Nature Notes February 2018

Date Published: 30-04-2018

The weather was dominated by wet conditions throughout February, with a few dry days in between. Very low temperatures in the last few days of the month caused the surface of the stream to freeze along Kingfisher Greek. Nothing new or different seen. Snow forecasted for early March may attract visiting birds from Iceland and Northern Europe.
SIGHTINGS
Birds:   Carrion Crows, Jackdaws, Magpies, Jays, Buzzards, Black-headed Gulls, Common Gulls, Grey Heron, Tawny Owls, Grey Wagtail, Sparrowhawk, Green/GreatSpotted Woodpeckers, Wood Pigeons, Collared Doves, Stock Doves, Nuthatches,Wrens, Goldcrest, Robins, Blackbirds, Song Thrushes, Dunnocks, Chaffinches, Goldfinches, Bullfinches, Coal/Blue/Great/Long-tailed Tits.
Mammals:  Grey Squirrels, Roe Deer, Fox.
Insects:  Buff-tailed Bees, Midges.
Butterflies/Moths:  Red Admirals.
Plants in Flower:  Common Gorse.
Fungi:  Polypore.
Amphibians:  Frogspawn.

The Grey Wagtail was seen along the bank of Kingfisher Creek.
Look out for visiting birds from Northern Europe and Iceland during March if the weather turns to snow eg Fieldfares, Redwings, Waxwings, Bramblings and Common Redpoll.
Frogspawn was found in frozen puddles on the path in the Silver Studded Heath section.

NATURE FACT
Common Frogs lay the familiar frogspawn in masses of jelly, with up to 1,400 eggs being laid. Tadpoles metamorphose into froglets in 12 weeks and stay near water until hibernating in October or November. They breed at around 3 years old.

Recorder: C Wilcox