Nature Notes September 2024
Date Published: 03-10-2024
The weather was dominated by rain and wind, with only a few short periods of respite.
SIGHTINGS
Birds (seen/heard): Herring Gulls, Black –headed Gulls, Carrion Crows, Hooded Crows, Magpies, Jays, Buzzards, Sparrowhawk, Tawny Owls, Wood Pigeons, Stock Doves, Nuthatch, Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Stonechats, Dartford Warbler, Siskins, Chiffchaffs, Spotted Flycatchers, Blackbirds, Song Thrush, Robin, Wren, Dunnocks, Goldcrest, Chaffinches, Goldfinches, Greenfinches, Coal/Blue/Great/Long-tailed Tits
Insects: Midges, Wood Lice, Common Green Grasshopper, Garden Spider, Wasp Spider, Field Cricket, Black Ants, Species of Bees, Wasps.
Mammals: Grey Squirrels, Wood Mice, Hedgehogs, Fox, Pipistrelle Bats, Brown Rat.
Plants in flower/Berry: Rowan, Blackberry, Holly, Bell Heather, Ling, Cross-leaved Heath, Low growing Gorse.
Butterflies/Moths: Large White, Holly Blue, Small white, Comma, Gatekeeper, Peacock, Red Admiral, Brimstone, Speckled Wood.
Dragonfly/Damselfly: Small Red, Common Darter, Emperor, Broad Bodied, Southern Hawker.
Pond Life: Whirlygig Beetles, Pond Skaters.
Fungi: Turkey Tail, Puff Balls.
Two Spotted Flycatchers were seen in the west of the site.
Many insects, Butterflies, Dragonflies and Damselflies were seen on the few warm sunny days.
NATURE FACT
Gatekeeper butterflies are normally seen during July and August. They have false eyes on their wings and are often found near Bramble thickets. Each Butterfly lives for about three weeks. The caterpillars of the Gatekeeper live from August until the following June, hibernating through the winter months low down in the grass.
Recorders: C. Wilcox, K. Wilcox
Contribution to sightings: R. Pitt
SITE MANAGEMENT
The monthly work party improved a couple of wet sections through the woodland retention, cleared invasive vegetation and tidied trees that had been felled.
Cattle returned to the Reserve.
