December 2019

23rd December 2019

A quiet time of year for plants, but Cow parsley was growing, White dead-nettle was in flower and Hazels had catkins.

There were caravans in the stadium, perhaps accommodation for those manning the "little big top". Quite extensive standing water following recent rainfall, including in the low parts of Horse Close Wood.

Early nesting activity by Magpies, carrying nest material. 35 was the highest ever count of Pochard on the lake, continuing the long-term increas of this species and contrary to the national trend.

November 2019

24th November 2019

Autumn leaf fall was in progress. The American Red oaks and the Ash-leaved maple had dropped all their leaves and Hawthorn most, but Elm, Norway maple and Lime had coloured up but still had most of their leaves. Both Ash and Oak were about half-way through leaf-fall. The veteran Oak by the picnic area was fully red. Bucking the trend the (evergreen) ivy was in flower and fruit.

One of this-year's cygnets has disappeared, leaving just the two pairs and the remaining two cygnets.

Things were shaping up for the Christmas sales, with Pines and needles fully operational and construction work in progress for the big top.

October 2019

29th October 2019

On this autumn visit things were pretty quiet, most birds had not resumed singing after moulting, but the odd Robin was singing. There were still two pairs of Mute swans, one with three well-grown cygnets. One adult swan was being agressive to the other pair. One pair of Great-crested grebes had two young. This, and three Grey herons and four Cormorants, suggest that there were still fish to be found in the lake, but not in big numbers. Lime trees were beginning to turn yellow and Shaggy parasol mushrooms were responding to the warm early autumn weather. The books say that this species can cause indigestion, which is convenient, because they don't in my family and so we have rich pickings. The recently-copparded area of Horse Close Wood was dominated by Ivy and Bramble, so there's no sign yet that the operation has allowed much interesting to emerge from the seed bank.

The anglers have installed tethered kites mimicing a bird of prey, apparently in an attempt to deter the Cormorants. The science behind such scaring devices is well-established. Any effect is temporary, as the clever bids don't take long to realise that the kites are no threat. Where there are equally attractive places without deterrence there can be a slightly greater and longer-lasting effect, but this is remarkably uncommon. I suppose one cannot blame the anglers for trying, because the Cormorants are quite effective in lowering fish numbers down to a level that is no longer attractive to them, nor to the anglers!

September 2019

30th September 2019

As I arrived at the lake at 07:15, the dog walkers had got there just before, so all I saw of the Little egret was its yellow feet as it flew off over the golf course. This was my first record of this species here, but not unexpected as it's increasing in the UK.

Most flowering is over, but this is when Ivy flowers and the late insects swarm to its nectar and pollen.

I noted that the scars from last year's bonfires still had only a patchy cover of grass. Restoration after events seems to be deteriorating under the contract management.