Catching Up

Sunday, November 5th 2017

The bird ringers are busy with CES, nest box checking and ringing of chicks during late spring and early summer.  Others are always busy rooting, wandering and looking at the same time.  Photographs taken, records made, ring details of chicks and boxes noted.  It then comes a little bit of a shock that all of this data has to be handled.  So it is probably a good job that the winter nights have arrived to allow us all to enter that data into the appropriate lists and programmes. 

I started to enter the monthly observations for May.  This encouraged me to look back at the photos to go with the names I was recording.

Flowers were out in bloom in profusion.  Blossom covered the apple trees.  We think this is a Wild Crab Apple but must go and check next year to see if the petals are pale pink and darker on the back, to confirm our ID.

Apple blossom

Marsh Marigold needs no further study.  We just enjoyed the beautiful golden colours showing through some of the still brown winter vegetation.

Marsh Marigold

Wild Strawberry has certainly increased its presence around the reserve, but we did not eat - sorry - see much fruit.

Wild Strawberry

Of course once the flowers are out and the sun is warm so the insects appear.  St Mark's Fly had a tremendous year, with huge numbers of these flies right across the reserve, including at times in the mist nets.

St Marks' Fly

Damselflies appeared.  Large Reds are the first.  Common Darter and Southern Hawker dragonflies are the last and they were in evidence yesterday, a very late date.

Large Red Damselfly

Spring is a time of growth and birth.  Our Mallards had several broods of ducklings on the lake.

Mallard and young


(1) Comments:

Jez Swinscoe responded on 9th Nov 2017 with...

Just testing comments


Leave a Comment:

Please complete this field, it's required. Your email address will not be displayed but it's required.

Your email address will not be displayed but it's required.

Remember my personal information

Notify me of follow-up comments?


Back to Top

Help Support Foxglove

Friends of Foxglove

The Friends of Foxglove Covert is for those individuals, families and organisations who would like to support the reserve through an annual membership subscription. Friends receive a regular newsletter and invitations to attend our various activities and social events.

More Details

Upcoming Events


Foxglove Covert Local Nature Reserve is now OPEN

Monday 4th November 2024 |

The security gate and it's safety features are to be working, so we're reopening to the public.

Please check the FAQs for further information on entrance procedures.

https://foxglovecovert.org.uk/about/frequently-asked-questions/



March Winter Worky Day

Sunday 2nd March 2025 | 10am - 3pm

Join Foxglove Covert staff and volunteers for the final worky day of this winter season on Sunday 2nd March.

Help out with winter habitat management tasks on the reserve. Tasks may vary but can include coppicing and pollarding willow carr, creating dead hedges, ring barking and clearing scrub.

Please bring along a packed lunch, come ready for all weather conditions, and bring your oldest outdoor clothes as tasks will be mucky.

Booking is essential for this FREE event.

Please note bookings close midday on February 28th.

Foxglove Covert is now taking bookings for events via Eventbrite.

Click Here to Book

Or visit foxglovecovertlnr.eventbrite.com



VIEW ALL EVENTS

Recent Blog Posts

Blog Archive