January is certainly in full swing here at Coombes and to one of our warden interns (Becky) was delighted that snow had arrived. As I (Aimee) made my way to the reserve all I could see was white on the horizon. I thought to myself wow the clouds are low today. When I reached the reserve I discovered that the ‘low clouds’ were actually the rolling hills of Coombes completely covered in snow; not enough to build a snowman though. I couldn’t resist grabbing my camera and snapping some shots of the winter wonderland that I saw before me.
Winter wonderland at Coombes- (By Aimee Burrows)
Whist admiring the sprinkling of snow on the viewing platform I witness two small and fluffy creatures playing and enjoying themselves. With their long ears and cotton ball tails you can probably guess what species I am talking about; rabbits. Watching them playing reminded me of the characters from the Beatrix Potter book, The Tale of Peter Rabbit, that I used to read as a child. Their hearing, sense of smell and eyesight are extraordinary. Rabbits have almost 360° vision which is very important for being able to detect predators from all directions. It is not just their senses though which are astonishing; rabbits are also athletes in their own right. They can jump up to 3 meters in length which is roughly 7 times their own body length. Comparing this to humans where the longest long jump is 8.95 which is roughly 5 times the average human’s body length; rabbits in this instance are the clear winners.
Bunnies chasing each other in the snow – (By Aimee Burrows)
After the rabbits disappeared over the hill I decided to venture into the heart of Coombes to see what I could find. It wasn’t long before I was greeted with an array of colours. Red from the geulder rose berries, green from the prickly holly leaves and purple, yes that’s right purple! The culprit for the explosion of purple to the reserve is the alder tree. This particular species flourishes in damp areas such as wet woodlands and on the banks of streams. The buds of the tree are responsible for the purple colouration which is spreading across Coombes. In the past the wood from the alder tree was said to be used to make clogs and that if alder leaves were placed in them before a journey it would prevent your feet from swelling up. However, my favourite past uses of the alder is entwined with the tale of Robin Hood. It is suggested that the green dye from the flowers of the tree were used to dye people’s clothes. This created a type of camouflage clothing which was worn by outlaws such as Robin Hood and his merry men.
Alder buds - (By Aimee Burrows)
The warden team have also been greeted to an array of interesting sights this week when they have been out and about on the reserve. On their way to Clough Meadow, the team witnessed a group of mallards, enjoying themselves in the Coombes Brooke. Groups of mallards actually have two different collective terms depending on whether they are on the ground or in flight. In flight they are called a flock and on the ground they are called a sord. This species is not a regular visitor to Coombes, however, they can be found at almost any wetland habitat such as marshes, lakes and reservoirs as well as a range of other environments. This group of twelve were made up of males and females yet it was only the females which were making the typical ‘quacking’ sound. I was surprised to learn that male mallards don’t actually quack instead they make a quieter, rasping sound instead. So when you next come across a mallard see which one is quacking.
Mallard- (RSPB Images)
There have been many mammal sightings this week, from the rabbits frolicking in the snow, to grey squirrels chasing each other through the trees and to deer leaving their tracks in the mud. But we must not forget Coombes’ most elusive mammal, so elusive in fact the only evidence of them being here is a hill. A mole hill. These creatures are so tiny they weigh the same amount as an apple and have been found to come in a variety of colours from orange (yes that’s right!) to cream, to grey and the more usual colour black. Moles spend almost their entire life underground only coming to the surface if the soil is too dry to search for food and to leave their mother’s burrow to search for a new home. As they spend almost all their life in the tunnels they create there is no surprise that these creatures can run backwards in them and do a summersault just to turn back the way they came. So the next time you come across a mole hill rather than looking at the pile of mud think about who created it and what secrets they hold.
Mole – (RSPB images)
Our bird feeders have seen lots of activity again this week from a family of long-tailed tits, great tits, blue tits and much more. My highlight of this week has been seeing my first bullfinch at Coombes Valley. Somehow this species has managed to elude me up until now. Its pinkish-red breast and black cheeks makes this species unmistakable. He was enjoying himself high up in the tree tops near to the education barn. Every time I walk past there I will certainly keep my eyes peeled and ears opened to hopefully find him again.
Blue tits- (By Aimee Burrows)
Don’t forget the team from Coombes will be at Severn Trent’s Carsington Water this weekend making natural bird feeders and providing information about The Big Garden Bird Watch. Come along this weekend at meet the team or enjoy a walk around Coombes and see what jewels you can discover.