Through The Year
March
Highlights Bird Song
Look for: The bright yellow clumps of Wild Primrose.
The single, bright yellow flowers of Coltsfoot.
Small Tortoiseshell, Comma & Peacock Butterflies
emerging from hibernation.
Toads and Newts returning to their breeding pools.
Wood Anemone & Violets beside Mor Brook track.
Insects feeding on the pollen-rich willow catkins.
Marsh Tit, Long Tailed Tit, Jay, Sand Martin and
many other birds are around.
Listen for: The ‘drumming’ of the Greater Spotted Woodpecker.
The laughing flight-call of Green Woodpeckers.
Returning Chiffchaffs. The ‘chiff-chaff chiff-chaff’
song is easy to recognize!
Birds singing to establish their breeding territories.
A gallery of photographs is on our web site www.fenr.org.uk.
Don’t forget to post your sightings on our Facebook page!
April
Highlights Bluebells
Look for: Tendrils of Common Water-Crowfoot in the pools.
Masses of Bluebells, Wood Anemone & Violets in
woodlands down to Mor Brook.
Butterflies on the wing include: Brimstone, Orange Tip, Comma, Speckled Wood, Small Tortoiseshell & Peacock.
Insects feeding on the pollen-rich willow catkins.
Burrowing Bees around our Solitary Bee Village.
Toad tadpoles in the pools.
Listen for: The first Cuckoo calling from mid-April onwards.
The ‘drumming’ of the Greater Spotted Woodpecker.
The laughing flight-call of Green Woodpeckers.
The morning & dusk bird chorus – a bird song app such
as ‘BirdUp’ will help to identify the singers.
Returning Chiffchaffs, calling ‘chiff-chaff chiff-chaff’.
With Luck: Passage Migrants plus, Jay, Sand Martin & Gold Crest.
May
Highlights Wildflowers
Look for: Wild flowers abound in the old woodlands, meadows
and the open sandy areas.
Butterflies on the wing include: Speckled Wood, Meadow Brown, Common Blue, Small Skipper & Ringlet.
Toad tadpoles & Newts in the pools (legally protected).
Damselflies emerging later in May include – Azure, Large Red, White Legged and Beautiful Demoiselle.
Great Tit, Robin, Blue Tit and Coal Tit collecting food to feed their chicks.
Returning Swifts feeding overhead.
The first Slow Worm basking beneath the black survey boards.
Burrowing Bees around our Solitary Bee Village.
Listen for: The laughing flight-call of Green Woodpeckers.
The ‘drumming’ of the Greater Spotted Woodpecker.
Cuckoos calling.
The morning & dusk Bird Chorus – a bird song app such
as ‘BirdUp’ will help to identify the singers.
June
Highlights Orchids
Look for: Orchids in the meadows & sandy areas include: –
Pyramidal, Bee, Common Spotted & Southern Marsh.
Butterflies on the wing include: the scarce Brown Argus, Speckled Wood, Red Admiral, Large Skipper, Ringlet & Meadow Brown.
Juvenile Toads & Newts in the pools (legally protected).
Damselflies abound in June & include – Azure, Common Blue, Blue Tailed, White Legged, Emerald, Large Red plus Banded & Beautiful Demoiselles.
Dragonflies are numerous, including Emperor, Four Spotted Chasers, Broad-Bodied Chasers & Common Darters
Slow Worms beneath the black survey boards
Burrowing Bees around our Solitary Bee Village
Oxeye Daisies in the small meadow & emerging flower heads of our numerous Teasels
Listen for: Sit quietly by the woodland edge and listen for Willow
Warbler, Chiffchaff, Blackcap etc.
The morning & dusk Bird Chorus – a bird song app such
as ‘BirdUp’ will help to identify the singers.
A gallery of photographs is on our web site www.fenr.org.uk
July
Highlights Butterflies
Look for: Butterflies – including Common Blue, Comma, Gatekeeper, Red Admiral, Small Tortoiseshell, Peacock, Ringlet, Meadow Brown, Large & Small Skipper.
