Nature Notes October 2019

Date Published: 02-11-2019

Heavy rainfall and strong winds dominated the weather interspersed with a few dry, clear days.

SIGHTINGS
Birds (seen or heard): Carrion Crows, Magpies, Jays, Buzzards, Black-headed Gulls, Sparrowhawk, Green/Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Wood Pigeons, Stock Doves, Collared Doves, Nuthatch, Treecreepers, Wrens, Goldcrests, Blackbirds, Song Thrushes, Mistle Thrushes, Robins, Dunnocks, Greenfinches, Chaffinches, Goldfinches, Bullfinches, Siskins, Stonechats, Coal/Blue, Great, Long-tailed Tits.
Mammals: Grey Squirrels, Foxes, Badgers, Hedgehogs, Roe Deer, Mole activity.
Insects/Spiders: Wood Lice, Midges, Bumble Bees, Wasp, Orb-Web Spiders, Sheet-Web Spiders.
Butterflies/Moths: Large White, Red Admiral, Species of day and night flying Moths.
Plants in flower/berries: Rowan, Holly, Sundews, White Pond Lily.
Pond Life: Whirlygig Beetles, Pond Skaters.
Fungi: Fly agaric, The Blusher, The Deceiver, Bay Bolete, The Sickener, Wood Blewit, Chanterelle, Bracket Fungi.

Three Mistle Thrushes seen on the tree canopy of the Pines, along the Hazelwood boundary.
A young male Sparrowhawk was seen on several occasions in Hazelwood.
A lovely display of Spiders webs showed up with the moisture clinging to them, giving a lace-like appearance.
No more recordings of Bats during the month
Many different species of birds were observed feeding on Rowan berries.

NATURE FACT
Birds appear to have a preference for the bright orange red fruits of Rowan first, then red berries of Holly, followed by the orange fruits of trees and shrubs and lastly dark or black berries.

Recorder: C. Wilcox

SITE MANAGEMENT
There was no work party this month but two are scheduled to be held in November