Today we began our first ever Monthly Wildlife Watch – observing the flora and fauna and noticing the seasonal changes in the Park. It was a grey overcast day – unlike the gloriously sunny day before – and there had been a frost overnight. Suzie, one of our garden volunteers, and I started in the Jenkinson garden and noted down the very few flowers we saw – Hedge germander, rudbeckia, thyme, phlox (sheltering behind the bench), a lone white daisy in the grass and we noticed the new recent growth put on by the box hedges. This area – newly planted in March 2021 – was brimming with pollinators over the summer, and it will be so exciting to see it come alive in its 2nd year next spring. A little robin dived down behind the Verbena bonariensis in search of food.
Nipplewort bravely flowering in November – just outside the Walled Garden
Walking along the path into the main Park (we’ll follow this same route each month) we noticed a mole hill in front of the brambly wildlife areas, and berries on the red-stemmed dogwood – much sought-after natural bird food at this time of year. Two wood pigeons were spotted in a taller tree, along with more robins, blackbirds and the odd squirrel or two! A few leaves linger on the mighty London plane tree that dominates the beginning of the Park path; most of its equally gigantic leaves fallen onto the grass and now starting to breakdown after last night’s frost.
Unidentified fungi in the Park!
In the Woodland Garden we saw turkey tail fungi on the log to the left – we’ve seen more fungi here before (we haven’t identified all of it yet!) but it’s all starting to go over slightly now. Just near there the holly tree that has been reshaped is showing off its red berries and we noticed the newly planted groundcover periwinkle flowering; alongside red campion and hedge woundwort in the wild areas around the Woodland Garden.
Mute swan on Bishop’s Pond
Along the path to Bishop’s Pond where our wildlife watch became more meditative as we paused to take in the graceful white mute swan swimming up and down,. feeding and occasionally stretching out its wings on the pond. We saw 4 mallard ducks here, along with 3 wigeon ducks and a coot – with its distinctive call. We chatted to a park regular who told us he saw 3 otters swimming east in the pond, a few years back. We’d love to know if they are still here – and what fish they are catching!
More squirrels on the way back from the Pond as we meandered along the lower meadow path, along the side of the Ha-ha. We saw rose hips entangled with laurel (much of the laurel has gone as it’s suppressing the native flora – and we can’t wait to see what emerges in the newly cleared areas in the New Year), and around the other side of the Museum, in the formal beds, Fatsia japonica, hypericum and a pink rose all flowering a little still. An unidentified yellow flower on the walled garden path – is it nipplewort?
Fungi , ivy and moss on the old apple trees in the Walled Garden
In the Walled Garden now – our final stop – and we saw marigolds, verbena bonariensis and borage all flowering still, along with nasturtiums all flopped over from the frost, but their scent strong in the air. We admired the lichens, ferns and fungi growing on the old heritage apple trees, having a rest this year after their bumper crop in 2020. In the longer grass we spotted some tall Evening primrose stems – some still bearing their perfect yellow cup-like flowers; and some flowering hogweed too – possibly as a result of the recent grass cut.
We’d love more people to join us on our monthly watch and especially welcome those who can identify birds, insects and other wildlife for us! So do get in touch if you’d like to get involved.
Caroline Welch, Community Engagement Officer, 23rd November 2021
Nov 2021: Our 1st Wildlife Watch
Posted: 23/11/2021 by Caroline Welch
Today we began our first ever Monthly Wildlife Watch – observing the flora and fauna and noticing the seasonal changes in the Park. It was a grey overcast day – unlike the gloriously sunny day before – and there had been a frost overnight. Suzie, one of our garden volunteers, and I started in the Jenkinson garden and noted down the very few flowers we saw – Hedge germander, rudbeckia, thyme, phlox (sheltering behind the bench), a lone white daisy in the grass and we noticed the new recent growth put on by the box hedges. This area – newly planted in March 2021 – was brimming with pollinators over the summer, and it will be so exciting to see it come alive in its 2nd year next spring. A little robin dived down behind the Verbena bonariensis in search of food.
Walking along the path into the main Park (we’ll follow this same route each month) we noticed a mole hill in front of the brambly wildlife areas, and berries on the red-stemmed dogwood – much sought-after natural bird food at this time of year. Two wood pigeons were spotted in a taller tree, along with more robins, blackbirds and the odd squirrel or two! A few leaves linger on the mighty London plane tree that dominates the beginning of the Park path; most of its equally gigantic leaves fallen onto the grass and now starting to breakdown after last night’s frost.
In the Woodland Garden we saw turkey tail fungi on the log to the left – we’ve seen more fungi here before (we haven’t identified all of it yet!) but it’s all starting to go over slightly now. Just near there the holly tree that has been reshaped is showing off its red berries and we noticed the newly planted groundcover periwinkle flowering; alongside red campion and hedge woundwort in the wild areas around the Woodland Garden.
Along the path to Bishop’s Pond where our wildlife watch became more meditative as we paused to take in the graceful white mute swan swimming up and down,. feeding and occasionally stretching out its wings on the pond. We saw 4 mallard ducks here, along with 3 wigeon ducks and a coot – with its distinctive call. We chatted to a park regular who told us he saw 3 otters swimming east in the pond, a few years back. We’d love to know if they are still here – and what fish they are catching!
More squirrels on the way back from the Pond as we meandered along the lower meadow path, along the side of the Ha-ha. We saw rose hips entangled with laurel (much of the laurel has gone as it’s suppressing the native flora – and we can’t wait to see what emerges in the newly cleared areas in the New Year), and around the other side of the Museum, in the formal beds, Fatsia japonica, hypericum and a pink rose all flowering a little still. An unidentified yellow flower on the walled garden path – is it nipplewort?
In the Walled Garden now – our final stop – and we saw marigolds, verbena bonariensis and borage all flowering still, along with nasturtiums all flopped over from the frost, but their scent strong in the air. We admired the lichens, ferns and fungi growing on the old heritage apple trees, having a rest this year after their bumper crop in 2020. In the longer grass we spotted some tall Evening primrose stems – some still bearing their perfect yellow cup-like flowers; and some flowering hogweed too – possibly as a result of the recent grass cut.
We’d love more people to join us on our monthly watch and especially welcome those who can identify birds, insects and other wildlife for us! So do get in touch if you’d like to get involved.
Caroline Welch, Community Engagement Officer, 23rd November 2021
Category: Latest News, Monthly Wildlife Watch, Wildlife Tags: birds, coot, ducks, fungi, nature, swan, trees, wildflowers, wildlife, Woodland