Spring Unfurling

Thursday, April 7th 2016

What a difference a bit of sun can make, but as soon as it disappeared into the cloud the temperature plummeted. One minute I was comfy in my jacket inspecting the bird boxes, the next I was sweating in the sun. We have over 170 bird boxes at Foxglove Covert, from the smaller Tit boxes to the larger owl boxes. With sitting Greylags leading the way, and corvids such as Rook and Jackdaws gathering their twigs it will not be long before our nest boxes have their own broods.

The signs of spring are slow coming, certainly in the plant world. Plenty of Coltsfoot, and daisy, the formidable Gorse - and the Hawthorn are slowly unfurling. As you look around away from the reserve you will notice that the Horse Chestnut is also one of the first deciduous trees to come into leaf.

The sun had the Common Toads in full voice, and the toad spawn is spreading in the ponds. A young boy wanting to pond dip was satisfied with just getting a net and holding a Toad instead.

More Toads…...

Lesser Redpoll are still about in numbers, especially down by the Lake.

And the Field Centre Honey Bees are busy filling their pollen baskets, probably with Gorse pollen.

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