Dragonflies are numerous, including – Black-Tailed Skimmer, Broad-Bodied Chaser, Common Darters, Emperor, Ruddy Darter & Southern Hawker.
Damselflies – Blue, Blue-Tailed, White-Legged, Emerald plus Banded & Beautiful Demoiselles.
Check the Buddleia bushes for butterflies and, with luck, a Hummingbird Hawk Moth.
The pink, spikey flower heads of Teasels, the tall stalks of Purple Loosestrife & masses of Knapweed & Oxeye Daisy in the small meadow.
Juvenile Green Woodpeckers looping between the trees.
Juvenile Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Dunnock, Woodpeckers & Robin joining a range of Tit species on the bird-hide feeders.
Listen for: Fewer birds will be singing as the summer moult
approaches but perhaps Willow Warbler & Blackcap.
Don’t forget to post your sightings on our Facebook page!
August
Highlights Butterflies & Dragonflies
Look for: Butterflies – including Common Blue, Brown Argus,
Comma, Red Admiral, Small Tortoiseshell, Peacock, Brimstone, Meadow Brown & Small Skipper.
Dragonflies are numerous, including: Black-Tailed Skimmer, Common Darters (black & yellow legs), Ruddy Darter (black legs) & Southern Hawker.
Damselflies – Blue, Blue-Tailed, White-Legged, Emerald plus Banded & Beautiful Demoiselles.
Check the Buddleia bushes and the nectar-rich pink Teasel heads for butterflies and, with luck, a Hummingbird Hawk Moth.
The tall stalks of Purple Loosestrife & masses of Oxeye Daisy & Knapweed in the small meadow.
Passage migrants have included Green Sandpiper & Grasshopper Warbler.
The hide & feeders are the best place to watch the woodland birds.
Listen for: At the height of the summer moult there will be very few
birds singing, but Robins will resume in late August.
A gallery of photographs is on our web site www.fenr.org.uk
September
Highlights Butterflies & Dragonflies
Look for: Butterflies – including Comma, Red Admiral, Brimstone, Peacock, Large White & Speckled Wood.
Dragonflies are now declining but there are good numbers.
of Common Darters (black & yellow legs), Ruddy Darter (black legs), plus larger species such as Southern Hawker
Damselflies – Now fewer but the Blue-Tailed are still flying.
Check the Buddleia bushes for late season butterflies.
The tall stalks of Purple Loosestrife are prevalent.
Passage migrants – unpredictable but have included Green Sandpiper & Grasshopper Warbler.
The bird hide & feeders are the best place to watch the woodland birds. The locally scarce Marsh Tits are regular visitors.
Listen for: A few Robins and Nuthatches are already singing following
their summer moult. Other species will join them as the month progresses.
Don’t forget to post your sightings on our Facebook page!
A gallery of photographs is on our web site www.fenr.org.uk
Autumn & Winter
Winter is a quiet time at the reserve, but there are still
some interesting birds present.
Look for: the winter migrants: Brambling, Siskin, Lesser Redpoll
and the winter thrushes – Redwing & Fieldfare.
Waders also visit the ponds and scrapes, including Snipe,
Sandpipers and occasionally Jack Snipe. Lapwing feed in neighbouring fields.
The bird hide & feeding station is a good place to view the resident woodland birds – Blue, Great, Coal, Long-Tailed & Marsh Tits, Dunnock, Nuthatch, Woodpeckers & Finches. Willow Tit visits occasionally.
Our Pied and Grey Wagtails are normally found around the small ponds just beyond the carpark.
The first spring flowers appear in late February. The bright yellow flowers of Coltsfoot are among the earliest.
Over-wintering adult butterflies may appear during a warm spell – Small Tortoiseshell, Peacock & Comma.
Listen for: The only bird to sing throughout the winter months is the
Robin, but the other species will start in Feb as they establish their breeding territories.
A gallery of photographs is on our web site www.fenr.org.uk