The woodland is in full song now especially when the sun comes out! With the sun has come some very welcome song and even a couple of sightings of the wood warbler! A bird which is rarely seen on site has been on one of the main visitor trails, close to buzzard bank. Ask at the Visitor Centre for more details.
A pair of mandarin ducks have been seen a number of times on the Coombes brook and we think they may be nesting somewhere in the valley so we will keep you posted on any mandarin duckling sightings.
A pair of great tits have five eggs in the nest box close to the visitor centre which has a camera in it. We are all eagerly awaiting their hatching and we’ll let you know when the chirpy little chicks arrive.
Many birds can be seen close to the Visitor Centre and along our buggy friendly accessible path. Blackcaps are regularly in the hedges on the main path, spotted flycatchers at the back of the visitor centre and many species in the young woodland including nuthatch, pied flycatcher and redstart.
Nuthatch displaying its skill - Katy Fielding
Beautiful wildlife can turn up on any part of the reserve and our accessible path means that more and more people are able to enjoy it. Even if you don’t get lucky one day you’re still in for a beautiful walk, surrounded by bird song, taking in the carpet of wildflowers including bluebells, buttercups and stitchwort.
Bluebells providing a beautiful carpet to any woodland - Katy Fielding
Sounds pretty good to me.
I hope everybody enjoys the reserve over the bank holiday weekend and half term and that the weather is good t o us all. Enjoy.
Katy
Visitor Experience Officer