Over the years the Friends of Southwick Country Park have planted many holly whips in the hedges around the reserve’s fields.
Continue reading “Oh, the holly. . .”Oh, the holly. . .
Pigeon ID
Here’s a video from the British Trust for Ornithology to help us all sort out our native pigeons:
Magic mushrooms
Mycologists have discovered fungi that can break down polyethylene, the sort of plastic typically used in shopping bags, food wraps and bottles.
Continue readingTerminology
At this time of year, writing about the reserve’s inhabitants, we use the words overwinter, hibernation, and diapause a lot. It’s easy to assume that they are interchangeable terms but that is not so: let’s take a closer look.
Continue reading “Terminology”Winter robins
Here are some of the reserve’s robins all fluffed up against the cold.
Wood ear
Wood ear is one of the few fungi that produce fruiting bodies all year round.
Continue readingWorld Soil Day
Today is World Soil Day.
Continue reading “World Soil Day”
Coccinella septempunctata
Coccinella septempunctata is the rather grand scientific name of the most common of our native ladybirds, the seven spot.
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We have fixed the path over the new bridge at Studley Close.
Well done everybody!
COP28
What is COP28? It is the twenty eighth Conference Of The Parties, the parties in this case being the 198 governments that have signed the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), and it begins today. In these uncertain times, we should pay it a little attention.
Here are some of the complicated and confusing numbers associated with this year’s conference.
Continue reading “COP28”
A frosty night
The forecast is for a frosty night. The reserve is stunning in an early morning frost so if you are one of our early morning walkers, please don’t forget your camera – and send us your pictures.
Please send full sized pictures to friendsofscp@outlook.com. Sadly, it is no longer possible to send high res pictures via Facebook messenger.
Header Image: drone shot of a frosty reserve by Simon Knight
Eco-engineer
Ecosystem engineers are creatures that create, significantly alter and maintain (or destroy) a habitat and in doing so change the availability of resources for other species. Our water voles are busy engineering the banks of Lambrok Stream and its tributary. How do they do this?
Continue reading “Eco-engineer”10 facts about foxes
ONE: our native red fox, a common visitor to the reserve, is the largest of the world’s true foxes and one of its most widely distributed. It is found across the entire Northern Hemisphere including most of North America, Europe and Asia, as well as in parts of North Africa.
Continue reading “10 facts about foxes”
A gift
By Ian Bushell
idverde, working in partnership with Wiltshire Council has donated 250kg of ‘Woodland Mix’ daffodil bulbs to Parish councils, schools and community groups. idverde are the contractors who help the Countryside Team and the Friends maintain the reserve; you have probably seen their vehicles in the reserve.
Continue readingPoplar
In the reserve we have two different kinds of poplar tree: Populus nigra, the black poplar and its cultivar, Populus nigra var. Italica, the Lombardy poplar.
Continue reading “Poplar”
Owl and vole
Tawny owls come to the reserve to hunt our plentiful field voles.
Blackbirds and berries
Wood mouse
The wood mouse is Britain’s commonest and most widespread species of rodent. There must be hundreds, if not thousands, in our nature reserve but they are rarely seen. Here are some of their personal details.
Continue reading “Wood mouse”Winter moths
The Winter moth (Operophtera brumata) is one of the few Lepidopterans that can cope with winter’s freezing temperatures in its adult stage. They are endothermic which means that they can produce heat internally by biochemical processes, just as warm-blooded creatures do.
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Beak length in great tits
Apparently, great tits in the UK have longer beaks than Dutch great tits: data analysis has shown a difference of 0.3mm. What’s going on?
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Goldfinch
Goldfinches come to the reserve in flocks during the winter to feed on seeds in our hedges and edges.
Continue readingAmethyst deceiver
A message with beautiful pictures from photographer Simon Knight:
Continue reading “Amethyst deceiver”S41 mammals
The Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act (2006) makes it the duty of all local authorities to conserve biodiversity. Section 41 of the Act refers to a published list of habitats and species (called S41 species) which are considered to be of principal importance for the conservation of the country’s biodiversity.
Continue reading “S41 mammals”
One of the reserve’s most controversial residents: much loved sweetheart of our local wildlife or destructive and costly invasive alien species?
Grey squirrel photographed last week in the reserve by Ian Bushell.
Southwick Country Park Nature Reserve 