Tag: Hoverfly
Wildwatch April 2020
Wildlife at St Nicks has been flourishing this spring. Wildwatch volunteers would normally be meeting every week to record – and enjoy – this. Alas, this is impossible right now. However, several Wildwatchers have been able to visit individually and share their sightings with us all. And of course staff members continue to do essential […]
Wildwatch March 2020
New life sprung forth this March at St Nicks – as always. Despite inevitable difficulties, the Wildwatch team was still able to enjoy some great wildlife sightings. Wildwatch groups met as usual on the Wednesday mornings of the 4th and 11th of March – seventeen of us on the latter date. (What a long time ago this […]
Keeping connected to nature: even during lockdown
Hard times for us all. So many pressing concerns. Not least of these, for many of us, is the way in which our access to the natural world has suddenly become so constricted. Absence, it is said, makes the heart grow fonder. How true this seems now, regarding not just family and friends, but also […]
Wildwatch: July 2017
Highlights A mouse and a mouse-like bird.. best month ever for hoverflies.. we seek him here, we seek him there – but we didn’t find him! Weather Dry, 16C – 20C with some sun on the first three Wildwatch Wednesdays.. rain on the 26th. Birds Our summer visitors were recorded every Wednesday in July. At […]
Wildwatch: April 2017
Highlights New bumblebee and hoverfly species for St Nicks brighten up a cold month.. bird breeding season underway.. possible new breeding species? .. herbaceous flowers peak mid-April Weather Generally a cool month, around 14 – 15C, but dipping down to a chilly 6 – 7C on the 26th. Some sunshine, breezy at times – but […]
Wildwatch: July 2015 Sightings
Highlights More breeding bird evidence, and a bad hair day for a scarce bird by Tang Hall Beck.. Warmer July weather brings out more butterflies and dragonflies, plus two more new hoverflies for the reserve.. “Butterfly bush” now in full bloom, and there’s Bindweed everywhere! Weather July started off hot and sunny, with temperatures reaching […]
Wildwatch: April 2015
Highlights: First sighting of this bird since 2013.. regular sightings of this endangered mammal.. babies rescued from the pond..Met Office says sunniest April since records began, but insect life slow to appear on cold and not-so-sunny Wednesdays at St Nicks. Weather: Variable conditions throughout the month, but with temperatures slowly rising from 7C on the […]
Spotlight on….Hoverflies
If you have a garden or backyard with a few plants you will almost certainly see, between March and October, small yellow stripy flies hovering over your flowers. Most of these will be hoverflies, called ‘flower flies’ in the USA because of their attraction to wild and garden flowers. Their stripy appearance makes them […]
Wildwatch: 28 August 2013 – The fruitful season has started!
Weather: Cloudy, with occasional sunny intervals. Light breeze. 15 to 21 C Observers: Amanda, Cliff, Declan, Ian, Janetta, Kaye, Linda, Paul, Preeyus The run of dry weather continues, although the downpour a week ago has refreshed the flow of water in both becks. Although the weather remains warm, there are signs of the approaching Autumn, […]
Wildwatch: 21st August 2013 – A Bug in the Hand…
Weather: short but heavy showers clearing to sun; breezy Observers: Amanda, Carrie, Cliff, Kaj, Kaye, Linda, Mike, Paul, Tracy The reserve is looking increasingly autumnal, with far more seed heads than flowers, and fruits ripening on a range of trees. The birds are still skulking, but the insects (like this one) are amazing. Mowing was […]
