Nature Notes April 2018

Date Published: 31-05-2018

April was a month featuring many weather conditions and temperatures, which
included a short hot period, through to cold, wet and windy conditions.

SIGHTINGS
Birds: Carrion Crows, Jackdaws, Magpies, Jays, Buzzards, Black-headed Gulls,
Common Gulls, Grey Heron, Mallard Duck, Tawny Owls, Sparrowhawk, Green/Great
Spotted Woodpeckers, Wood Pigeons, Stock Doves, Collared Doves, Nuthatches,
Treecreepers, Wrens, Goldcrests, Robins, Blackbirds, Song Thrushes, Dunnocks,
Stonechats, Greenfinches, Goldfinches, Bullfinches, Chaffinches, Blackcaps,
Chiffchaffs, Willow Warblers, Coal/Blue/Great/Long-tailed Tits.
Mammals: Grey Squirrels, Roe Deer, Fox, Wood Mice, Badger, Pipistrelle Bats.
Insects: Pine Shoot Beetle, Centipedes – Cryptops hortensis, Lithobius forficatus,
Woodlice, Midges, Buff-tailed Bees.
Butterflies/Moths: Species of day flying Moths, Brimstone, Red Admiral, Peacock.
Plants in Flower: Common Gorse, Ribes (Flowering currant), Amelanchier.
Pond Life: Pond Skaters, Whirlygig Beetles, Tadpoles, Common Newts.
Reptiles: Slow Worms.
April was full of surprises, with the early arrival of Blackcaps, Chiffchaffs and Willow
Warblers in the first week of the month. Following on from last year, the Chiffchaffs
are calling from many locations on the Reserve.
Pipistrelle Bats recorded.
A survey of rotting wood revealed two species of Centipede along with Woodlice and a
Slow Worm.
The nesting season is well under way by the resident birds. A family of young Robins
has already fledged along the Hazelwood boundary.
There was a clear indication and signs of a Badger on site, which has had its image
caught on a field camera, where it has accessed gardens along Hazel Drive from the
Reserve. The digging for worms was very evident on site, leaving scuffed-up areas,
foot prints and well travelled paths. A Sett has not been discovered on the Reserve,
so this may well be a visiting Badger based within a mile of the site.

NATURE FACT
Young Badgers are born from around the middle of February, through to March. Their
diet is very variable, but earthworms are by far the most important food; also insects,
especially Beetles, small mammals, carrion, cereals and fruit. They belong to the
family of mammals that have musk-bearing scent glands under their tails. The paths
they travel along are really scent trails. All the Badgers using them mark them
periodically with their own scent, which defines their own territory, warning other
Badgers from other Setts to stay away.
Recorder – C. Wilcox

SITE MANAGEMENT
The work party installed strainer posts along the southern enclosure border in
preparation of the construction of a new fence. The next work party is scheduled for
29th May at 10am.