Wildlife Watch – Jan 2022

Orange, ruffled fungi grow on a decaying log surrounded by green moss. The wood shows visible texture and grain, contrasting with the vibrant colours and organic shapes of the moss and mushrooms.
Turkey tail fungi (photo: Suzie Fraser)

25th January 2-3.30pm – With Caroline, Suzie, Max and Penny

Well its always a huge bonus when an ornithological expert turns up to your monthly wildlife watch!  Local residents Max and Penny saw the publicity for January’s walk on Facebook and decided to come along – and how glad we were that they did!  We spotted (and heard) more birds on our January watch than we ever have before – thank you Max and Penny!

 A close-up of a vibrant purple periwinkle flower with five petals, surrounded by lush, glossy green leaves. The background is slightly blurred, highlighting the flower as the main focus.

It was a grey cloudy day but as we walked around the Park we heard dunnock, blackbird, and saw celandine, wild strawberries, cheering green primrose leaves and the spiked lords & ladies coming up through the leaf litter.

 Close-up of three elongated, pinkish catkins hanging from a thin branch, with a blurred background of bare twigs and muted natural colours, suggesting early spring or late winter.

Near the pond we heard / saw 2 moorhen, jay, pigeon and mute swan, mistle thrushes, long tailed tits, great tits and blue tits.  We noticed the pale yellow catkins, like tiny lambs tails – important early pollen for bees – on the hazel around the pond. 

 Clusters of orange-brown mushrooms grow on and around a decaying tree stump, surrounded by dried leaves, green plants, and twigs in a natural outdoor setting.

More primroses along the ha-ha path and turkey tail fungi on a log pile there.   In the walled garden we heard song thrushes and a chaffinch, a very exciting turn up –a greenfinch in the apple trees!  You can ID a greenfinch by its distinctive green colours and its repeated ‘cheese’ call – find out more.   

 Green ivy leaves and reddish-brown stems spread across a rough, grey stone surface, creating a natural pattern of foliage and texture.

The greenfinch population has been decimated in recent years due to ‘trichomonosis’, a disease that prevents the birds from feeding properly – and they are now on the ‘red list’ of UK endangered birds.  Intensive farming has also diminished its food supply.  To help stop the decline of the greenfinch population – make sure you clean your birdfeeder regularly – find out more.

What will you see in the Park today?