Tag: sparrowhawk
Wildwatch autumn 2018 (September-November)
Highlights The year’s butterfly showing continued to disappoint, but lots of bugs and hoverflies brighten up Wildwatch mornings… Unusual bird visitors included a Common Snipe and Water Rail… Two new plant gall records. Weather Wildwatch days in September were disappointingly overcast and often windy, but brightened up for October which gave us a number […]
Wildwatch: March 2017
Highlights The flowers that bloom in the spring (tra-la!).. the year’s first butterflies appear, and the Harlequinade begins.. mewing in the air and creeping in the garden! Weather Temperatures started to creep up during the month, starting with a cool 4C on the 1st and reaching 11C later on subsequent Wildwatch Wednesdays. There were some […]
Wildwatch: October 2015 Sightings
Highlights Winter & summer birds overlap; striking autumn colours; shieldbugs still bugging, but butterflies have flown Weather Temperatures were generally in the low teens. The 14th was the only Wednesday with any sunshine, whilst on the 28th, heavy rain curtailed the Wildwatch activity after about an hour. Otherwise, conditions were dry, if a little soggy […]
Wildwatch: February 2015 Sightings
Highlights Snowdrops everywhere.. Water skulker and Tree “mouse” return.. a February shieldbug first, and a semaphoring fly! Weather Snow showers greeted us on the 4th, with a chilly 1C. But during the month, temperatures slowly rose and we had bright days on the 18th and 25th. Birds Last month’s statement that the December Water Rail […]
Wildwatch: 10 April 2013 – At Last.. Signs Of Spring!
Weather: Cloudy at first, then sunny. Little wind. 5C to 11C Observers: Eithne, Ian, Kaye, Kaj, Linda Last week, our blog headline was “Has Spring Been Cancelled?”. What a change this week! It felt pleasantly warm, especially when the sun was shining. And there were signs of Spring everywhere. This resulted in several “firsts” for […]
Wildwatch: 3 April 2013 – Has Spring Been Cancelled?
Weather: Sunny at first, then sunny intervals. 3 to 5 C. Light NE wind. Feeling cool! Observers: Eithne, Ian, Kaye, Jo, John, Roger At last – a sunny day! But still cold, and still little sign of Spring. It’s as if everything has been put on hold, waiting for a few warm days for all the […]
Wildwatch: 20 February 2013 – Winter lingers but Spring is arriving!
Weather: Cloudy, light, cool SW breeze, 2 – 5 C Observers: Carrie, Hannah, Ian, John, Katie, Kaj, Kaye, Steve The arrival of John and Katie, two new members of Wildwatch, swelled our numbers to eight observers. We decided, therefore to split into two groups. Carrie, Ian, John and Katie went anti-clockwise round the reserve, with the […]
Wildwatch: 30 January 2013 – Water Vole steals the show!
Weather: Sunny intervals, short blustery showers, fresh to strong N wind, 8C (felt colder in wind) Observers: Doug, Ian, Janetta, Jim, Kaye, Kaj, Steve, Tim A good turn-out of eight people today, with Doug and Jim coming along for the first time. The recently-melted snow had swollen the two becks, with Tang Hall Beck being particularly full. […]
Wildwatch: 19 December 2012 – Pre-Christmas Bird Bonanza!
Weather: Cool, overcast, poor light, light cold breeze later Observers: Hannah, Ian, Janetta, Kaye Well, it was a dull, miserable looking morning when we set out at 10 am, heading out along the Bund Path. And for the first 20 minutes, we saw practically nothing.. a few White Dead Nettle flowers, Woodpigeons and Magpies. Although […]
Wildwatch: 26 September 2012 – After The Rains..!
Weather: Overcast, a few sunny intervals, light breeze, one light shower Observers: Ian, Janetta, Kaye, Kaj, Nicky After two days of very heavy rain, causing local flooding, this morning was, mercifully, mainly dry. Both Osbaldwick and Tang Hall Becks were very high, with the scenes reminding Ian of flooded Amazonian forests – minus the exotic […]
