Well, this week has been very changeable. Some days we have had all four seasons in one day! Anyway enough about the weather; I know how we Brit’s love to talk about the weather until the cows come home!
As it is the end of the week, it is time for you to find out what we have seen out and about on the reserve this week. Unfortunately, this will be the last time I (Aimee) will be writing this blog as this is my last week at Coombes Valley. I have had an absolutely amazing time here, met so many interesting people and been able to work somewhere with outstanding views and wildlife. I have seen so many species for the first time here, such as redwings, bullfinches, holly blue, roe deer and many more! I have learnt so much, my favourite ‘tit-bit’ of knowledge being that you can get ginger moles; I have told everyone I know! I have had some amazing wildlife encounters too; my particular favourite being a peacock butterfly landing on my head for a rest. Coombes Valley is literally a gem in Staffordshire and certainly worth a visit.
View from Buzzard Bank- By Aimee Burrows
That is my emotional part done with; now back to the main task in hand what we have seen this week. Tuesday was a particularly warm and sunny day (back to the weather I know) and as a result Coombes came alive with sounds. Just standing by the visitor centre I heard the distinctive call of the great tit singing his heart out. I remember this was the first bird call I learnt to recognise, described to me as sounding like a bicycle wheel or foot pump; that analogy has stuck with me right to this day. Our warden team were greeted by a chorus of robins and song thrushes whilst out on the reserve. Upon arrival of spring, Coombes bursts into a symphony of sounds. If you fancy experiencing the spectacle first hand, why not join our Site Manager on 4 May for a Dawn Chorus walk?
Song thrush- By Steve Brown
A violet coloured creature has been spotted by the team this week, I have discovered that it has some very interesting characteristics. The violet ground beetle, as it names suggests, has a purple sheen and spends its life on the ground! It’s unable to fly because its wings are fused to form a sort of armour. This species can be classed as a gardener’s friend, as their favourite prey is slugs as well as number of other invertebrate species. However, in order to eat their prey the beetle must first vomit on it! This allows digestive enzymes to break down the food to a more liquid form, therefore making it easier to eat. Ground beetles are known to be able to discharge harmful liquid (to its prey/predators, it is harmless to humans) from its abdomen when it is threatened. What’s more, females use this harmful liquid on very ‘frisky’ males; a female ground beetle version of pepper spray!
Violet ground beetle- By Steve Brown
If you take a closer look at the trees and rocks of Coombes, you will notice a new world; the world of lichens. The closer you look, the more you will notice the enormous variety in shapes, sizes and colours. It is estimated that there are over 17,000 species of lichen in the world. They have been found to live in the most inhospitable environments such as lava flows. Lichens are classed as being a dual organism. They consist of at least two life-forms living symbiotically. The first life-form is a fungus and because it can’t make its own food it needs a photobiont. A photobiont has the ability to make its own food, like a plant. The photobiont is normally a green alga. Lichens provide shelter to a range of invertebrates. It is not just invertebrates which benefits from lichens. Goldcrests and chaffinches use lichens to camouflage their nests.
Lichen- By Aimee Burrows
There are certain words which go together instinctively such as, pillow and case, tree and trunk, light and bulb. I’m not sure that starling and the word murmuration match instinctively, but since the BBC Winterwatch programme perhaps they should be; they used the term a lot on TV. A starling murmuration is where lots of birds flock together, swirling in the sky at dawn and dusk. It is one of the ultimate winter spectacles in areas where they roost; over reedbeds and even city centres. That is what we had here at Coombes this week though on a small scale; a starling murmuration of about 600 individuals flying over the education barn and information centre. Starlings take to the air and gather from all directions for their communal nighttime roost which can contain up to 100,000 individuals. But why do they do this? The biggest draw is safety in numbers; the more of you in a group, the less likely the chance you will be picked off by a predator. The most amazing ‘swirls’ in the sky are when a predator, like a sparrowhawk, flies by. What’s more, these big gatherings are a good chance to exchange information, such as good feeding sites. The bigger the murmuration the more information an individual can acquire. When starlings eventually settle, gathering in large flocks has thermal benefits; you can huddle up against your neighbour to keep warm.
Starling- RSPB images
Why not come in your wellies to this fantastic reserve, see what amazing wildlife you can discover and create your own memories of Coombes.