Bullfinches are regular visitors to the park. Despite the male’s glorious colouring, they are quiet, retiring types, rarely seen; this picture was taken early one Saturday morning when the park was pretty much empty of visitors.
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by Ian Bushell
During the working party tasks last Wednesday, when the Friends were trying to clear the stream of obstructions – mostly logs and other bits of timber thrown into the stream probably by children playing – something caught my eye.
Continue reading “Whirlpool Ramshorn Snail”
Message from Ian
Speckled Wood, Peacocks, Orange Tip and Brimstone knocking about.
Continue reading “Butterfly season”
There is a pair of spotted flycatchers hunting from the hollow oak tree in the corner of the little triangular field between Simpsons and Fiveways. Keep an eye out for them; they are an increasingly rare sight.
Spotted flycatchers are on the RSPB’s Red List of Birds of Conservation Concern
The British Trust for Ornithology has been collecting data about the migratory behaviour of blackcaps.
Continue reading “Blackcap”
The ladybirds are leaving hibernation.
Continue reading “Sixteen spot ladybird”
Message from Ian, Sunday April 18th:
A Red Kite appeared over Sleepers Field and settled briefly on top of the Oak in the hedge between Sleepers and Cornfield before continuing towards Lambrok Meadow. I spoke with a nearby walker who said it joined up with another over Kestrel Field; we seem to have a pair that have included the park in their territory!
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by David Feather
It seems as though Marks and Spencer thought that they were the Bees’ Knees by setting up beehives in farms around the country, to produce honey for M&S sale. This is part of their Farming with Nature Programme.
Continue reading “The Bees’ Knees”
Message from Julie Newblé:
I haven’t managed to get a photo but I’m sure I’ve seen a red kite in the country park the last few weeks.
Clive Knight has reported several recent sightings of a little egret in Lambrok Meadow.
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by Ian Bushell
Not a bad Sunday morning, bright and dry, with no wind but a little chill.
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We have been watching pairs of blue tits house hunting in our oak trees since February and we predicted an early nesting season for the species. But this period of cold weather with frosty nights may have slowed things up.
Read on to find out why. . .
If you are planting your flower beds and hanging baskets this weekend, keep our dwindling population of pollinators in mind and please don’t plant double flowers.
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by Simon Knight
After my amazing weasel encounter, which showed the daily fight for survival that happens within the park, and to which many people are oblivious; I was fortunate to witness the opposite of the weasel encounter – this time life being created.
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Already, there are butterfly sightings from the park.
Continue reading “Butterfly sightings”
We know they are an invasive alien species that inflicts terrible damage on our trees every year – but they are also much loved, long term park residents.
Header picture by Simon Knight
by Simon Knight
I am starting my diary series with one of my most memorable mornings spent in the park.
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Wildlife photographer Simon Knight has been sneaking up on our badgers. Click the green button for a little peek into the park’s nightlife.
Header picture: badgers at a bird feeder in Lambrok Close: by Jude Summers
The Wildlife Trusts and the Royal Horticultural Society have set up a website called Wild About Gardens. Its focus is wildlife gardening and it encourages people to use their gardens to help support nature. This year they are all about beetles.
Continue reading “Wild About Gardens”
Here’s another astonishing fact from the world beyond the park’s boundaries: in a Japanese laboratory, researchers trained wood pigeons to discriminate between paintings by Picasso and by Monet.
Continue reading “Another astonishing fact”
Every spring our readers report the arrival in the park of a small grey green bird with a pale eyestripe and cream underparts. This is either a chiffchaff or a willow warbler and it’s very hard to tell the difference.
Continue reading “Chiffchaff or willow warbler”
by Simon Knight
My walk in the park was short and definitely sweet last Sunday morning. My first sighting was of a sparrow hawk.
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