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 […]
Now on day three of our volunteer blogs, I caught up with Support Volunteers, Emma and Eleanor, who help to supervise the Student Action Volunteers of a Wednesday afternoon, to find out how they feel about volunteering at St Nicks. What is your role at St Nicks and what does that involve? Emma: I am a […]
Highlights Tiny winter visitor makes a brief appearance.. What’s shiny, rough, smooth and pygmy?.. Spring under way with male and female flowers showing. Weather Temperatures remained seasonally low, between 2C and 7C, but dry and mainly calm on the Wildwatch Wednesdays. The Boxing Day floods continued to ensure high water levels on both the […]
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 […]
Highlights Breeding evidence at St Nicks of a nationally endangered species; cold, windy May brought out quality rather than quantity of St Nicks invertebrates; a record number of this elusive summer visitor; white is the predominant colour at St Nicks. Weather Generally cool and breezy, although a sunny Wildwatch on the 13th brought out seven […]
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 […]
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 […]
Highlights: A skulking bird was a first for the reserve.. unexpected winter insect sightings, while a world of other creatures are found hiding under logs and stones.. and 15 species of flower still out! Weather: Temperatures ranged from 1C at the beginning and end of the month up to 12C on the 17th. All the Wildwatch […]
Highlights: Prolific fungi, fox & cubs (!), scarce visitor to the Environment Centre plus a new pair of birds, and lots of little creatures skulking under logs and stones. Weather: Temperatures ranged from a minimum of 7C to a max of 11C. Mainly cloudy on Wildwatch Wednesdays, but a sunny day on the 5th and rain […]
Highlights A plant re-discovered after a 3 year absence.. a “protective” hoverfly, new for St Nicks.. a bird up a tree (you don’t often find this water bird up a tree!).. more sightings of a endangered mammal. Weather A generally dry, warm month, with temperatures reaching 23C by the middle of the month. Plants The weekly […]