March
March 1st A Spring-like start to the month with bees in the garden gathering honey and nectar from the crocuses.
March 11th A dull day in the reserve today, brightened with the first signs of green leaves appearing in hawthorn bushes towards the Long Beach Road incline, blackthorn blossom just beginning to flower by the quarry, and the first few celandines on the east path out of the reserve. A longtailed tit had its tiny beak full of feathers to line a nest near the reserve's east exit. There is plenty of bramble around that area which is a favourite protective habitat for them to build their nests although I didn't spot one.
March 13th A buzzard was seen circling over the mill.A single pond skater was seen on the main garden pond, common newts seen in garden pond and tubs.
March 17th A beautiful spring day saw lots of butterflies with several comma and male brimstone seen in the reserve and three small tortoiseshells up the valley from the reserve near Court Road. STs populations have crashed in recent years so hopefully this is a sign of resurgence of this species. The patch of ground, north of lower Court Road, which I believe is council owned, is a mix of regularly mowed grass, scrub that is largely left intact, and grass that is occasionally cut back. This is an excellent and diverse micro-habitat, supporting more than 20 butterfly and day-flying moth species, and it's good to see that councils can sometimes get things right.
March 25th A stiff breeze today but with some sunshine. A buzzard taking advantage of an updraft from the slope between St Anne's church and the reserve was mobbed by two gulls. Several wrens seen and heard. A possible chiff chaff was heard in Catscliff. Celandines are well under way and the first tentative signs of bluebells in bud.
March 27th More breezy weather with sunshine and showers, but a good day for wildlife in and around the reserve today with a buzzard seen circling low over the barn twice. A pair of jays were active in Catscliff Wood, and at least four chiffchaffs seen just outside of the reserve along the path to St Anne's Church. None were singing but just checking out their surroundings so maybe newly returned migrants. Wrens have been tantalisingly close but I keeping missing my chance of photos of this bird as they are so active and always ready to bolt for low cover and disappear.
March 28th A small tortoiseshell was investigating a patch of new nettle growth just outside of the reserve near the path to St Anne's Church. It looks an ideal spot to lay eggs so I'll keep an eye out for larvae.
March 29th 2 commas, 3 peacocks and no less than 7 small torts near Court Road, one of which was ovipositing in new nettle growth.
March 30th Too much cloud for much butterfly activity, but a chiffchaff was singing in the park near the path to Cherry Garden Lane, the first I've heard this year.
March 31st Another cloudy day but at least three chiffchaffs heard along with green woodpecker, and a male blackcap spotted in the park.
Spring crocuses getting bees off to a good start.
A long tailed tit collecting nest material. I still haven't found the nest!
A welcome upsurge of the recently declining small tortoiseshell, reinforced by a late influx last autumn from continental Europe.
March 11th A dull day in the reserve today, brightened with the first signs of green leaves appearing in hawthorn bushes towards the Long Beach Road incline, blackthorn blossom just beginning to flower by the quarry, and the first few celandines on the east path out of the reserve. A longtailed tit had its tiny beak full of feathers to line a nest near the reserve's east exit. There is plenty of bramble around that area which is a favourite protective habitat for them to build their nests although I didn't spot one.
March 13th A buzzard was seen circling over the mill.A single pond skater was seen on the main garden pond, common newts seen in garden pond and tubs.
March 17th A beautiful spring day saw lots of butterflies with several comma and male brimstone seen in the reserve and three small tortoiseshells up the valley from the reserve near Court Road. STs populations have crashed in recent years so hopefully this is a sign of resurgence of this species. The patch of ground, north of lower Court Road, which I believe is council owned, is a mix of regularly mowed grass, scrub that is largely left intact, and grass that is occasionally cut back. This is an excellent and diverse micro-habitat, supporting more than 20 butterfly and day-flying moth species, and it's good to see that councils can sometimes get things right.
March 25th A stiff breeze today but with some sunshine. A buzzard taking advantage of an updraft from the slope between St Anne's church and the reserve was mobbed by two gulls. Several wrens seen and heard. A possible chiff chaff was heard in Catscliff. Celandines are well under way and the first tentative signs of bluebells in bud.
March 27th More breezy weather with sunshine and showers, but a good day for wildlife in and around the reserve today with a buzzard seen circling low over the barn twice. A pair of jays were active in Catscliff Wood, and at least four chiffchaffs seen just outside of the reserve along the path to St Anne's Church. None were singing but just checking out their surroundings so maybe newly returned migrants. Wrens have been tantalisingly close but I keeping missing my chance of photos of this bird as they are so active and always ready to bolt for low cover and disappear.
March 28th A small tortoiseshell was investigating a patch of new nettle growth just outside of the reserve near the path to St Anne's Church. It looks an ideal spot to lay eggs so I'll keep an eye out for larvae.
March 29th 2 commas, 3 peacocks and no less than 7 small torts near Court Road, one of which was ovipositing in new nettle growth.
March 30th Too much cloud for much butterfly activity, but a chiffchaff was singing in the park near the path to Cherry Garden Lane, the first I've heard this year.
March 31st Another cloudy day but at least three chiffchaffs heard along with green woodpecker, and a male blackcap spotted in the park.
Spring crocuses getting bees off to a good start.
A long tailed tit collecting nest material. I still haven't found the nest!
A welcome upsurge of the recently declining small tortoiseshell, reinforced by a late influx last autumn from continental Europe.
Some warm sunny days this month saw the usual hibernating adults emerging like this male brimstone nectaring here on celandine.
See you next month,
Mike.
posted by Mike Dimery at
11:26 AM
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