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Birds
and other wildlife Recorded in April 2018
Common
Pheasants are often heard making their “coughing” call; rather more uplifting
are the frequent sightings of Buzzards and Red Kites over the wood. Stock Doves
and their more obvious cousins, Woodpigeons, were regulars. Although Tawny Owls
were not actually recorded in the wood in April – we know they were there, as
two of the wardens saw a chick on its own in late May, great news! No Green
Woodpeckers were observed, but Great Spotted Woodpeckers were heard drumming
and alarming on several occasions. All the common corvids were recorded:
Magpie, Jay, Jackdaw, Carrion Crow and Rook, with the Rookery having
approximately 21 nests – always difficult to count once the trees have come
into leaf. Blue Tits, Great Tits and a few Long-tailed Tits were recorded (but
no Coal Tits – though they are almost certainly there, especially in the
Larches and conifers). Skylarks sang almost overhead, and three summer migrant
warblers also warbled – Chiffchaff, Blackcap and Willow Warbler (Will someone
please find a Garden Warbler and a Whitethroat or two to add to the list!).
Nuthatches were active, as were Blackbirds, Robins and the more skulking
Dunnocks. Finally, Chaffinch, Goldfinch and Bullfinch were also spotted.
April was a beautiful
month for plants: The Dog’s Mercury flowers had virtually gone over, though a
few green flowers remained. Wood Anemones and Bluebells were stunning, and
several patches of Primrose shone palely. All these plants are Ancient woodland
Indicators, and all flower early in the year as they are shaded out once the
woodland canopy grows over.
Please keep
those records coming in!
Find out
what has
been spotted in 2018 So far - click here
To see what
was spotted in 2017 - click here
To see what
was spotted in
2016 - click here
or
to see
lists of previous sightings (2010 to 2015) - click
here
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