December Nature Notes

January Nature Notes
 

February Nature Notes

March Nature Notes

December Nature Notes

BIRDS

Many Waxwings have already arrived from Scandinavia this winter. They are pinky-brown birds with a black face mask, black front and an upswept headcrest. The wings have a scarlet red blotch - like sealing wax on the secondary feathers. You may catch a glimpse of them feeding on hawthorn berries.
 
Another Scandinavian visitor is the Redwing. It too feeds on hawthorn and looks much like our own song thrush but for the pale stripe above the eye and a black line beside the chin. You may spot them singing facing the winter sun high in the tree tops.
 
Look for mixed parties of tits - Blue, Long-tailed, Great and Coal tits. They often forage together and warn each other if a Sparrow Hawk is around. They do not go far from their own territories and from time to time you may hear them sing to reassert their ownership of them.

Robins hold a territory throughout the winter and can be heard singing, day or night (if in a well lit area), to defend it.
 
TREES / PLANTS

Female Holly trees have good crops of red berries this winter, They usually stay on trees until well after Christmas. Older hollies will have less spiky leaves towards the top branches -  the prickly leaves are only needed for defence lower down.

White Nettle is still flowering, Though the leaves look like those of stinging nettles they are harmless. Turn the flowers upside down and the two anthers look like ladies slippers - an alternative name for the plant.
 

April Nature Notes

Wildlife Interpretation Board
Progress on our new Wildlife Interpretation Board

Fungal Foray Wednesday 22 October 2008