Ten slug facts
Here are some things you may not have known about slugs.
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Dryoptera
There are three species of fern in the reserve belonging to the genus Dryopteris: a buckler fern and two species of male ferns, all very much alike. At the moment all three are busy unfurling long, bright green, finely divided leaves.
Continue readingAppeal Decision
Well, we lost that one, too. Planning Application 20/00379/OUT to build houses in the fields between Southwick and Trowbridge at site H2.6 has been granted permission on appeal. Below is the gist of the appeal decision – and here, if you are interested, is a link to the whole document.
Click herePeacock butterflies
At this time of year, our peacock butterflies are leaving their hibernation sites to feed among the reserve’s spring flowers: welcome flashes of colour in all this rain.
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Blue tit nest part 3
In the header photograph, the blue tit’s eggs are lying in a cup shaped nest lined with soft feathers that are obviously intended to keep the eggs warm. But around the edge of the cup there are larger feathers; their purpose is not so clear.
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Blue tit nest part 2
After yesterday’s video post, a reader asked what triggered the blue tit female (it is always the female blue tit that builds the nest) to stop collecting moss and to begin collecting what he called fluffy stuff. While failing entirely to find an answer to his question, I found a treasure trove of research into blue tit nests and the materials they use to build them.
Continue readingBlue tit nest
Anybody want to guess how many blue tits are building nests in the reserve today? Here’s how it’s done.
Header image taken in the reserve by Cheryl Cronnie
Pied wagtail
The car park wagtails are a pair of grey wagtails but we have pied wagtails too.
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Jersey tiger
Ian has sent us a picture of a Jersey tiger moth caterpillar with a message:
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Two spot ladybird
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Blue tit colours
The blue tit (Parus caeruleus) has been classified as sexually monochromatic, which means that male and female are the same colour. This classification is based, though, on human colour perception, not on blue tit colour perception.
Continue readingBin binned!
by Sarah Marsh
This week we hit the reality of English weather. There were doubts about the working party continuing to tidy up in the Arboretum because of the gusting wind and heavy rain so we were quite surprised with the turn out in the awful weather.
Continue reading “Bin binned!”Chaffinch
According to the RSPB, trichomonosis, an avian disease caused by a parasite called Trichomonas gallinae, has reduced the UK’s chaffinch population by 34% in the last decade.
Audio: Common Chaffinch by Krzysztof Deoniziak (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 DEED) xeno-canto.org XC884915
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Muntjac
A message from an early-bird dog walker:
I spotted a Muntjac deer this morning, about 5 o’clock whilst walking my dog, who luckily is always kept on his lead. It was In the hedgerow that runs along the path from the carpark towards Studley, just one by itself only. Is this a species you are aware of?
I was very surprised to see it so close to a built up area which has quite considerable footfall. But for well over a year I haven’t haven’t seen the larger deer which frequented the park.
Ten Facts…
…about bluebells
Continue reading “Ten Facts…”Wednesday Work Party
by Ian Bushell
As agreed with the Countryside Team, we started coppicing the Hazel in the Arboretum.
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Moss
Before you drag the pressure washer out of its winter hibernation, let’s talk about the ecological importance of the moss growing between your patio pavers.
Continue readingFritillary
Julie Newblé has sent in the first photograph of this year’s snake’s head fritillaries.
Thanks Julie.
Vernal Equinox
The vernal equinox, the moment at which our sun is exactly above the equator and day and night are of exactly equal lengths, happened at 3:06 am this morning. So today, is the first day of 2024 that will be longer than the previous night. The days will get longer and the nights shorter until the summer solstice: June 21st or thereabouts. For the reserve this is a time of extraordinary growth.
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Common pipistrelle
Our common pipistrelles (Pipistrellus pipistrellus) are out of hibernation
Continue readingGreat British Spring Clean
Have you joined The Great British Spring Clean yet? This is a yearly event, happening this year between the 15th and the 31st of March. Already, just two days in, individuals and groups have pledged to collect almost 360,000 bags of litter.
Continue reading “Great British Spring Clean”No motorbikes, please
by Clive Knight
Last weekend the Friends received information that motor bikes were heard on the reserve late one evening in one of the copses.
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Recycling cans
by Sarah Marsh
Wednesday morning’s work party began with members of the Friends of Southwick Country Park loading up Patrick’s trailer and his car with sacks of flattened aluminium cans to take to Shanley’s our local scrap dealer. On their way, they paused to collect more sacks from Jim’s house.
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Wood anemone
There are wood anemones (Anemone nemorosa) in the copse between Sheep Field and Sleepers, and under oak 5552 in the corner by the central path..
Continue readingReturning chiffchaffs
Has anybody heard our chiffchaffs yet? This is the time of year when they come back from the Mediterranean and Africa to nest in the park and their unmistakeable call is a welcome sign that spring is here, no matter how much it rains. Message or email us if you have heard them .
Southwick Country Park Nature Reserve 