Nature Notes - August 2022
Sicklehome Nature Notes
On a couple of occasions during August, I received messages akin to “bees in the bunkers”. As it happened, on a rare visit to a bunker (sic!) I had seen the creatures myself and had been seeking guidance as to which species they might be. There are around 270 species of bee in the UK, although around 250 of these are solitary bees (excellent pollinators, non-aggressive and mostly without a sting) which don’t live in colonies, so that narrows the field a little. Whilst I would welcome help from anyone who studies bees, I decided that our bunker loving bees were either Red Mason Bees or more likely, the appropriately named Sandpit Mining Bees.
There were more Red Kite reports, offering clear evidence of their spread into the northern half of the county, and when the EGGS played at Chatsworth Park, we were shown a nest from which young had successfully fledged. Amongst the other raptor species, Kestrels again bred on the course, Buzzards may have done (young were heard begging for food on most days in the month, as they and their parents flew overhead) and on the last day of the month Steve Clarke and I watched a Sparrowhawk flushing small birds from a hedgerow. Pied Wagtails again bred in the barn on the 8th and as previously reported, our nest boxes were very successful
As the summer progresses, birdsong becomes less noticeable but the first species to become actively vocal again is often the Nuthatch. We seem to have a good population and they could be heard every day from midmonth.
A few Harebells remained in flower as did Ragwort and both willowherb species, but the dry weather created early leaf fall and the sunshine has produced a fair crop of Blackberries. October will almost certainly see many types of fungi appearing. Mammals reported included the occasional Rabbit, early morning Roe Deer and signs of Badger activity.
As usual, a nice mixed biodiversity all on our own patch.
Bryan Barnacle
