Wildlife Watch: December 2021

Posted: 22/12/2021 by Caroline Welch

Louise, Ffiona and ? on 20/12/21

It was a cold, dull day at the end of December.  We noticed bulbs beginning to break through the soil in the Jenkinson Garden – a welcome sign of the Spring to come.

Green shoots emerging from rocky, damp soil, surrounded by small stones and patches of moss. The young plants indicate new growth in an outdoor setting.

Today a climbing rose had just been planted against pergola – the planting of the Jenkinson Garden is almost complete!

We spotted some hazel nut shells beneath the box tree – were they nibbled by rodents, or squirrels?  And an interesting rotting tree trunk.

All leaves have fallen from all deciduous trees – but we spotted some buds on a beech tree.

Bare tree branches in the foreground, with a park scene behind including a path, a wooden bench, green grass, and leaf litter. There are some construction barriers and trees in the background under a cloudy sky.

We saw some fungi.

A small white mushroom grows among damp brown leaves and soil on a forest floor, with some green ivy leaves visible in the background. A cluster of pale mushrooms grows among brown fallen leaves and green ivy on a forest floor, with twigs and branches scattered on top.

…and some rodent hole and mole hills.

We spotted carvings on this beech tree dating back to 1862!

Tree bark with various carvings, including the prominent number 1862 etched into the surface, surrounded by other less distinct letters, numbers, and markings.

And plants in flower  – Periwinkle, dandelion, rose.

A patch of green leafy plants with several light purple flowers blooming among the foliage. The flowers have five petals each and the plants cover the ground densely.

A single yellow dandelion flower grows among green plants and brown fallen leaves on the ground.

On our walk we saw: Song thrush, Mistle thrush, Robin, Wren, Blackbirds, Blue tits, a Mute swan, Mallards, a Nuthatch and a Jay.

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