Oxhey Nature Notes

I hope everyone is keeping healthy and have been soaking up some of the abundant sunshine.

Firstly I wanted to bring mention the tree work that has recently been carried out in Attenborough’s Fields, Many people have been rather dismayed that this work is being done in the bird nesting season ( Mid March-August), which should be avoided to prevent disturbance. We have been in touch with the landowners Rural Estates at Herts County Council (HCC) to try and put back the work until the Autumn, HCC replied that the work had been planned for the winter but the ground conditions were too wet.

We also contacted our County Councillor Stephen Giles- Medhurst to see if he could help by contacting HCC, He tried, but sadly this work will be continuing as public liability concerns take priority over wildlife.

Anyway back to good news, there is plenty to enjoy locally. I hope most of you have the opportunity to explore the Woodland Trust’s Merry Hill Reserve, it is actually quite different to Attenborough’s fields, the land was an arable farm until purchased by the WT in 1996, it is a diverse site with woodland planted over 25 years ago, developing flower-rich grassland currently grazed with redpoll cattle and some naturally regenerating scrub and woodland. I particularly enjoy the damp and scrubby area under the electric pylons adjacent to the Hartsbourne stream in the southern end of the site, this area seems to attract the most wildlife with great birdsong at this time of year.

It is quite daunting identifying birds from their song but I think an incredibly rewarding skill to learn, with computers it is easier and apps on phones can help too, try and learn a few if you can.

In this area recently I have heard Chiff Chaff – an easy one to start with because that its song.

Willow warbler which we talked about last week.

Blackcap – short and melodic flutey phrases, usually stops quite abruptly.

Common Whitethroat – (scratchy rattle) may see perched on top of thorny bush.

Lesser Whitethroat – jigajigajiga, coming from deep in the middle of scrub.

Song thrush which repeats a note three times, then another different note three times and so on.

Blackbird – rich flutey and beautiful, quite long phrases.

Great spotted woodpecker – drumming heard using a hollow tree as a soundboard.

Green woodpecker – a long slightly demonic laugh or yaffle, which carries over a long distance (also heard frequently on Attenborough’s fields).

Wren – a really common but wonderfully perky and tiny bird with a piercing metallic trill, with quite amazing volume for its size.

Skylark – you should see and hear them as you walk downhill from the ridge, beautiful song often from high overhead.

Now is a good time to try outdoor recording on your mobile phone, as birdsong is at its most rich and without much of the usual distracting background noise, you can then listen and identify in the comfort of your home!

We have had some excellent warm and sunny days which are the best days to see the early spring butterflies on the wing, good places to see most butterflies are in sheltered and warm woodland glades or behind hedges as butterflies don’t like windy exposed places. The butterfly I associate most with spring is the Brimstone (see photo), the male a sulphur-yellow and the female a greenish-white. It is one of the few butterflies which hibernate over winter as an adult, they look remarkably ‘leaf-like’ with wings together. They hibernate in woodland often on bramble or holly leaves, waiting patiently for a warm spring day to wake up and fly away looking for a mate.

Another hibernating butterfly which is easy to find now is the peacock, easily identified when wings open with large eye spots on wings (to deter potential predators) if you see their underwings it is very dark. This butterfly comes into gardens as frequently nectars on flowers. It can also be seen from spring to autumn.

Finally, one of the earliest butterflies that does not hibernate, but overwinters as a tiny egg on a branch is an orange tip, it is one of the ‘whites’ its food plants being from the crucifer family such as hedge garlic, cuckoo flower (one of my favourite flowers too, see photo) and in gardens Honesty.

After some much-needed rain, this week hope you get a chance to get out and enjoy the great outdoors – Good health to all.