Nature Calendar

January :: February :: March :: April :: May :: June :: July
August :: September :: October :: November :: December

January

This is quiet time in the nature calendar. Much of the wildlife, flora and fauna are dormant, waiting for winter to pass and the first signs of spring to appear. In warm years, the first signs of Snowdrops and Primroses may start to appear.

February

The first signs of spring being to showing. In woodland areas the first tips of Bluebells will start to poke through the leaf litter. Towards the end of the month, birds begin building nest and you may observe courtship behaviour. Trees will start to show signs of budburst.

March

TBD

April

Walking up Cow Lane, you will see Lapwings in the field on the right, near to Widowscroft Farm. On the lake and the small pond in the reserve you'll see frog spawn gathered round the edges in amongst the reeds.

May

In May the woods and verges begin to come alive again. Bluebells and Wood Anenomes litter the woodland floor both in Swallow's Wood and in the clough running along Cow Lane. Other wild flowers, such as Red Campion, Ox-Eye Daisy, and dandelions start to show flower along path edges and close to the North entrance to the reserve.

On the lake in the reserve, young ducklings can be seen. Cabbage White butterflies start appearing in the fields surrounding the reserve. Look out for the Herons, Canada Geese, and Mute Swans that all nest on the reserve at this time of year.

June

In June, the Bluebells and Wood Anenomes die away, leaving a lush carpet of green foliage on the woodland floor. Wild flowers that were starting to show in May appear in abundance, and summer flowering plants start to show, with a carpet of vetch foliage spreading out along the path and woodland edges, though not yet in flower.

Along the edges of the lake and the top pond, Yellow Flag Iris comes into flower. The ducklings on the lake start to show their adult plumage at this time. Tufted Ducks may also be present on the lake.