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stonechat - Geoff Norwood |
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lesser celandine - Wildstock |
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gorse in winter - Steve Nicholls |
What to watch out for in February
February is frequently the coldest month of the year, with clear blue skies subtle sunlight and crisp frost. However, early signs of spring are already beginning to show. In the sheltered wooded valley of Goblin Combe or at Lower Woods, primroses and daffodils are beginning to grow and with a mild winter may even have flowered. Carpets of lesser celandine and dogs mercury begin to wake up as daylight hours increase. Hares can be seen across the levels and at Puxton Moor and Weston Moor these magnificent mammals can be observed during the early hours of dawn as they lark about, fighting and showing-off to potential mates.
Down on the coast the bleak openness of the Severn Estuary can be quite daunting. However, on a late afternoon the thrill of seeing a short-eared owl quartering the saltmarsh at Walborough or at Blake's Pools will make the visit worthwhile. Flocks of meadow pipit can be encountered as they move in and out with the tide at Clapton Moor these birds can be seen alongside stonechats as they feed on invertebrates in the grass.
- 8 January - River Frome - Kingfisher
- 9 January - Goblin Combe - raven, sparrow hawk, tawny owl
- 15 January - Portbury Wharf -penduline tits
- 16 January - Brandon Hill - greater spotted woodpecker
- 16 January - Puxton Moor - hare
- 21 January - Portbury Wharf - bullfinches
- 23 January - Folly Farm - bullfinches x 12
- 25 January - Goblin Combe - yellow necked mouse
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