in the winter, buried in whatever nook or cranny offers them the best protection from cold and predators. Many moths and butterflies overwinter as pupae, though some adults, such as the Brimstone and Tortoiseshell do too.
The key to the survival of many so-called “cold hardy” insects lies in the conversion of blood sugar to glycerol which acts as a dilute anti-freeze, protecting vital tissues against prolonged sub-zero temperatures.

Recorders: C. Wilcox K. Wilcox

SITE MANAGEMENT

The volunteers work party continued to clear, and burn, gorse and birch saplings from the dry heath area bordering the Redwood Drive entrance.