A grey squirrel, photographed by DKG, leaving the picnic area through the fence. Perhaps he has been burying acorns there, for a winter picnic of his own.
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Hibernation
The temperature is dropping and we have already seen the first frosts. The park’s invertebrates are preparing for hibernation.
Continue readingTen water vole facts
Here are some fascinating facts about water voles:
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Planting for pollinators
If you are visiting the garden centre this weekend, looking for flowers and shrubs to brighten your garden next year, consider planting for our pollinators and especially our dwindling bee populations.
Continue readingNational Reptile Awareness Day
Yesterday was National Reptile Awareness Day and we missed it!
We make a habit of missing these National and International celebratory days. Sorry; we will try to do better.
Continue reading “National Reptile Awareness Day”Elephant hawk moth
by Ian Bushell
Elephant hawk-moth – Deilephila elpenor – one of the eighteen species of hawk-moths found in Britain, all of whose caterpillars have a characteristic horn at their tail.
Continue reading “Elephant hawk moth”Surviving the floodwaters
We have just endured a spell of exceptionally wet weather that has been hard work for both people and wildlife.
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Migrants
Of the 21 species of butterfly identified in the park this summer, two do not overwinter here: the painted lady (Vanessa cardui) and the red admiral (Vanessa atalanta)
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Robin’s winter song
The robin is one of the few birds in the UK that sing in the winter as well as the summer. The purpose of the song is territorial; robins winter here and defend their territories all year round.
Continue readingBat numbers
Ten numerical facts about bats:
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A squirrel video to cheer you up on a really wet Sunday morning.
Enjoy!Wet Wednesday cont.
Task number 2.
Ian Bushell reports on cutting back the set-aside on the northern edge of Village Green with brush cutters.
Continue reading “Wet Wednesday cont.”Overwintering
Almost all of the 21 species of butterfly that have been seen in the park this summer, will overwinter here. Butterflies can hibernate in all four of the stages of their development.
Britain has fifty eight species of butterfly, and nine of these species spend the winter as an egg, thirty two spend it as a caterpillar, eleven as a pupa, and six as an adult.
Here are some examples:
National Badger day
It was National Badger Day yesterday and we missed it. Sorry.
Click here for pictures and posts:
Migrating swallows
Most of our swallows have left by this time of year; Britain’s swallows overwinter South Africa.
Continue readingDeath by acronym!
As required by NPPF 2019, WC has made FMMs to WHSAP to include policy statements for the sites at H2.4, H2.5 and H2.6 which take full account of the TBMS and the BoA SAC.
What does any of this mean? Click here:Willow warbler migration
All our willow warblers will have left by now; they are on their way to sub-Saharan Africa where they will spend their winter. Theirs is the longest journey undertaken by any of the park’s migratory birds. Why do such tiny birds fly so far and take such risks to do it?
Continue reading “Willow warbler migration”Long tailed tit
Long-tailed tits, Aegithalos caudatus, form small, excitable flocks at this time of year of up to twenty individuals.
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Baby Squirrel
Dear FoSCP,
Thought you’d like these photos of a juvenile squirrel discovered in the park yesterday. I think it was probably ground feeding as there were no signs of injury and he scampered up the nearest tree after a brief look around! Lovely little chap 😊
Kind regards
Simon Handley
Pictures by Simon Handley
Water voles
If you regularly walk near the Lambrok or any of its tributary streams, keep a lookout for water voles. They are an important protected species and any planned development along the stream will need to take their presence into account.
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Peacock
Pictures of a peacock butterfly taken by DKG during the summer.
Nursery web spider
A nursery web spider (Pisaura mirabilis) photographed in the park by DKG on a dewy Sunday morning.
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This is a drone fly (Eristalis tenax), named for its mimicry of a male honeybee.
Continue readingSpeckled wood
A speckled wood (Pararge aegeriais) on hawthorn berries photographed last weekend by DKG.
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More about oak galls
Yesterday’s picture of an artichoke gall among oak tree leaves produced questions and enquiries from our readers via Messenger, Facebook and our website’s below-the-line comments column. Here is more information about oak gall wasps.
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