Nature Notes February 2020

Date Published: 01-03-2020

February was one of the wettest months recorded with several storms and very strong winds.

SIGHTINGS
Birds (seen or heard): Carrion Crows, Magpies, Buzzards, Green/Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Wood Pigeons, Stock Doves. Nuthatches, Treecreepers, Wrens, Goldcrest, Male Blackcap, Blackbirds, Song Thrushes, Robins, Dunnocks, Greenfinches, Chaffinches, Goldfinches, Bullfinches, Siskins, Redpolls, Stonechats, Coal/Blue/Great/Long-tailed Tits.
Insects: Bees, Midges, Sheet-web Spiders.
Mammals: Grey Squirrels, Mole activity, Fox.
Plants in Flower/Berries: Holly, Ivy, Viburnum.
Fungi: Many-zoned Polypore.

Many paired birds are already showing interest in the nesting boxes on site.
A pair of Redpolls were frequently seen on the Pine, Birch, and Holly trees, along Hazelwood and visiting garden feeders in Hazel Drive.

NATURE FACT
The Redpoll’s name literally means “red head”, referring to their bright red caps on both male and female birds. They are migratory Finches from Iceland and Scandinavian countries. They are lively, sociable birds, often flocking with Siskins in Autumn and Winter to feed on Alder and Birch seeds or visiting garden feeders. When the birds are feeding they have a habit of suddenly flying up en mass, wheeling in the air before returning to their feeding place. .

Recorder: C Wilcox

SITE MANAGEMENT
Efforts this month were centred on the retention woodland area, clearing some of the fallen trees from the recent storms.